Centre For Complementary Health
  • HOME
  • THE TEAM
  • SERVICES
  • CONDITIONS
  • PRICE LIST
  • NEWS & COMMUNITY
    • Blog
    • Migraine Awareness Evening
  • SPECIAL OFFERS
  • CONTACT US
  • TESTIMONIALS

And how was Lock Down for Your Cat?

7/31/2020

1 Comment

 

Saturday 8th August is International Cat Day!

PictureBertie (Jane's cats)
An estimated 500 million cats are thought to be frolicking in neighbours’ gardens across the world. Owning a cat has been shown to improve mental health and to relieve stress, anxiety and depression.
However in these unusual times of COVID19 not only has it been a difficult and unsettling few months for us, but also for our fury felines.

Cats are believed to be typically fairly independent animals, but this will vary between breeds of cats and individuals. Cats are very much creatures of habit (much like ourselves) and they can struggle with changes in routine.

Imagine what some cats must have felt when at the beginning of lock down; suddenly the house was full and noisy with humans being around all day. In some cases people have noticed that their cat had ‘gone missing’ as they struggle to cope with the sudden changes.

It is important that cats have the option to take themselves off to a quiet place where they are left undisturbed, or get up high and hide, so providing them with lots of options will help them feel safer. 

This scenario was so true of our cats; Luna, our little Burmilla had a crisis with her inflammatory bowel disease and needed veterinary intervention. However as a result of that and the lock down changes she also developed cystitis, which is often a stress reaction in cats, and she would be found tucked away behind some bit of furniture.
 
However the story does not end there as cats become increasingly attached to their owners as they start adjusting to the extra time spent together with their human family. This may result in more cats suffering from separation anxiety, once the lockdown is over and their humans start to return to work / school, etc,. The sudden increase in separation might be confusing and disorientating for these cats. Whether they are left alone for just a few hours or for longer periods. Separation anxiety can vary greatly in its severity and intensity and can be a real problem for some cats and their owners. Certain breeds of cat – usually the more exotic breeds such as Siamese and Burmese as well as house cats – may become far more bonded with their owners and therefore are more likely to suffer from separation anxiety.

Signs of anxiety in cats
While the symptoms of separation anxiety may differ from cat to cat, there are often some common symptoms that are displayed.

Cats suffering from separation anxiety might start spraying around the house, which is a common sign of stress.
You might notice that your cat constantly wants attention and meows if you’re not giving her enough. This may be a sign of over-dependence and may mean that your cat is distressed when you are not at home. Stressed cats can also sometimes over groom, or under groom.
In the case of our five cats, we had a situation where Luna started to regain her dominance as her inflammatory bowel problems improved. This coincided with us starting to spend more time away from the house as we prepared to return to clinic / office, etc., resulting in both a bit of spraying in a couple of places round the house and Percy meowing for attention.

​How to help reduce the likelihood of separation anxiety after lockdown restrictions are lifted

PictureRoy's cat, Pip, letting us know what he thinks of lock downs.
​Although every animal’s journey will be different, the end goal is the same – to change the relationship with the owner so that the animal is not so dependent on them.

There are several things a pet behaviourist might suggest:
  • Look at your cat’s environment to make sure she has lots to do to enrich her life. A bored cat is more likely to look to her owner for stimulation. Cats like to be in control and one with a cat flap, with the freedom to come and go at will, may be less likely to suffer from separation anxiety.
  • If there is more than one of you get other family members involved in caring for your cat, eg, feeding, playing, etc. Teach your cat that he/she can have these things from a variety of people to ease her reliance on you.
  • Pheromone sprays and plug-ins, which are a man-made version of the substance a cat deposits when she rubs her cheek on your leg or furniture, can help in the home to relax an anxious pet.
  • In a severely anxious cat, medication from the vet might be necessary to relax them enough so that they can learn it’s OK to not always be with their owner.
  • Rather than give your cat attention every time she approaches you for a stroke, think about playing with her or getting a puzzle toy to put her food in. These are balls with holes in that you fill with kibble, which drops out as the cat plays with it.
The most important thing to remember with any anxious pet is that you need to be patient and understand that your cat is in distress. We must also remember than the coronavirus has not only changed the way we are living, but also the lives and routines of our pets too and that cats are incredibly intuitive and pick up on our own stress and anxiety. Whatever you do, never punish your pet for stress-related behaviour, such as scratching or spraying – it will only make the problem much worse!  In our case I am pleased to report with the help of pheromone diffusers, lots of encouragement, play and activities set up in house and garden our little monsters are returning to their normal selves.

1 Comment
olwyn hurd
8/3/2020 02:34:13 am

Our new cat - Norman - has become calmer, thank goodness, although this morning he is awaiting his 2nd vaccination so is not amused at being kept indoors. This is not acceptable !

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    We're all practitioners at the Centre for Comp Health in Godmanchester.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Events
    Fitness
    Health
    Polls
    Treatments

    RSS Feed


The Centre for Complementary Health,  6 Cambridge Road, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 2BW


Copyright 2011 - 2018  Centre For Complementary Health