sad cat with anxiety

Separation anxiety in cats is often caused by changes in their life. So, while it may be expected in the early stages of introducing a cat into your home, it’s also common in family pets that you’ve lived with for a long time. Most cats adapt well to change, but some have difficulty, which can lead to cat anxiety symptoms.

We know it’s not possible to spend 24/7 with your beloved cat, and some life changes are unavoidable, so what can you do to help relieve their anxiety? Some cats are aloof and a perfectly fine chilling on their own. Others want to spend time, and we're talking long periods with their owners, like they're a permanent shadow. And with those cats it's difficult for them to say goodbye and adjust to alone time.

So when it comes to cat separation anxiety, here's everything you need to know including how to help and treat your cat.

What Is Cat Separation Anxiety?

Separation anxiety or distress is caused when a cat is away from its owner. This can be when you’ve left the house or are in the house but not with your cat. Some breeds are more prone to experiencing separation anxiety because they have greater social needs. They form strong attachments to their owner and need lots of attention.

Separation anxiety in cats is most common in the following breeds:

  • Abyssinian
  • American Shorthair
  • Birman
  • British Shorthair
  • Bengal
  • Burmese
  • Maine Coon
  • Persian
  • Ragdoll
  • Siamese
  • Sphynx

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cat Separation Anxiety?

You may not witness all of your cat’s anxiety symptoms. They’ll often happen when you’re not around, and not all cats react the same. But the most common signs of separation anxiety in cats include:

  • Excessive grooming that causes patchy hair loss, or under grooming leading to poor coat quality.
  • Excessive vocalisation that continues when you return home. They may be very persistent in getting your attention and will keep meowing if you’re not stroking or playing with them.
  • Refuse food or overeat causing weight loss or weight gain.
  • Scratching furniture, carpet and walls.
  • Urinating outside the litter box.
  • Withdrawing and hiding away: they may not come out straight away when you return.

While the above are signs of anxiety, they can also be symptoms of an underlying health condition, so it’s a good idea to visit your vet to get your cat checked over.

Why Do Cats Get Separation Anxiety?

Any cat can suffer with separation anxiety but not all do. You may find your cat starts to show signs of separation anxiety after staying at a cattery for the first time. This is because they were left in a strange new place, and they had no idea if you were going to return.

Over-attachment is when a cat gets used to getting lots of attention and then that changes, which causes stress and anxiety. This could be due to you returning to the office after a period of working from home, or returning to work after maternity leave, or your children returning to school after the holidays.

Similarly, kittens that have been hand-reared, or removed from their mother too early, often form strong attachments to their owner and suffer with separation anxiety when left alone.

Anxiety in cats is common when they’ve been adopted from a shelter or have suffered a traumatic event. Cats feel unsafe and stressed when they don’t have consistency.

Should I Take My Cat to See a Vet?

Whether your cat’s behaviour has recently changed, or your new cat isn’t settling in as well as you’d hoped, it’s always best to speak to your vet. They’ll perform a full physical examination to make sure it’s not caused by a health problem. Once that has been ruled out, they can offer advice on how to help your cat’s separation anxiety or refer you to a qualified pet behaviourist.

If your cat’s anxiety is severe and causing a great deal of distress, your vet may consider prescribing cat anxiety medication. This will relax them while you focus on a behavioural treatment plan.

Treating Separation Anxiety in Cats

In some cases, the separation anxiety is short lived, and things return to normal as your cat gets used to the new routine. But if this isn’t the case, there are things you can do to help. To treat separation anxiety, you need to make your cat feel safe when you’re not around and they need to know that you’ll return.

To start with, only leave your cat for a short period of time. Make your goodbye brief and save the fuss for when you return. Create some cues like putting your coat and shoes on, or put your keys in your pocket, just before you leave the house.

This will let your cat know what’s about to happen, rather than you suddenly disappearing. As your cat gets used to these moments alone, you can start to gradually increase the time your cat is left.

Make sure your cat’s environment provides enrichment, a bored cat is more likely to seek out its owner to provide stimulation. Puzzle feeders, toys, scratching posts and climbing trees are all great for keeping your cat busy. Consider installing a cat flap so your cat can come and go as they please. If you don’t want your cat free roaming outside, an outdoor cat enclosure is a great alternative.

A regular routine for rest, play and feeding is important to cats, so try not to make drastic changes. If you’re the main person to feed and play with your cat, try to get other family members involved to reduce your cat’s reliance on you.

Pheromone diffusers are a really useful tool and may be used alongside the methods given above to help relax an anxious cat.

If your cat is showing signs of separation anxiety, its best to get them checked by a vet. Most anxiety in cats is caused by life changes, but some breeds have higher social needs, so being on their own causes them distress. Treatment for a cat with separation anxiety takes time and patience, and mostly involves working on a behavioural plan to get them used to time apart.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis - www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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