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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Litter Box! Litter Box! Litter Box!

Which one should you use! There are hundreds of choices from plain litter boxes, to raised sides, to hooded litter boxes with swing doors. However, it does not stop there! There are hundreds of choices of self-cleaning litter boxes. How does a person choose which one to use? You can read the reviews, measure the sizes, even find the specific features you want, which can be a daunting and time-consuming task. Then there is the price, anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds! For the most part, we all want the same thing, which are the ones with the less smell and the least amount of maintenance.

I have had indoor cats most of my adult life. I did the best with what I had because I could not rationalize spending several hundreds of dollars on a litter box. This year is the first time I gave in and purchased a self-cleaning litter box. Before buying one, I did research and read reviews on several self-cleaning litter boxes. I also looked at the cost of each one. This took some time as there were so many choices!

I used the litter boxes with the hoods and swing door on them for the last six years. I had to clean the litter boxes three to four times a week. I also had to change to filters out once a month. Even that, when one of the lovely fur babies went to the litter box to do their business, a strong smell of #2 filled the room. When you have five cats that do this within three hours, well you know the rest! I tried everything. Litter deodorizer, scooping more often, mixing two litters together, and even room deodorizers did not stop the smell. I had to do something. I was desperate to try something, anything.

This is when I decided to buy a self-cleaning litter box. I tell you; this is one of the best decisions I have made. The litter box cleans the litter right after the cat leaves the box. There is a sensor that identifies if another cat is approaching, and it will stop the cleaning cycle until they walk away (great safety feature). I was a bit skeptical about buying one with an open front on it. However, there is a deodorizer that sprays as soon as they leave the litter box. The smell of #2 is there but only for a few seconds and not as strong. The litter box also cleans right away which takes the smell to a minimum. Not only do I like it better… so do my sweet fur babies! They get a clean litter box every time they go to use it! I chose the PETKIT PURAMAX1. I purchased the kit from Amazon which came with everything I needed to get started. My next blog will be more on how to adjust your cats to the new litter box!

https://amzn.to/3SGJBBN 

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Disclosure; Please note that some of the links on this site may be affiliate links. This means that we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Clicking a link or purchasing something that we have recommended will not cost you any extra money. It just helps to support our website and allows us to continue creating valuable content for you. We only recommend products and services that we have personally used or thoroughly researched. Thank you for your support.