Cats are mentally, physically and emotionally intelligent creatures. They communicate with their owners without fail when they are happy or feel like purring, but so little is known about how a cat feels when it's in a stressed out condition. This article aims to highlight and teach the average person about how you can help your cat relax, calm down and fix its anxiety without the use of treats or toys.
- Provide a Safe Place for your Cat to Hide Away
Cats often have unique quirks and sometimes a bit of anxiety. But one thing you can do for your cat to help her relax is to provide her with a safe place for her to hide when she's feeling anxious. This could mean providing an interesting cardboard box, a way to fortify parts of your home (such as a bench or scratching post), or even adding a shelter into your yard that feels like ‘her own.' It's important to be aware that some cats prefer being out in the open and don't necessarily want to hide when they feel anxious. If you notice your cat acts differently when she is hiding than when she is out, try to understand how she is feeling when this happens (but don't enable her by coddling). Once you know what helps your cat relax when she's feeling anxious, remember that this might change over time. If you use treats or toys as rewards for behavior modification – it would be good to also go through and review what sorts of things make your cat feel calm and relaxed.
- Use Feliway to Help Your Cat Relax
Cats can get all kinds of stressed out and it's often hard to predict what triggers this. Sometimes they feel anxious because they're in a new situation like going to the vet. In these types of stressful situations, it's hard to know what your cat might find comforting. While some cats do need cat toys or treats to cope with these sorts of stressors, not every cat is one that will try out their favorite toy or gobble up their favorite treat when feeling anxious. Unfortunately, cats that aren't motivated by food, toys, or other types of rewards can become difficult to help with calming products like scent diffusers.
Cats are not like dogs. You can’t always walk them or throw a stick to keep them occupied. Should you feel the need to do either, there is a good chance this will only increase their anxiety rather than diminish it. Cats require a more subtle approach and an understanding of how they like to be addressed when feeling anxious. Feliway is a product specifically meant to be used when there is an anxiety surrounding your cats such as during new additions to the household, change of place, and in certain cases, during certain seasons.
- Play Music for your Cat
A lot of people don't understand the connection between cats and music. After all, isn't music just auditory beats that makes you want to bob your head? Maybe for some humans, but that's not the case with cats. What does exist is that your cat feels anxiety and stress every day just like you do. This can result in them acting out aggressively, running from place to place or even refusing to eat. Just like humans, cats have various ways on how they can cope with their inner stresses and anxieties. One method is by eating, snuggling or going outside. The other way they deal with stressful situations is by listening to music.
According to a study conducted by the University of Lincoln and the University of Glasgow, playing music for your cat can help them relax when they're feeling anxious.
The researchers found that cats who were exposed to classical music spent more time lying down, while cats who listened to rock music spent more time sitting up. Both groups of cats displayed less overall anxiety than those who weren't exposed to any kind of music at all.
This doesn't necessarily mean that you should start blasting your cat with Mozart if they're having a bad day—but it does show that there's some science behind the old wives' tale that playing calming music can help soothe your animal companion.
- Create a Cozy Corner for Your Cat
Cats are naturally solitary creatures, so they don't always appreciate the company of other cats. If you have several cats in your home, it's important to give them space to interact with one another when they want to, but also give each cat their own personal space when they need it.
Cats can get stressed out by a number of things: loud noises, excessive petting, sudden movements and even strange smells. To help reduce stress in your cat, try creating a cozy corner for them in your home where they can feel safe and comfortable.
Cats need a safe place where they can retreat when they feel threatened or anxious. A safe place should be quiet, have minimal distractions, have enough room for them to move around, and have an entrance that only they can access. If possible, try placing the bed near an open window so that there is plenty of light coming into the room but also because cats love looking outside at birds or other animals passing by in their territory.
- Keep Your Cat's Routine Consistent
If you keep your cat's daily routine consistent, it will help them feel more comfortable and relaxed.If you have a new pet or are trying to deal with an anxious cat, it can be helpful to know how to create a routine that works for both of you.
Anxiety in cats is very common, but it can also be managed with some simple changes to your routine. One way is to be consistent in their routine. Cats thrive on routine and structure, so if you're going to make any changes, do so slowly and gradually.
If you go out of town or are away from home for an extended period of time, try to find someone who can stay with your cat while you're away. If they're comfortable being alone with another person (or even another pet), they'll be less likely to get stressed out when you leave them home alone for an extended period of time. You can also try leaving a radio playing in the background at home so they don't feel like there's no one around when they're alone.
- Use Essential Oils and Diffusers
If you own a cat and have ever had to deal with an anxious or stressed-out feline, then you know how difficult it can be to help your pet relax. But there are ways to help your cat feel more comfortable. One of the best things you can do is use essential oils and diffusers in your home.
Essential oils are potent liquids that contain the essence of plants, fruits and herbs. They're often used in aromatherapy because they provide a natural way to calm your pet's mind and body. And diffusers are devices that disperse essential oils into the air for aromatherapy benefits.
Using essential oils and diffusers together has been shown to create a relaxing environment for both humans and their pets alike — especially if your pet suffers from anxiety or stress due to circumstances like noisy neighbors, moving into a new home or going through a stressful situation like surgery or boarding while you're away on vacation.
When used properly, essential oils should never be ingested by your cat — only applied externally on their skin or fur by rubbing it gently into their coat with your fingers or spraying it onto their paws (if they will tolerate this).
- Let Your Cat Feel the Breeze of Fresh Air
One of the most important things you can do for your cat is to let them feel the breeze of fresh air. Cats are natural hunters, and they love the outdoors. They also have a strong connection to nature.
Cats have been shown to have lower levels of stress when they are exposed to natural elements such as sunlight and fresh air. This is because these elements help your cat release endorphins—natural chemicals that make them feel happy and relaxed.
When your cat feels anxious or stressed, it's often because they don't feel like they can get outside as much as usual. When this happens, their endorphin levels drop, which makes them more likely to lash out at people or other animals in the home. This can cause problems for both people and pets!
If you want to help your cat feel less anxious when feeling stressed, then consider opening some windows so that they can get some fresh air during the day or letting them outside in a safe area (like a patio) while you're home with them so that they can be exposed to some sunlight and nature's beauty!
- Be Patient with Your Cat
We all know that cats can be a little fickle, but they can also be super sweet—and they can be especially sweet to you if you're patient with them.
It turns out that being patient with your cat can actually help your cat feel more relaxed when they start to feel anxious. When your cat is feeling anxious, they'll often go into “stalking mode,” which means they'll follow you around the house and watch every move you make. This makes them feel safe and secure, which is why they do it.
If you give your cat time to adjust to a new situation or environment before trying to get close to them (especially if there's a change in lighting), it will make them feel less anxious about the newness of their surroundings. This means not only will they stop stalking and watching everything you do so closely because they won't feel so threatened by change; but also because their anxiety levels will go down overall!
- Limit Stimuli and Noise Levels in the House
Your cat is a precious animal, and it's important that you take care of them. If your cat is feeling anxious or stressed, there are many things you can do to help them relax.
One thing you can do is limit the stimuli and noise levels in the house. This means keeping the lights dim, playing soft music, and avoiding loud noises such as vacuums and pots banging around on the stove. The goal is for your cat to feel safe and secure when they're at home with you so that they can relax, which will help them feel less anxious overall.
- Let the SunShine In
Cats are no strangers to anxiety. In fact, they're more prone to stress than dogs are. And as anyone who has ever had a cat will tell you, they don't always handle their anxiety in the best way—they can get aggressive, or they might start to act out and do things that they normally wouldn't do.
But there's a simple solution: letting the sunshine in! Studies have shown that cats who spend time outside are calmer and less likely to lash out at their owners or other pets. That's because being outside is good for them—it allows them to explore their environment and take advantage of all of the wonderful things that nature has to offer.
So why not let your feline friend enjoy some fresh air today? Just open up your windows or back door for an hour and let your cat explore on their own terms. It'll do wonders for both of you!
We all know that pets are considered a part of the family. We love them, we take care of them, and we also worry about them. In the same way we worry about ourselves every time we get anxious, our pets do too. The tips above should help you reduce your cats' stress levels and keep your families happy together!
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