Stress in Cats

Stress. It’s something most of us deal with on a regular basis. Whether it’s work-related, due to health issues, family problems, or because of financial concerns, there are so many opportunities for stress to set up camp in our lives.

When you think of what your cat goes through during the day do you ever thing of the possibility that she could also be affected by stress? If she’s lounging in a sunny window right now it’s probably hard to imagine that anything in her life could cause stress, but surprisingly, there are many events that can result in stress to your cat.

What Causes Stress in Cats?

Just as with people, there are some cats who are more easily stressed than others. You may have a cat who is rather timid and fearful normally and so even small stress triggers can leave her vulnerable. Things that you may assume are so minor that your cat shouldn’t even notice can create stress such as:

having new carpet installed

loud music being played

dirty litter box conditions

change in food brand

change in litter brand or type

travel

new furniture

being denied access to particular hiding places

appearance of a strange cat in the yard

a barking dog

visitors in the home

repairs being done in the home