Cats, like people, experience stress in various situations that are outside their normal routine.
These include changes in the environment, trips to the vet, loud noises, new animals in the house, and even changes in feeding schedules.
If you notice that your cat is stressed, there are a few things you can do to help her cope.
1. Create a calm environment
Cats love peace and quiet, so one way to help your pet in a stressful situation is to create a calm environment. Try to remove the cause of stress.
If this is not possible, try to isolate the cat from it as much as possible.
For example, when a dog appears in the house, put a special barrier in the doorway of one of the rooms so that the dog cannot enter there. This will allow the cat to feel safe in this room and run there from the dog bothering it.
2. Give your cat more attention
When cats are stressed, they may exhibit behavioral changes such as increased or decreased appetite, avoidance, and aggressive behavior.
Give your cat more attention (playing, watching TV together, letting your cat sit on your lap longer than usual) to help her feel more comfortable and confident. However, don't force your pet to interact with you if she doesn't want to.
3. Create a safe place
A cat should have at least one safe place in the house. Its absence is already stress. And if there are several stress factors and the animal cannot relax anywhere, the situation worsens many times.
Create a place for your cat where she can hide and rest whenever she wants. It can be a cardboard box, a closet, or a bed on the windowsill, but the animal should be relaxed there.
4. Create a daily routine
It is important for a cat to know in advance what will happen. These animals like predictability. Play, feed and walk, if you do it, at a certain time, trying to stick to the chosen routine.
5. Seek professional help
If you notice that your cat is experiencing stress that does not go away for several weeks, then seek help from a zoopsychologist. He will determine the cause and offer methods for eliminating the problem.
Prolonged stress is very dangerous. It provokes problematic behavior, illnesses, mental disorders.
If the situation is not changed, the animal may not cope with the psychological pressure and may even die. Cats often die from stress-related illnesses.
