Stress in cats

What causes stress in cats?

While GI or urinary issues are noticeable, cats are likely also experiencing stress hiding in plain sight. There are multiple factors that can cause stress.

Changes in the home environment
Inconsistency in routine
Underlying health condition or pain
Boredom
Mishandling
Adversarial relationships with other pets
Noisy events

Be sure to monitor your cat’s behavior and note any changes to discuss with your vet if you suspect your cat is stressed.

A grey cat sits on a matching grey color carpet

What are the hidden signs of stress?

Even when the signs are visible, it’s easy to overlook a pet’s hidden stress. Urinary signs are the most noticeable of hidden stress signs, so you might be wondering if your cat is stress peeing or if stress can cause urinary problems. If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to make an appointment with your veterinarian.

Urinary or digestive issues, vomiting

Meowing or yowling

Toileting in the wrong place

Hiding or nervousness

Scratching furniture or carpets

Biting or fighting

Managing your pet’s stress

If you suspect your cat is stressed, the first step should be a visit to your veterinarian. They can provide you with guidance and information about how to manage stress in cats. Along with information, they may recommend nutrition or medication to help manage your cat’s stress.

A pet parent plays with her cat with a dangling cat toy

At home

Providing your cat with consistency can help alleviate some stress. Here are some tips to help keep your cat calm at home:

- Always provide clean litter trays and plenty of fresh water. Don't forget to keep litter trays and food in separate areas.

- In multi-cat households, provide enough food, water and litter trays for each cat.

- Create a playground to keep them entertained and satisfy their urge to scratch.

- Pay attention to their body language before touching or handling them.

- Cats love to climb up high, help them reach new heights and find a window seat where they can watch the world outside.

Medication

In addition to behavioural and environmental accommodations, a vet may prescribe medication to help manage your cat’s stress. If you are looking for medications to give your cat, consult with your vet first. Over-the-counter medications should only be used as recommended by your vet.

Nutrition

Ask your vet for a nutritional recommendation that can help manage signs of emotional imbalance to improve the quality of life for cats.

"An epidemic hiding in plain sight" - A behaviourist perspective on stress in cats

An orange cat looks up whilst being stroked

A veterinarian may recommend clinical nutrition as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to help manage a cat’s stress. The right blend of ingredients can make a visible difference in pets experiencing emotional imbalance.

Ingredients shown to control stress

L-tryptophan is an ingredient that can help support emotional balance.
Milk protein hydrolysate decreases fearfulness & increases contact with people¹.
Omega-3s & antioxidants help support the body’s response to stress.

¹Pereira GG, Fragoso S, Pires E. Effect of dietary intake of L-Tryptophan supplementation on multi housed cats presenting stress related behaviours, in Proceedings, BSAVA 2010 DMS10000044045.

2Meyer HP, Becvarova I. Effects of a urinary food supplemented with milk protein hydrolysate and L-tryptophan on feline idiopathic cystitis - results of a case series in 10 cats. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med 2016;14:59-65.

3Beata et al. J Vet Behavior 2007;2:40-46.

Hill's Prescription Diet foods offer clinical nutrition for a range of health conditions. They're clinically tested and developed by a team of PhD nutritionists and veterinarians, so you can rest assured that your pet is receiving premium nutrition backed by science.

Schedule an appointment with your vet and ask how Hill's Pet Nutrition can help.