AJs Best Friends Purebred Cat and Small Dog Rescue

Minimizing Stress and Anxiety in Your Cat
Anyone who has suffered stress and anxiety knows the debilitating effects it can have on your health. Stress in cats acts much the same way, and not only can it exacerbate existing physical conditions, but it can lead to a number of problems often considered behavioral, such as litter box avoidance, aggressive behavior, or depression and withdrawal. When behavioral problems suddenly appear, savvy cat owners soon learn to look first for signs of health problems (such as urinary tract infections with litter box avoidance), and next for stress factors, such as changes in the environment.

The Stress Factor
In order to solve behavior problems it is necessary to understand what causes stress in cats as well as what reduces stress in cats. Stress is a critical factor in most behavior problems, whether the problem is inappropriate elimination, destructive scratching, over-grooming, excessive vocalization, aggression, or a variety of other disturbing behaviors. When threatened, cats, like most mammals, have four major defense strategies:

Flight (Withdrawal from the threat)
Fight (Defensive aggression)
Freeze (Crouching and lying still to avoid attention)
Appeasement (Actively submitting to the attacker)

Unlike dogs, cats rarely choose appeasement. Prolonged anxiety reactions are commonly provoked by a threatening situation which cannot be dealt with by flight, fight, freeze, or appeasement.

It is sometimes difficult for us as humans to relate to what stresses felines. Deadlines, grouchy bosses, work overload, and computer crashes are so unlike feline concerns: an animal viewed from outside (territorial invasion), a change in the environment (eg.,new furniture, new home, new litter substrate), change in daily routine, strange scents (eg., cat or dog scents on family members), loud noises, a dirty litterbox, the angry or hostile behavior of the owner, overcrowding, new family members (people or pets), the absence of certain family members, etc. Even the boredom of living in an unchanging environment can be stressful to our intelligent and sensitive feline companions.

The term stress is used by veterinarians to describe the mental and physiological changes that occur in an animal when it perceives something potentially threatening. The threat triggers a flood of activity in the animal's autonomic nervous system--the portion of the nervous system that controls involuntary body functions such as heart rate, blood distribution, and respiration. The biological changes that occur prepare the animal to either combat or escape the challenger. For example, "the pupils dilate to admit as much visual information as possible and tiny muscles in hair follicles contract, causing the cat's fur to stand erect and make the animal look bigger and more intimidating. Mood changes often accompany the physiological changes. The animal may become extremely alert and behave aggressively toward anything (or anyone) that approaches too near." (CATNIP newsletter, Oct. 1995, a publication of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine)

The stress response can be life-saving to cats living in the wild, but the indoor cat rarely needs the protective benefits of this physiological reaction. When the stress is caused by a known foe (i.e., another cat) and that challenge has been met with either fight or flight, its fear subsides and its bodily systems revert to their normal "unstressed" state. "But when a cat can't recognize the source of its fear (for instance, random loud noises from the construction workers next door) or can't avoid a recurring source of fear (a resident feline bully), its fear can lead to anxiety...the anxiety can become chronic (recurring or continual)...Because an indoor housecat can neither flee nor confront the source of its anxiety, it cannot easily relieve its stress. The cat must either live with its stress-response or act out behaviors in its stress-response repertoire to try to relieve the anxiety." (CATNIP newsletter, Oct. 1995)

A cat that is in a chronic state of anxiety can experience health problems as well as behavioral changes. One indication of stress is high concentrations of the corticosteroids (hormones secreted by the adrenal gland) in the blood and/or urine, particularly cortisol. If large amounts of the hormones persist in reaction to chronic stressors, the result can be illness or even death.

Although humans relate stress to emotional factors, and those are prevalent in feline stress, stress and anxiety in cats can come from other sources, including environmental changes and physical stress. You will find that many of these areas overlap as we explore further.

Cats do not deal well with change. Even subtle changes in a cat's environment can lead to stress; substantial changes, such as moving, introduction of a new baby, spouse, or other animal to the household, can have devastating effects.

New Family Members, Human or Animal: Cats may react in a number of ways to new family members, including aggression, withdrawal, or sudden litter box avoidance, to name a few. By understanding this and planning ahead, the concerned caregiver can help her cat avoid the stress of a sudden introduction, while letting the cat know that he is still "number one" in the family tree. See New Baby and Your Cat, How to Introduce a New Cat, and How to Introduce a New Dog for specific information. Introducing a new spouse or human roommate calls for understanding and patience. The newcomer needs to allow the cat to come around at his own pace, and to avoid trying to rush the relationship.
Moving to a New Residence: Moving calls for care in seeing that your cat's life is disrupted as little as possible. During a local move, it helps to keep him closed off in a separate room with his favorite "blankie," toys, litter box, food and bed, while the rest of the house is moved. Last, bring kitty and all his belongings to the new house or apartment, where you will put him in his own "safe room" while you unpack and rearrange the rest of the household. Having his own things around him will help him understand that he is home. A long distance move is better handled with help. Have one person go ahead to the new residence and set up kitty's safe room. The other will accompany the cat in a carrier with his favorite toy or "blankie," whether by plane, train, or automobile.

A New Job: A new job or other change in daily routine should also be handled by planning ahead. A week before starting work, start leaving for the day, for gradually increasing periods of time. Before leaving, hold you cat and tell her, "I'm going to be away for awhile, but I promise to come back to you. I love you and I'll miss you, but we'll have fun together when I return." Upon your return, make a big deal over your cat. Tell her how much you missed her and how good it is to be back home. Carry her around, pet her, and ask her how her day was. By the time your job starts, your kitty will be quite accustomed to your absence during the day, and the two of you will look forward to new bonding experience each night upon your return.

The View Through the Window: A discussion of external stressors would not be complete without mentioning re-directed aggression, a sudden and often inexplicable phenomenon which is more common than realized, Re-directed aggression often happens when a household cat is sitting on his favorite perch, gazing out the window. Suddenly he sees a strange cat stroll through his yard. Frustrated because he can't get outside to defend his territory, the cat will suddenly attack the closest being, whether it is another resident cat or a hapless human. Dealing with this form of aggression calls for creative thinking, which includes keeping your cat away from that window or somehow barring his view, while taking steps to discourage the strange cat from further exploration in your yard. Some helpful tips for the latter can be found in this article on the Top 10 Cat Repellants.

Most of the environmental changes we discussed in the previous section resulted in emotional stress in cats. One way of understanding this is that environmental changes are the cause, and emotional stress the effect. Other emotional stress caused by environmental changes, according to an article in PetEducation.com, death of a family member, fear, and rivalry or jealousy. Let's study each of these a bit further:

Humans who are grieving the loss of a family member, whether human or animal, sometimes forget that their cat may be grieving too. While animal behaviorists disagree on whether cats actually remember or grieve, there is enough anecdotal information to convince me that they do.

It may help to provide the surviving cat with an article of human clothing, or the favorite "blankie" of the deceased cat, to help him understand that although they are gone, they are still with us in another way. Holding him and talking to him in reassuring tones will not only help your cat, but will also help you deal with your loss. For more help in coping with your own loss, see my article on Dealing with Loss.

Fear almost always comes from sudden, outside sources. Fire, earthquake, hurricane, and tornado are classic examples of fear-resulting stressors. Although many of these environmental stressors cannot be predicted, it is still essential to have a plan for dealing with an emergency before it happens. Some helpful information is presented in Preparing Your Cats for Disaster.

Predictable fear-associated stressors, such as noisy festivities (Halloween, 4th of July, New Years Eve) can be planned for ahead of time. It's best to keep cats confined to an interior room on such occasions, with low lights and soft music playing. Or, ideally, hold the party somewhere else.

Fear also is sometimes exhibited when one cat is being "picked on" by another. A classic example of the factor is the cat that is "trapped" in a closely confined litter box by another cat. The end result, of course, is litter box avoidance. You can help ameliorate this situation by giving the "victim cat" her own litter box with plenty of opportunities of escape.

Rivalry and jealousy take place more often with the introduction of new cats to the household, which we discussed on page one. You may also see a certain amount of rivalry and jealousy as kittens grow into adulthood, and they sort out their "pecking order" in the household feline hierarchy. Often the best solution is just to leave them alone. Cats have a wonderful way of working things out, and once the alpha cat is established, peace will reign again. Sudden rivalry and jealousy between two previously friendly adult cats is another subject. It can be more often caused by some environmental change, which will take a bit of detective work on your part to discover.

Cats can suffer from stress-related illness like humans, a study by animal experts suggests. Rivalry with another cat is the biggest source of feline anxiety closely followed by moving home or the arrival of a new member of the owner's family. Experts compared 31 cats with bladder disease to 24 healthy cats in the same households and used a control group of 125 other healthy cats. Sick cats generally got more stressed by other cats in the house, they said.

Dr Danielle Gunn-Moore, senior lecturer in feline medicine at Edinburgh University's school of veterinary studies, said feline lower urinary tract disease was frustrating for vets and owners because most cases had no apparent cause.

"This group of diseases of the bladder is most commonly seen in pedigree, middle-aged, overweight male cats which don't go out much and eat a dry food diet. "We believed stress could be a trigger and wanted to identify differences in the cats' environments and temperaments which might cause this condition."

University researchers suggest cats with such illnesses should be fed wet food and encouraged to drink more fluid by adding tuna-flavoured ice cubes to water. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Animals has welcomed the research.

Spokeswoman Doreen Graham said: "We've always known cats are extremely sensitive and this study highlights a problem more widespread than previously thought."

Stress is a big factor in managing the health of a senior cat, or any cat with a serious physical condition. Cats with weakened immune systems, such as FIV or FeLV patients do not thrive under stress. It is important that the caregiver keeps this in mind when caring for this kind of cat. It is too easy for the human to telegraph his or her own stress and anxiety over her cat's illness to the cat, which can only exacerbate the underlying condition. Older cats and cats with chronic and terminal disease do much better in a quiet setting, with a minimum of environmental changes. It would be very unwise to bring home a new kitten or a noisy dog under these circumstances. I don't suggest a hospital or hospice situation with tip-toeing and hushed voices, but loud noises and sudden movement should be avoided, if possible. If there are children in the house, a discussion might be in order, not only to enlist their help in reducing stress to the older feline patient, but also to help prepare them for what will inevitably come.

The first inoculation will simulate an immune response. The second inoculation imparts a stronger and more long lasting response, a sort of memory to the system. Keep in mind that although older cats do not have to worry about maternal antibodies interfering with the first inoculation, one inoculation is not sufficient to produce adequate protection. They must have the second one that results in the long lasting effect.

After the initial series of vaccinations, cats should receive booster shots once a year in order to keep the memory of that immunity strong. Cat viruses are much more stable than human flu viruses, and annual vaccinations are usually adequate to protect them, unless the cat is severely stressed.

As a cat ages, so does the immune system. The immune response can wane, leaving the older cat vulnerable once again. Annual vaccinations keep the immune response strong, and are an important part of geriatric care.

There are cats who become ill with these diseases even after vaccination. The cat may not have received an adequate number of boosters, or there may have been a large amount of maternal antibodies to interfere with the inoculation series. No vaccine will protect 100%. A cat can come in contact with a particularly powerful or virulent strain of a virus that overwhelms the immune system. Or the immune system can be diminished due to stress associated with boarding, moving, inclement weather, new members of the household, poor nutrition, immunosuppressive viruses, or other underlying diseases. Compared to unvaccinated cats, cats who have been properly vaccinated will develop only a mild form of the disease during a vaccine break. Some cats will carry a virus in their body, undetected and without causing disease, until some stress lowers their resistance. Vaccinations may be ineffective in these cats.

While there are many things we can do to minimize stress in cats, there are times when we want to throw up our hands and call for help. Fortunately, there are several commercial products, both Over The Ccounter and by prescription, that can help alleviate stress in cats.

Rescue Remedy: Rescue Remedy is a Bach Flower Essence, which are tinctures of flowers in an alcohol or other base. It is named for Dr. Edward Bach, a British physician, who developed his flower essences in the early 1930s. Rescue Remedy is developed from five flowers, and is extremely effective in the relief of stress or trauma, both in humans and in animals. Two or three drops in a bowl of water often provide quick relief.

Feliway Comfort Zone for Cats: Feliway is a "friendly pheromone, developed by Farnam, Inc. It mimics the facial pheremones cats use to mark territory. Feliway was originally developed to discourage urine marking by cats, since it is believed cats will not "spray" areas they have previously marked with facial pheromones. It is also believed to be effective in reducing other stress-related behaviors. Comfort Zone, with Feliway, is a wall plug-in which diffuses the pheromone throughout a room.

Feline Infectious Anemia (FIA) is a blood disease of cats caused by Hemobartonella felis (H. felis). H. felis attaches to the cat's red blood cells. When the immune system detects this abnormality, it destroys the blood cells. This results in the cat having a shortage of red blood cells, which is the same as being anemic.

We are not sure of the means of transmission of FIA. There is speculation that it can be passed from one cat to another by insects that can carry blood; fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes have been considered potential vectors (carriers) of the parasite between cats. However, none of these have been proven.

The presence of H. felis on a few red blood cells does not mean that the cat has Feline Infectious Anemia. In fact, H. felis is commonly found on the red blood cells of normal cats. In almost all cases of FIA, the cat has encountered another disease or another form of stress. This state of debilitation then triggers H. felis and allows the development of FIA.

Diagnosis of this disease is made from a blood sample. If the cat is anemic and large numbers of H. felis are present, the diagnosis of FIA is made. Unfortunately, H. felis is not always present on the cat's red blood cells because it appears in the blood stream in cycles. If FIA is suspected, it may be necessary to examine several blood samples before H. felis is identified.

Since about 20% of cats with FIA are infected with the Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), a blood test should be performed to detect this virus. This virus can serve as the stress factor that allows the development of FIA. If the FeLV is found, the short-term prognosis is usually good, but the long-term prognosis will be poor because of the diseases which are caused by the feline leukemia virus.

Since the drugs only suppress H. felis and do not completely rid the cat of it, FIA may occur again. Keeping your cat properly vaccinated, feeding it a high quality food, and treating other illnesses promptly will reduce the chances of another episode of FIA.

The following are some books that include information that will help you reduce stress in your cats. I have included links to my reviews of these books, where applicable.

The Cat Who Cried for Help, by Dr. Nicholas Dodman
Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs, by Donald Hamilton
The New Natural Cat, by Anitra Frazier
The Nature of Animal Healing, by Martin Goldstein
Raising Cats Naturally, by Michelle T. Bernard. Gives a full chapter with a very good explanation of homeopathic remedies.
Remember, that one of the most important things you can do to minimize stress in your cat is to keep your own stress level down. A hot cup of herbal tea, a glass of wine, or maybe a drop or two of Rescue Remedy in a glass of water might be just the thing you need on some of those days when you find yourself "telegraphing" your own stress to your cat.