Causes of fear or stress in your cat
Cats can experience stress quite easily. However, it’s not always obvious to people that a cat is stressed, as cats don’t always show stress clearly. It’s also not always easy to identify what’s causing the stress in your cat.
The main causes of stress in cats are:
- Multiple cats in one household. Not all cats enjoy living with other cats. If their territories overlap, this can lead to tension.
- Fear of fireworks and loud noises
- Separation anxiety
- Boredom
- Illness
- A dirty litter tray or an unsuitable location for the litter tray
- No unlimited access to food
- Insufficient resting and hiding spots
- Changes in the living environment. This includes physical changes such as renovations or moving furniture, but also social changes like a new partner, a bereavement, or the arrival of a baby or another pet in the home.
What can you do if your cat is stressed?
If your cat is simply sleeping peacefully under the bed, there’s nothing to worry about. But if your cat is lying under the bed looking around restlessly, it’s important to find out what’s causing the unrest.
Multi-cat household
Do you have multiple cats at home? Take a look at how they behave towards each other. If you notice tension, try to figure out how the territories in the house are divided. If there’s a lot of overlap, try adding resting places at different heights. Make sure there are food and water bowls as well as clean litter trays in multiple locations throughout the house. Each territory should have enough of these resources.
Feliway can help your cats get along better. In this case, choose Feliway Friends.
Fear of fireworks and loud noises
This type of fear is often easy to recognise. Your cat hides at every bang or other loud noise.
This type of fear is particularly suitable for behaviour training. It can be intensive and time-consuming, but with the support of food or supplements, it’s definitely worth trying. After all, this is the only way to truly help a cat overcome this fear.
Separation anxiety
Does your cat suffer from separation anxiety? Try to be home more often or make sure your cat has some distraction while you’re away. Alternatively, consider finding a sitter to look after your cat during your absence.
Toys that can keep your cat occupied for a while include fillable toys or puzzles. These types of toys also stimulate your cat’s natural hunting instinct.
Boredom
These toys can also be the perfect solution for a bored cat. Make sure your cat can satisfy its natural hunting instinct. Think also of drinking fountains and scratching options. Cats enjoy drinking running water, and scratching stimulates the release of endorphins. By providing your cat with enough scratching posts or furniture, you can also help prevent unwanted scratching behaviour.
Also read our blog ‘Which scratching post is right for your cat’.
Illness
A sick cat experiences stress. You’ll often notice other symptoms as well. For example, your cat may sleep more or show changes in eating and drinking behaviour. Your cat might also suffer from vomiting or diarrhoea. If your cat is showing signs of illness and is hiding as a result, make sure to visit your vet to have your cat examined and treated.
A dirty litter tray or an unsuitable location for the litter tray
A dirty litter tray or an unsuitable location or shape of the litter tray often leads to a cat urinating in unwanted places around the house. Does your cat pee indoors? Then take a closer look at the litter tray itself. Do you clean it often enough? Scoop out any mess at least once a day—ideally, remove each stool immediately after your cat poos. Fully change the litter weekly. Where is the litter tray placed? Next to a washing machine that runs daily? Or beside the tumble dryer? Near the back door where the neighbour’s cat walks past every day? Your cat wants to do its business safely and undisturbed. If the litter tray isn’t in a quiet spot, consider moving it. Also, don’t place it next to a food or water bowl. Cats are very clean animals and don’t eat where they go to the toilet. Make sure you have enough litter trays in your home. The rule of thumb is: number of cats in the house + 1. And don’t forget the litter itself—not all cats like the same type of litter, so feel free to try different options.
No unlimited access to food
Do you feed your cat twice a day? For some cats, this can be a source of stress. In nature, cats are used to eating small amounts throughout the day and night. This isn’t always possible in a household setting. Fortunately, it’s usually not a problem—but it can cause stress in cats that struggle to adapt. Some cats are simply always hungry. Read our blogs ‘How often should you feed your cat?’ and ‘Cat is always hungry’ for tips on how to manage this.
Insufficient resting or hiding places
Does your cat always sleep under the bed while all the cat beds in the house remain unused? The location or design of the beds might not be right. Make sure to provide resting spots at different heights around the house. Ensure your cat can easily access all of them. Use open beds, but also enclosed sleeping houses where your cat can snuggle up and hide. Place the beds in quiet areas of the home.
Change in the living environment
Your cat can experience stress when something changes in the home. This could be something major, such as a house move, renovation, or the arrival of a baby. But it could also be something small—like moving the sofa to a different spot. Big changes can often be prepared for in advance. You can start supporting your cat ahead of time with special food or supplements. For example, feed your cat the Royal Canin Calm diet. Prefer not to switch food? Then choose a supportive supplement such as Dr. Ann’s Stress Reduction or Feliway.
View our complete overview of food and supplements for anxiety and stress in cats here.
Should I take my cat out of its hiding spot?
Do not take your cat out of its hiding spot. This will only cause more stress. A frightened cat wants to hide, and being able to do so causes less stress than being denied that instinct. However, it’s important to address the issue. Try to find out what’s causing your cat stress or fear, and work on changing that.
Do you have any questions about your cat’s hiding behaviour? Then feel free to contact us at [email protected].
