How do you recognise stress in your cat?

Chronic stress in cats causes health and physical complaints

In our country, cats are kept as real pets, often with several cats or other pets per house or as part of a family. For many cats, this is not the ideal living situation because cats are actually solitary animals by nature but there are also very social cats. So it really depends per cat whether it adapts easily or more difficult in a household. Unfortunately, despite all the good care taken by owners, there are still a large number of cats that are more or less uncomfortable and experience stress as a result. However, it is not always clear that these cats are actually experiencing stress as cats can hide this very well from the owner. However, solid research has shown that cats are very sensitive to stress and that this causes health problems in which cystitis, with or without cystitis but often without bacterial cause, is a common complaint. It also causes behavioural problems such as spraying, sitting next to the litter box or aggressive behaviour.

Cats can experience stress due to very many different situations.

Stress is caused by unpredictable and uncontrollable situations for the cat that the cat itself cannot really change much. The recurrence of this situation or the failure to change such a cause can cause a cat chronic stress. A moment of stress due to a party, for example, is not very common and will usually not cause any lasting damage, because the cat will go outside or upstairs and after a few hours peace will have returned. However, if there is constant unrest due to other pets or children, for example, and the cat does not have its own quiet sleeping and hiding place, this can really cause chronic stress for a cat.
Even with several cats in the house, the lack of sufficient litter boxes, for example (in the ideal situation, each cat should have its own box), can cause a lot of turmoil for the submissive cat if it has to go to the box and a dominant one is sitting on or next to it then it will not dare to go. Holding up urine and faeces is not good for anyone as it can promote bladder stones and blockages.
Fleas, wounds, joint pain and other physical discomfort can make cats uncomfortable and it is not solvable for the cat itself. This is then an uncontrollable situations for the cat with an increased risk of stress. < If stress is suspected, don't forget to check outside too. Is there a dominant neighbour cat lounging comfortably in your garden, while yours doesn't dare to go outside anymore? Or does your cat look out through the window and see the big dog being walked every time? These are certainly situations that can bother some cats without it always being visible to you as the owner.
Don't recognise any of the above situations anymore do you still suspect stress? Then take a look at what your cat does throughout the day and night. Is the cat always inside or does it go hunting outside? Especially with indoor cats, it is important to check whether he is sufficiently challenged. is there no question of boredom? Of course, boredom can also cause stress, as the cat may find this very unpleasant.

What can you look out for in cats as an indication of stress?

Now that you know that not all cats show equally clearly that they are experiencing stress and also, that we, can't always easily see what could possibly cause stress, here are a few manifestations of stress in cats.

• Observing your cat can give you a lot of information about how he is feeling and when stress might be present. Start with the body posture; is he lying nice and relaxed stretched out and on his side or with his paws straight under the raised shoulders in chest-tummy position? The latter position is obviously not a relaxed posture because the cat is constantly alert and can get away quickly if he thinks it is necessary.
• Where does your cat like to sit or lie down? Does it like to sit on your lap or snuggle up with you on the sofa? Then your cat will find this pleasant. However, if you see that your cat often sits high up on the cupboard, in the attic or somewhere in a corner, then this could be a sign of your cat because he seemingly feels less safe on the floor in the living room. Is there another pet running around or perhaps there is a lot of commotion in the house then this could be the cause of it crawling away safely. However annoying, it could also be that a certain person triggers this, for example by a loud voice, threatening appearance (high above the cat) or because this person is very busy.
• Does your cat seem to wash and lick itself frequently? Excessive brushing behaviour up to baldness can certainly be a manifestation of stress, The cat goes as a kind of overpowering behaviour or craving for control contact itself.
• Is your cat still eating and drinking enough? Cats that feel physically or mentally uncomfortable still sometimes suffer from loss of appetite. If your cat doesn't eat at all for more than a day or two, this is always a reason to contact your vet.
• An always house-trained cat that suddenly defecates next to the litter box or does not go outside is often a cat that either has bladder problems or is experiencing stress. Stress from another cat, but also a new litter box, different litter box location or a new litter box can all cause this.
• Is your normally well approachable and always friendly cat suddenly less sociable and friendly then this could also be a sign of stress due to physical discomfort or something from the environment.


If you notice that your cat is experiencing stress whatever, try to resolve this for your cat. If you suspect physical symptoms or want to rule them out, then obviously visiting your vet is best.

-This is an automated translation-