Cats. They are cute, playful, and cuddly, but sometimes also extremely puzzling. Cats are very attentive to their environment. Changes are registered immediately and examined with curiosity. This is how this can also explain cats and cucumber videos. It is precise because cats are so attentive that they can quickly become stressed by some things. Today we would like to tell you how you can calm your cat down.
How do I see if my cat is stressed? When do I have to calm her down?
A cat is quite good at showing its mood to those who can interpret its cat language. It’s easy to see how a cat is feeling. But what are the signals to know a stressed cat?
“If you want to read your cat, you should pay particular attention to its eyes and especially to the pupils. The ears of a cat also show what is going on in them, and of course the tail is also an indicator. A cat’s posture also says a lot about whether it feels comfortable or not. A stressed cat often crouches there, ready to flee, with attentive eyes ”
How do I know my cat is stressed?
Like with sick cats, the most important sign that your cat is suffering from stress is a behavior change. So, with a sociable and playful cat, it’s easy to tell that something is wrong.
It may be difficult to distinguish stress from normal behavior in a normally independent or even naturally suspicious cat.
Here are the nine signs that should get your attention:
- Your cat will separate itself, hide and avoid your presence.
- She is avoiding her bowl or has stopped asking you for food.
- She spends more time than usual washing herself. This is a sign of compulsive behavior that is usually linked to nervousness.
- She gets sick regularly. Stress hormones lower the level of white blood cells in cats and thus weaken their immune system.
- She spends more time sleeping. Since cats are creatures of habit, you can watch to see if your cat sleeps at times when it is usually active and playful.
- She is no longer house trained and does her business outside of the litter box.
- She has constipation or diarrhea.
- She meows a lot. If your cat is usually “chatty,” see if she may meow more than usual.
- She becomes more anxious or aggressive for no apparent reason.
If you notice these behavioral changes in your cat or kitten, she may be experiencing stress. Be careful, though, as these signs can also indicate health problems.
To make sure your cat is stressed and not sick, it is important to see a veterinarian who can be sure it is nervous. They can then explain to you how to calm down irritated or stressed cats or kittens.
Why is my cat stressed?
Many reasons can explain a cat’s stress. First of all, it may be a genetic predisposition that is impossible to predict.
Next, any upheaval in their environment can stress or irritate a cat. Even if they have a headstrong temperament, cats like to have reference points and habits. A drastic change in your everyday life can be very upsetting.
A new baby in the family, a new animal – especially a new cat to share their territory with – moving, moving furniture, making noise, unfamiliar objects, or even a small change in their diet can make or break a kitten make a cat nervous.
This is the best way to calm cats down.
Calming a cat is not always easy. If the cat is usually calm, we should identify the nervous behavior’s cause and, if possible, removed or kept the cat away.
With new cats in the house or the area, the cats should only see each other first. Only later can direct contact be made possible so that the cats can sniff each other and communicate with each other. Cats at a young age and same-sex animals easily get used to strange cats.
Also, opportunities to retreat are required. A cat needs its own habitat, which the other cat should not be able to access. Besides, every cat must have its own feeding place and litter box.
When the caregiver leaves the environment, for example, when the child moves out to study, and the cat stays with the parents, the cats get used to the new situation after a certain time.
We should take care to allow the cat to socialize daily to get used to another person.
Adopted street cats, who are generally very stressed, need time and rest to get used to. The cat should have the opportunity to discover its surroundings on its own. The significant opportunities for the retreat are that separate functional areas (feeding place, climbing area, a litter box) are significant.
Such a cat should initially only be petted a little and not carried. Only after the cat has made contact with people, or only when sitting quietly in one place, can they be petted more often? Pay attention to the tail’s position, ears, and vocalizations and approach carefully without sudden movements.
Calm the cat in heat
Uncastrated female cats are in heat approximately every 3 to 4 weeks between spring and late summer.
Cats in heat scream, howl, squirm and try to attract and mate with tomcats. Besides, the cats mark their surroundings with their scent glands by rolling on the floor, rubbing against people and objects, and leaking urine.
Calming such a cat is not easy, especially because it is completely normal and natural behavior.
- It is best to isolate cats in heat during the heat and not let them out.
- Keeping her away from male cats is not enough, nor should she have eye contact with strange cats or male cats. Windows, cat flaps, we should cover transparent doors with a curtain.
- If there is a tomcat in the house, we should keep it elsewhere during this time.
- Another possibility is to offer the cat a warm surface to lie on. Microwave heat pads or electric blankets are best for this.
- There are cat pheromone diffusers on the market, so-called Feliway®, which release fragrances that soothe cats in heat.
Calm the cat in the transport box
, Must first transport a cat calm the transport box to be suitable.
- This should be big enough so that the cat can lie down inside and turn around without any problems.
- We should also cover it with a pillow or a soft towel.
- We can also spray the mat with cat pheromones, which have a calming effect.
- The box must also be stable and sufficiently ventilated.
- With heavily stressed cats, you can put an air-permeable blanket over the box so that the cat feels protected.
The cats are often unsettled by the transport box and refuse to enter it.
Treats can help.
Most likely should the box constantly in the apartment have, so the cat does not regard them as was unusual. As soon as the cat is in the box, you can carefully close the flap and carry it from one room to another. In this way, the cats get used to small stretches without leaving the apartment.
Through these exercises, the cat should then voluntarily climb the transport box and not be alarmed.
How do I calm my cat on New Year’s Eve?
Protecting a cat from the noise of fireworks is relatively easy. She should definitely stay in the house and preferably in a room where she usually stays and feels comfortable. The room should also be relatively well insulated and as dark as possible.
Cat pheromones and catnip can also help, but we should consider personal preferences. Some claim that soft classical music calms cats. It is also helpful if the owner with space remains and the cat, if necessary, strokes and distracts.
Calm down your cat at the vet
To calm a cat at the vet, we must first transport it calmly; for this, a suitable transport box and a pleasant journey are important.
In the waiting room, the transport box should be oriented so that the cat can see its owner and not the other animals and people. You can also put a blanket on the box.
There are many things that only the vet can do. This should touch the cat as little as possible, e.g., by allowing it to leave the box itself. However, this is not always possible, depending on the situation.
Brief eye contact, a low voice, and a gentle touch are of the utmost importance. Holding on, intense stare, jerky movements, and loud, fast-talking should be avoided.
Read Also: How often should you feed your cat?
Which home remedies have a calming effect on the cat?
Many different home remedies can help cats calm down.
Catnip is a well-known fragrance that has a calming effect. This is available in, for example, the Felisept® Home Comfort calming spray and the Catly Chill Spray®. Both sprays are ideal for targeted application in the direct vicinity of cats.
These sprays are suitable for undesirable behavior (such as urine marking) and stressful situations to calm down. Both consist exclusively of natural fragrances. These can also be used in any situation that the cat perceives as compulsion or fear, such as transport to the vet.
Another option is the Feliway® Classic Spray, which contains synthetic cat pheromones. Like the other sprays, we can spray it around the cat (and not directly on the cat). These pheromones give cat security and relaxation.
Relaxan® or Reoaktiv® helps cats suffering from chronic stress. These tablets are actually not traditional home remedies but dietary supplements. They are mixed directly into the feed and consist of minerals and vitamins. They have a calming effect and strengthen the immune system of cats and dogs.
Homeopathy to calm my cat
Homeopathic remedies can help stressed cats calm down. These are mixed with normal food or hidden in treats to facilitate absorption.
Such funds are especially suitable for nervous, shy, and anxious cats:
- Pulsatilla,
- Lycopodium,
- Arsenicum album,
- Phosphorus and
- Calcium carbonicum.
All are dosed equally: five globules three times a day.
Read Also: Interesting facts about cat grass
Valerian to calm you down
Valerian is a medicinal plant that grows in Europe. It has a typical odor, which is due to the valeric acid it contains. This reminds the animals of the scent of the sex attractant of cats in heat, giving off when they are ready to mate.
Valerian is, therefore, particularly effective for hangovers and offers a good opportunity for distraction. Valerian pillows or sprays are offered. We can use the sprays to spray objects and toys. Pillows are also trendy.
It is important that valerian – unlike humans – does not necessarily have a calming effect but rather draws the cat’s attention to the objects being sprayed.
However, you shouldn’t constantly offer your cats valerian, as they can quickly lose interest in it.
Learn more at Kitten food: this is how you feed your kitten properly
Bach flowers to calm you down
Bach flowers affect the soul and are used in homeopathy. These help naturally in stressful or frightening situations (e.g., on New Year’s Eve, fear of separation, thunderstorms, and the vet, etc.).
CaniComplete® Bach flower globules are an example. These are specially designed to relax and calm dogs and cats when they are under stress or anxiety. The globules can be used for emergencies and targeted stressful events such as travel, New Year’s Eve (fireworks).
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What causes stress in my cat?
There are three types of personality in cats.
- There are social, confident cats; these are the seldom stressed,
- there are shy and nervous cats as well
- aggressive cats.
Whether a cat is often nervous depends primarily on the conditions in which they raised it. If it used the cat to different environments at a young age, it is also more adaptable than a cat that has always lived in the same environment.
Also, the father’s animal’s genetics plays an important role and familiarization with humans. Cats should therefore have daily contact with people from the second week of life.
Street cats or cats that have been adopted at the shelter are often more stress-prone and more nervous than other cats. They came into contact with people very late and are therefore often easy to worry about.
In addition to experiences with people, social experiences with the mother and siblings are also important.
Cats can be stressed for a variety of reasons.
- The most common is the presence of a new or strange cat in the household,
- a sudden change of food or
- Change of environment ( move ),
- the sudden absence of a favorite person in the household,
- a new piece of furniture or
- the change in wall color is responsible for the cat’s nervousness.
How long do I have to calm my cat?
Sprays may be true in principle regularly in stressed cats, but it is important to ensure that those are not used continuously, and these then gradually re-sold once the cat feels better because the cat is otherwise used to it.
It is recommended to use it before a stressful situation such as B. a movie or a vet visit.
The same goes for the homeopathic remedies valerian and Bach flowers.
Everyone should find the best solution for their cat, as not every animal reacts to a product in the same way. Besides, it would help if you always tried to calm the cat first without additional funds.
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