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Top 5 Causes of Stress in Cats

by Kathrynn Kelley

Stress is simply a fact of life for humans. It can be caused by everyday things such as your job, school, or family. One thing that many don't think about is the fact that your cat can get stressed out as well. Here are a few things that can stress out your cat and therefore possibly stress you out too.

#1: A New Family Member

Cats don't like having the status quo changed on them. They are accustomed to the way things are and want them to stay that way. When you introduce a new family memberhuman or animalyou disrupt the status quo and stress out your cat. The best thing you can do here is to not rush things. Let your cat get accustomed to the new situation at their won pace, don't force anything.

#2: A Move

Once again, a change in the status quo disrupts your cat's routine. When you move to a new house or apartment, you move your cat into a completely new environment. For some, this is like a big adventure into a new place, but for some it can be quite scary and stressful. The best thing you can do here is to bring along all of your cat's stuff, toys, litter box, bed, etc. and put it in a room in which they can get comfortable before exploring the rest of the house.

#3: Holidays and Parties

Cats are not party animals. They would rather kickback, in the peace and quiet of the everyday norm. Most cat owners know their cat will be nowhere to be found during a party or a holiday in where a lot of people come over. The loud music, and talking scares and stresses your cat. To help them and keep them safe. You should put your cat in a quiet room where they can relax with being disturbed by the party guests. If you don't have a room like this during a party, you can put them in their crate. This is still a safe place for kitty, that makes them feel secure.

#4: A Change in Routine

A change in your daily routinesuch as a change in employmentalso changes your cat's routine. Your cat is used to you being around at certain times and not being there the other times. When you change this, it can stress your cat out. The best thing you can do is to break up your routine even more. Instead of following your normal routine to get ready for work, jingle your keys a bit beforehand to desensitize your cat to the sound of you getting ready to leave. When you do leave, don't make a big deal out of it; if you do, this will often cause the cat to get even more stressed with anticipation.

#5: Window Gazing

Being a cat owner you know that cats like to look out the window. However, if a strange cat passes a particular window and your cat can't get to it, or that strange cat marks their territory around your house, this can stress out and even anger your cat. This will lead to misplaces aggression. The way to avoid this is to block the cat from looking at that particular window.

Remember, that cats are creatures of habit, and disrupting their day to day lives will cause stress. You as a cat owner should try to minimize these stresses as much as possible.

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Published September 15th, 2008

Filed in Home, Pets