How to calm an anxious cat
Cats are very curious animals who like to go on a discovery tour. They are also quite sensitive, which can sometimes lead to a cat being afraid for various reasons.
In this article we will explain how to recognise an anxious cat and how to find out the reason for this. We will also explain what you can do to calm your anxious cat.
How to recognise that your cat is afraid
When your cat is scared, it usually manifests itself in a number of behaviours, so the nervousness of your four-legged friend is usually not hidden from you.
The most common characteristics of an anxious cat are as follows:
- The cat hunchbacks and ruffles its coat.
- The pupils are dilated and the eyes are wide open.
- The cat is peeing with fear.
- The tail is either pinched or wildly swung back and forth.
- The head is lowered, while the ears are folded and the gaze is directed upwards.
- The frightened cat tries to flee or remains in a crouched position as if frozen.
- The quadruped hisses and spits to drive away the trigger of his fear.
- The cat lashes out and at the same time retreats further and further.
Of course, your cat's fear does not necessarily have to manifest itself in the form of these behaviours. Instead, it is quite possible that your four-legged friend may simply retreat at first and try to assess the scary situation from a distance.
Possible causes of fear in cats
Before you can help your anxious cat, you must first find out what she is afraid of. Because there are many reasons that can cause your cat to be afraid. The triggers can be roughly divided into bad experiences and unfamiliar situations.
Bad experiences as a cause of anxiety
Just like you, your cat learns from experiences she has had in her life. This applies to both positive and negative experiences.
Bad experiences with people
Your cat may have been mistreated by humans in the past. Especially if you have taken your four-legged friend out of the shelter, you often do not know much about the previous living conditions. If it was tormented by its previous owner, it is not surprising that your cat is anxious and behaves rather shyly.
Cats and the fear of the veterinary surgeon
There probably should not be a cat that is happy about a visit to the veterinary practice. After all, there are countless unknown smells waiting there and a few more things that can frighten even the most curious house cat.
At the latest when the vet starts treatment, every cat is scared. This is especially true if the four-legged friend has already had to endure unpleasant treatments in the past, such as an injection.
The transport box as an object of fear
As much as cats like to crawl into tight baskets and boxes, the panic is often great when it comes to the transport box. This is primarily because your four-legged friend knows very well that the chances are good that he will be taken to the vet in the box.
It is therefore hardly surprising that your cat is afraid and resists when you want to put her in the transport box.
Unusual situations as a cause of anxiety
Cats love habits and fixed procedures. As soon as something changes, this first of all causes insecurity and often leads to a cat retiring completely frightened.
Cats do not like new roommates
You can be pretty sure that your cat will be anxious at first when new roommates move into your shared home. This applies to both two-legged and four-legged newcomers. Especially if it's a dog, practically every cat reacts anxiously.
A move frightens cats
You are certainly looking forward to your new home and can hardly wait for the move. Your cat, however, sees it somewhat differently. After all, suddenly nothing is the way it used to be. It is perfectly normal that a cat is afraid at first and takes a while to get used to it.
Renovations cause insecurity
Often it does not even have to be a complete move. Sometimes renovation work or the purchase of new furniture is enough to frighten a cat. In this case, however, it usually does not take long until the four-legged friend calms down again.
Lack of contact with people as a trigger for anxiety
Not every cat is used to live with people from a very young age. For example, if you have adopted a kitten from an animal shelter, it is quite possible that the kitten has copied the distrust of humans from its mother. In this case it is quite normal that it takes a while for the little frightened cat to thaw and become trusting.
How you can support your timid cat
Of course, you cannot avoid most of the aforementioned anxiety triggers. After all, it hardly makes sense to do without visits to the vet and the associated use of the transport box in the future.
Neither can you refrain from a possibly necessary move or occasional renovation measures due to your cat's fear. However, there are a few things that can help your anxious cat to calm down and cope better in certain situations.
As a general rule, you should never harass an anxious cat. If your pet's body language tells you that he wants to be left alone, you should accept this.
Instead, try to strengthen your bond with each other by regularly taking time for extensive stroking and playing together. After all, the more your cat trusts you, the less he will be impressed by potentially frightening situations.
Getting anxious cats used to the carrier
With regard to the transport box, it may be advisable not to store it in the back corner of the storage room, but instead to set it up open and equipped with a cushion.
With a little luck, your four-legged friend will discover it as a new sleeping place where he feels comfortable instead of being afraid of it. This makes future trips to the vet much easier.
Shiimun Calm for nervous and frightened cats
To help an anxious cat relax, tranquilizers can be a good way to help the cat relax. This does not mean, of course, that you should administer medication to your four-legged friend.
But with a purely herbal preparation, good results can often be achieved in a frightened cat. For this purpose we recommend a dietary supplement with Shiimun Calm.
The special formula of Shiimun Calm has been specially developed to calm nervous and anxious pets like cats. As the powder contains only natural ingredients, it is also very well tolerated and is suitable for all cats.
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