Help! My Cat is acting out!

There are several things that can cause a cat to be stressed. July 4^th is an example that stresses all cats because it sounds like a war zone going on all around your house. A storm can be another example. There are some other ways that your cat will get stressed that are not as obvious. Introducing a new family member or another cat into the family can cause stress. It is not a bad thing having more than one cat, in fact, I have five! When they are introduced to a new cat, they must do it at their own pace, they cannot be forced into it. They can also get jealous easily, so they also need some extra love and attention during this time.

Since they are very sensitive, they do not like change. They may rebel by going outside the litter box if their litter is changed. They can even do this with the change of a litter box. When I went to a self-cleaning litter box, they refused to go in it because it was a change, and it moved by itself. It took time and having both litter boxes out with the same litter in it before they would start using it. Yes, it took time but eventually they were used to it and the noises it made where they could relax and go in the new box.

Cats can act out when they are stressed out. How can you tell if it is stressful? Talk to your vet for sure especially if they are doing things like excessively cleaning themselves. If they start meowing in a deep tone or hissing, they are communicating, they do not feel safe.  First and foremost, it is important to talk to your vet about unusual behavior. Sometimes cats need to be reassured that things are ok. Sometimes, they just need space to hide until the stressor is no longer present.

Sometimes they will act out by being aggressive. It is important to give them time to calm down. They may hiss or bite when they are scared or stressed. They need to have a safe environment to get though feeling unsafe. Sometimes when they are stressed, they will decrease or increase their eating, just like humans. It is important to monitor them and inform your vet if this happens for several days.

There are times when your cat’s stress continues, and they are no longer interested in playing. It is important to talk to your vet about these behaviors but also give them some more attention by petting and talking in a calm voice to them. Work on reassuring them that everything is ok. Make sure your cat has everything they need such as a place to sleep, play, plenty of food and water available, and lots of love.

There are several products on Amazon which you can purchase to help calm a cat. Here are a few links

https://amzn.to/3YRpuDg Cat Tree

https://amzn.to/3AWSnWx Air Diffuser

https://amzn.to/3CxHlYk Calming Chews

https://amzn.to/3OaepYW Catnip

https://amzn.to/3YVNLIa Catnip Toys

Anytime you are concerned about new behaviors, it is very important to talk to your vet about these and get suggestions from the vet. Especially when you have tried these suggestions, and nothing is working.

Resources

10 Signs Your Cat is Stressed Out (and How You Can Help Them) – Brisk Pets

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