Is Cat Stressed?

Picture your cat soaking in a bubble bath with an ice pack on its head after a long, stressful day. Ridiculous? Perhaps. After all, cats are notorious for their dislike of water. But cats do get stressed out and, unlike their human caretakers, cannot simply indulge in one of life's simple pleasures to reduce their anxiety. So how can we help them?

First we must answer the question, "What is stress?"

Doctors have pondered the answer to this question for years. It is generally agreed upon that stress occurs when an individual is forced to adapt to a difficult or unpleasant circumstance, and in the process places certain demands on the body that result in a series of physical and behavioral changes.

Stress Alert

What causes a cat to become stressed out? Like people, cats have many different personalities, so the causes can vary from cat to cat. Dr. Ilana Reisner, a resident veterinarian in behavioral medicine at Cornell University, says shy cats that lack self-confidence are more likely to be affected by stress than outgoing, boisterous cats. Cats are creatures of habit; they thrive on routine, and a change of any kind may induce stress.

The absence or addition of household members, human or otherwise, is a common cause of feline stress. Visiting house guests, or the arrival of a new baby or pet, may bother your cat. Some cats are traumatized by the death or departure of a human caretaker or pet. If another family member is upset for whatever reason, or perhaps dislikes or punishes the cat, stress may result. Other cats, even exclusively indoor ones, may react when a human or furred interloper simply walks across the front lawn.

A change in the environment can also trigger stress. Changing the litter or moving the litter box to a new location might appear minor to you, but may be devastating to your cat. Rearranging or acquiring new furniture or drapes, boarding the cat, a trip to the groomer, moving to a new home-even washing a favorite toy or blanket, thereby removing the scent-any of these (and a plethora of other things) can mean trouble. Even boredom is stressful to some cats.