Is your cat suddenly using the bathroom everywhere outside of her litter box, obsessively grooming herself to the point of bald spots, and clinging to you more than ever?
Sounds like your cat might be a little stressed.
And just like us, cats can feel stress too.
If you’re wondering whether your feline friend is feeling overwhelmed, here’s three quick behavioral signs to look out for:
Isolating Themselves
If your cat is spending more time alone and hiding from you than normal, this may be a sign of stress.
Every now and then it’s normal for cats to want to be alone in their favorite spot in the house, but if you’re noticing their isolating themselves all day and every day, contact your veterinarian to figure out the root source of the isolation.
Decreased Appetite
Did your cat suddenly lose their appetite and now they’re barely eating at all?
Did you change their food or move their food bowl to a new location that they haven’t gotten used to?
If you haven’t made any sudden changes to your cat’s food routine, stress might be the cause for their low appetite.
While stress may be a factor, you will still need to contact your veterinarian to rule out any underlying health conditions that can also cause decreased appetite.
Sudden Aggression
If your cat is being overly aggressive to other animals or people in your home without a known cause, your cat might be overwhelmed and reacting from being stressed.
If you’re noticing that their even aggressive with you now, you might want to schedule a visit to your veterinarian.
What to Know
These three behavioral signs aren’t the only signs that your cat is stressed.
The key is to look for sudden changes in behavior that aren’t normal for your cat and whether these signs are all happening together.
It’s always best to consult with your veterinarian if you think your cat is stressed, so you can determine and alleviate the cause of the stress.
Here are some common situations that can cause your cat to be stressed:
- New pets or a new baby
- Change in your daily routine (away from home longer etc.)
- Moving to a new home
- Dirty litter boxes
- Fighting for resources due to sharing a home with other cats
- Noise (ex. Having guests over or throwing a party)
- Boredom
If any of these external factors apply to your cat, it may be the reason why they’re suddenly stressed.
While a simple cleaning of their litter box could help alleviate their stress if that’s the issue, it’s still best to discuss your cat’s change of behavior and symptoms with your veterinarian.