While some stress is normal, too much can cause behavioural and medical problems. Knowing the possible causes of cat stress means you can help prevent them from becoming stressed or at least reduce it.

Recognising signs of a stressed cat means you can put things in place to help ease their stress.

What Causes Stress in Cats?

Many factors can cause stress in cats, and they vary from cat to cat. However, most cats feel stressed by changes to their routine, lifestyle or environment.

Cats are creatures of habit! Some examples that may be causing the changes in your cat's behaviour because of stress include:

• Moving house: a stressful event for most of us, but more so for our pets as they have no idea what's going on.
• A new baby or pet: with new family members come new smells and sounds. Plus, there is often a decrease in your attention and changes to their routine.
• Visiting the vet: travelling to the vet is often stressful, as is visiting an unfamiliar place with strange smells.
• Staying in a cattery: your cat can smell and hear unfamiliar cats, and they've been separated from their family and home.
• Other cats in their neighbourhood: there are often scraps between cats to determine a social hierarchy.
• Home renovations: unfamiliar people and loud noises in their home, which is usually their safe space.
• Separation anxiety: being separated from their loved ones can cause them to feel anxious and distressed.

Some cats are more sensitive than others, so even a new piece of furniture or moving their litterbox can upset and stress them. There's much debate on whether access to the outdoors can reduce a cat's stress levels.

If you have an indoor cat, it's very important to understand their behavioural needs and make sure they're being met to prevent stress. Their environment needs to be enriching, like having scratching posts, cat trees, interactive toys, high walkways and perches, and access to a window to look out of.

What is Cat Separation Anxiety?

Separation anxiety is when a cat becomes anxious or distressed when separated from a family member. This can be either because they've left the house or are just in a different room.

Some cat breeds have greater social needs than others, so they form strong attachments with their favourite people and need more attention.

They're also more prone to experiencing separation anxiety. Sometimes, the anxiety will be short-lived while they get used to their new routine or home. But if this isn't the case, your anxious cat will need help from you and your vet or a veterinary behaviourist.

How Do I Know If My Cat is Stressed: 9 Common Signs

The core symptoms of stress in cats will show in different ways, with some making it more obvious than others.

Some common stress symptoms in cats include:

1. Hiding away: not being their usual social self and instead finding places to retreat and hide away from whatever is causing their stress.
2. Over or under grooming: pulling out fur, bald patches, or a scruffy, unkempt appearance.
3. Body language: facial expressions and body posture. Ears back or lots of movement, tail tucked under between their back legs, and narrow eyes are all signs of distress.
4. Vocalisation: yowls and howls signify distress; cats often purr to comfort themselves when stressed.
5. Toileting habits: doing wees and poos outside of their litter box.
6. Eating habits: a stressed cat may start eating less, stop eating or even overeat.
7. Loses interest in play: cats experiencing anxiety or fear are less likely to want to play.
8. Reluctance to go outdoors: this is common in cats whose stress is caused by neighbourhood cats.
9. Scratching: a stressed or anxious cat may resort to destructive behaviour like scratching. This can bring them some stress relief.

How to Reduce Stress in Cats

If you think your cat is feeling stressed, take them to your vet for a check-up. They'll rule out any health problems that can cause cat stress symptoms and offer advice on possible behavioural causes.

To help reduce stress in your cat, make sure their environment meets all of their needs. They should have a safe space to retreat to that can easily be found in a quiet area of the house. Some cats like to have a space that's high up, while others are happy to have a bed behind the sofa. They should have access to fresh, clean water and a special area for feeding times.

Living with other cats can be stressful as they have to share things. It's also common for there to be a more dominant cat, and not all cats get along with each other.

To help prevent stress, try to have enough beds, toys and litter trays for the number of cats in your home. The general rule is one litter tray per cat plus one extra. These should be put somewhere away from their food and water bowls.

Most importantly, spend some quality time with your cat. Your vet may recommend using cat stress relief medication alongside behavioural techniques. Pheromone diffusers can also help relax an anxious cat.

Preventing Stress in Cats: Top Tips

If you know there's a life-changing event coming up that may cause your cat to feel stressed, try to plan ahead. When bringing a new baby or pet into your home, give your cat its own space. Bring a toy or blanket with the new family member's scent to your cat before introducing them so they can get used to the smell. And don't forget to continue giving your cat quality one-to-one attention. But most importantly, stick to their routine as much as possible.

When travelling or staying in a cattery, take some of your cat's belongings, like their toys and a blanket containing familiar smells. During home renovations, keep your cat as far away from the noise and commotion as possible.

When moving home, let them explore each space slowly. Your cat will feel more comfortable as familiar things are put in the new home. And don't leave your cat alone in your new home until they're familiar with the space.

Your home needs to be secure so the neighbourhood cats can't wander in and upset your cat. This can easily be done using a microchip scanning cat flap. Your cat also needs opportunities to express hunting behaviours through play and foraging games.

If your cat is experiencing separation anxiety, there are things you can do to make sure it feels safe when left alone. Their environment needs to be stimulating so they don't get bored and up to mischief. Cats benefit from outdoor access with a cat flap or cat enclosure, like a catio. Get them used to short periods of time alone and gradually increase it until they seem happy.

If your cat shows signs of stress, it's important to get them checked by your vet. Some health issues can cause stress symptoms, like hair loss and loss of appetite, that need to be ruled out first.

A stressed cat's treatment will depend on the cause. Most stress is caused by external factors, like changes to their routine and environment. So, you need to make them feel safe again. 

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