As a pet owner, you surely want your four-legged friend to live a happy, healthy life. However, cats can develop a wide range of issues similar to people — anxiety is one of them. How can you recognize that your cat is anxious? Look for signs like vocalization, hypervigilance, hiding, compulsive pacing, trembling, dilated pupils, ears to the side, tail flicking, or hair standing up.
If you notice that your cat exhibits some of these symptoms, you should step in. There are many ways in which you can reduce your cat’s anxiety, such as pheromone diffusers and CBD oils, comforting your cat, playing with it, or creating a safe space where it can rest and relax. If you want to learn more, keep on reading.
Why Is Your Cat Anxious?
As you know, our furry friends are pretty sensitive creatures and can pick up on anything that is going on around them. That is why many owners are constantly searching for things they can use to make their pets happier. For example, many dog owners decide to buy CBD oil for dogs, such as this one.
Nevertheless, finding that something is wrong with your pet is the first thing you have to do, and it can be challenging. Anxiety in cats can be caused by many things — moving to a new home, changing the family’s routine, the arrival of a newborn baby, or a change in the family’s schedule. Additionally, some cat breeds are more prone to anxiety than others. Siamese cats, for example, are genetically predisposed to developing anxiety.
To establish whether your cat is suffering from anxiety or not, you can look at its behavior and search for worrying symptoms.
What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety in Cats?
There are several signs that your cat is developing anxiety. Just like people who have this issue, cats show different symptoms depending on their personality and temperament. Here are some symptoms to look for:
- Frequent vocalization
- Hiding
- Lethargy
- Shaking or trembling
- Pacing
- Hypervigilance
- Ears to the side
- Tail flicking
- Hair standing up
- Dilated pupils
What Can You Do to Help Your Cat?
Use CBD Oils
CBD oils have become very popular nowadays due to their many health benefits. People use them for a wide range of issues, including anxiety, insomnia, arthritis pain, depression, skin conditions, cancer, and much more. The good news is that you can also use them to help relieve your cat’s anxiety symptoms.
While there are many types of CBD oils on the market today, we recommend using hemp-derived CBD oil products as they are legal in most states and contain high levels of cannabidiol (CBD). The number of CBD drops you should be giving your pet depends on its weight and current health condition.
Provide the Right Environment
Every cat, much like its owner, wants to live a comfortable life. If your cat’s environment is not adjusted according to its needs, chances are it will develop anxious behaviour. So, if you want to help your feline friend feel better, you must start by providing it with a pleasant and safe environment.
First of all, you must take care of your cat’s hygiene by brushing its fur, trimming its nails, and cleaning its litter box. It would be best if you also kept your cat’s living space sanitized and clean at all times. In addition, you should make sure your cat has plenty of toys to play with and a comfy place to rest.
A comfortable bed matters a lot for cats. Having one will help you reduce your pet’s anxiety and make it less anxious. If your cat has been sleeping on hard surfaces to this day, you should give it a comfy bed to rest on. You can do this by buying a cat bed or creating one yourself. Nevertheless, if you decide to go with the second option, you should fill a cat bed with soft materials like feathers or cotton. It should also have enough room for the cat to move and sleep comfortably.
If your cat hides when it feels anxious, you might make a special hiding spot for it. Cats usually try to hide under beds or closets. You should create a space where your cat can feel safe. Moreover, it would help if you lined the hiding spot with soft materials like blankets or stuffed animals. Also, if there are any noises in the house that disturb your cat, try to reduce them or eliminate them entirely.
Play and Interact with Your Cat
Cats love playing around, and they often do it just for fun. However, if you have a cat that suffers from anxiety or stress, you might need to play with it more than usual.
When you play with your cat, you should pick games that will help it feel safe and relaxed. At the same time, you should avoid playing hide-and-seek games or ones involving long red laser beams, as they can increase your cat’s anxiety. Instead, make sure that you take the time to play with your cat every day. If you play with your cat a lot, it will feel happier and more comfortable around you.
Next, ensure that your cat has some toys that it can play with. Things such as a scratch pad or a few balls are excellent for this purpose. This way, you can quickly strengthen your bond with your pet.
Playing with your cat helps decrease its anxiety because it acts as a natural stress reliever. You should also offer it plenty of physical and mental stimulation so that it stays happy and healthy. If you pay more attention to your cat and spend quality time with it, it will feel much better in no time.
Consider Pheromone Diffusers
Pheromone diffusers can be very helpful when it comes to reducing your cat’s anxiety. They work by releasing pheromones into the air that act as natural mood stabilizers. These diffusers help reduce anxious behaviour by stimulating the chemoreceptor cells in your cat’s nose. The best part is that they are safe to use and odourless.
Conclusion
Many cats suffer from anxiety at some point in their lives. While most people find it easy to recognize symptoms of stress in humans, it becomes more complicated when it comes to animals, as they do not speak our language. However, if you stay vigilant, you can recognize if your cat is anxious and act accordingly.
There are many ways in which you can reduce your cat’s anxiety at home. If you want to help your cat feel calmer and happier, you should try some of the tips we mentioned, such as using CBD oils and pheromone diffusers and creating a safe environment for your pet. If you do these things, you will succeed in reducing your cat’s anxiety and give it a calmer life.
