Is your kitty stressed, worried or anxious?
Depending on your kitty’s personality, they may handle the stresses of everyday life differently. So while some kitties may stay relaxed when faced with new places, people or situations, more sensitive cats may find them scary and need a little help to stay calm.
There are a lot of things that can make your cat feel anxious or worried, such as new items in their environment, new smells, sounds - or new people or pets. Even something seemingly small, such as a change in routine, may be enough to stress your kitty - even if it doesn’t seem scary to you.
Of course, changes are often a part of life! But if you can encourage a calm kitty environment, your pet will be much more confident and able to cope with every day stresses and other changes.
5 Ways to Stop Stress and Keep Your Kitty Calm
1. Protect against stressful situations
Do you know what specific situations make your kitty uncomfortable? If you can identify potential stressors in your cat’s environment, try to limit or remove them to help your cat keep their cool!
Decorating, moving, new food, or even new objects may spook or upset your cat - so try to introduce any new changes gradually when possible so your kitty isn’t overwhelmed!
2. Create a kitty safe haven
Everyone loves to have a safe, cosy place that they can curl up in when they feel stressed! Your cat is no different! Creating a safe haven in your house that’s just for your kitty is a great way to help them feel grounded and safe, and give them a place to escape to if things are all a little too much!
A purrfect pet safe haven will have your cat’s favourite toys nearby, lots of cosy bedding or blankets and may be in a high up place or perch where your cat can hide away. Making sure there are lots of comfy kitty hiding spots in your house is a great way to help your pet stay calm and comfortable.
3. Provide plenty of resources
If your pet knows that they have clear access to their own food and water bowls, their own personal scratching post, and a personal litter tray, they’ll feel much more relaxed and happy! Every cat will need access to their own resources at all times - so make sure your kitty isn’t being blocked from these by another cat, or by a barrier such as a door. Keep in mind that kitties don’t like to share! If you have a multicat household make sure you have enough resources for every cat; one of every resource each and even some extras. Be sure to keep food bowls and litter trays clean; your pet may be stressed because these aren’t clean enough and they don’t want to use them!
Every cat will also need access to toys; regular playtime both on their own, with you or with other kitties is important for your cat to feel settled, bond with you, and engage in natural behaviours such as stalking, pouncing, scratching and stretching.
4. Give your pet lots of love, fuss and attention
How often do you give your cat one-on-one attention? Having a set time every day when you can play with your pet, fuss them and give them a little love will help them to know that everything is ok - and encourage them to bond with you. So if your kitty comes over to you looking for a little fuss and reassurance, maybe vocalising, kneading you or staring, be sure to give them the love they need!
Of course, you should never force your cat to stay by you, or try to pet them if they’re not interested. Always let them escape to their safe spots when they need to - and this will help them stay relaxed.
5. Create a calming home environment
One of the best ways to support your kitty is to maintain a constantly calm and reassuring home environment. Speaking in a calm way around your house and limiting loud noises can encourage a secure space. You should also try to keep to a regular routine, like feeding and playing with your pets at the same times every day, so they know what to expect!
If any big changes are coming up that you think might cause some stress for your purrfect pal, try to ease them into your cat’s life gradually, and give your pet extra support where you can. In addition to creating a happy loving home, using FELIWAY CLASSIC Diffuser is a great way to add a little extra reassurance into your cat’s environment. Plugged into the spaces where your kitty spends the most time, FELIWAY encourages cats to feel happy and relaxed and is proven to reduce signs of kitty stress such as scratching, spraying, fighting and hiding.