Cats are unique creatures that live a fairly independent lifestyle. Some cats are friendlier than others, but we all know and love our cats for who they are. Because of their independence, however, we might miss out on some signs that they’re unhappy.
Spotting symptoms of stress in cats can be difficult because they might just seem like regular cat behavior. But here are some things to look into if you notice your cat has a change in attitude.
#1 – Excessive Grooming
While most cats groom relatively often, they can increase their habits when under stress. It might be tough to determine if your cat’s grooming is stress related, but if you notice they are grooming so often that they are losing hair and/or causing sores on their bodies, it’s definitely something that needs to be addressed. Because they start grooming to relieve stress, cats will continue to get worse and eventually start chewing themselves and pulling out large clumps of hair to deal with the problem. This is called feline psychogenic alopecia – which basically means that your kitty is grooming excessively due to stress in his or her environment.
#2 – Hiding
Some cats don’t really need a ton of human companionship, though they do come around. Others absolutely love their people and every visitor that enters their door. However, this behavior can change when your cat is under stress. Often, when a cat is uncomfortable, she will hide. If you notice that your cat is hiding constantly, even from you during dinner time, there might be something else going on. Whatever the cause of the hiding, it’s important to get to the bottom of it so the behavior doesn’t get worse.
#3 – Loss of Appetite
A lot of cats are picky eaters, but they do eat. Others will eat everything! But regardless of personality, cats typically will eat when their hungry. If you notice your cat eating less or not at all, it should be call for great concern. Cats under stress will often stop eating, which can be very dangerous. When cats stop eating, their bodies force the liver to use fat as energy. This quickly leads to a disease called hepatic lipidosis – or fatty liver. Untreated, this disease has a mortality rate of 90%. So even if you can’t figure out the cause of the stress that’s making your cat lose his appetite, it’s important to work with your veterinarian to make sure he’s being force-fed enough nutrients.
#4 – Eliminating Outside the Litter Box
Sometimes cats will show their stress by eliminating outside of their normal litter box. This can be stressful for owners as well, because we certainly don’t like finding surprises on our couches and beds. But it’s important to remain calm and figure out why our cats might be doing this, rather than getting angry and potentially causing them more stress. Often, the addition of a new pet or baby, or a dirty litter box might be the culprit.
#5 – Aggression
Cats are typically particular about where and when they want to be petted, but they still love and need attention from us. If you find your cat has become suddenly aggressive, or increasingly aggressive, it might be time to check with the veterinarian. Stress can cause aggression in cats. Think about when you’re stressed – you probably have shorter patience and tolerance than when you’re having a great day. The same goes for cats. Emotional stress and physical stress, such as pain, can cause our cats to be aggressive because they have no other way to communicate their discomfort with us. So don’t think your kitty has just suddenly turned mean, she’s probably just trying to show you she’s not feeling well.
Comments are closed.