Top 3 Reasons Your Cat is Anxious

Many pet parents can attest to the fact that cats are some of the most laid-back animals around. They love to spend their time napping, snuggling and playing with their favorite humans. Regrettably, even the most mellow felines can experience temporary stressors that give them periods of intense stress and anxiety, resulting in a wide variety of problematic behaviors. For example, cats with situational anxiety may become more tense and aggressive, causing them to lash out at random with teeth and claws when you or one of your guests try to pet them. It’s essential to understand the causes of their distress and address them as quickly as possible.

Here at Canna Companion, we’re proud to support the health and happiness of cats and dogs across the country through cannabis-based supplementation. That’s why we produce Canna Companion, a unique blend of Cannabis sativa strains (derived solely from the mature stalks and seeds), frequently referred to as hemp, designed to increase the supportive benefits of cannabis while mitigating its “high-inducing” concentrations of THC. This proprietary formulation utilizes a combination of natural compounds found in hemp at the time of normal harvesting and processing to provide your cat or dog with optimum health, comfort and care. We’re also passionate about offering pet parents proven advice to help them take care of their canines and felines. Today, we’ll be helping you to manage and maintain a healthy state of mind for your four-legged friend by discussing three prevalent causes of the occasional feline anxiety. But before we jump in, let’s take a few minutes to review what to look out for.

Common Symptoms of Situational Cat Anxiety

Luckily, a majority of cat anxiety symptoms are relatively easy to spot. According to PetMD, here’s a list of ten telltale signs your cat is feeling stressed out:

• Urinating or spraying outside of the litter box
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Excessive grooming (cats may lick a spot on their legs until it turns raw or bald)
• Excessive scratching
• Hiding
• Frequent vocalization
• Sudden increase or decrease in appetite
• Sudden increase in sleep or lethargy
• Unprovoked aggression towards animals
• Unprovoked aggression towards humans

Note: If you notice your cat exhibiting any of these behaviors for extended periods of time beyond the situational stressor, it’s critical to get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Your local animal expert will professionally diagnose your feline’s troubling symptoms and determine whether the cause is simply situational anxiety or a deeper medical issue.

Now that you have a solid idea of how anxiety affects cats, let’s move on to three of its most common causes.

1. Adding a New Pet to the House

Despite their cute and cuddly behavior, cats aren’t always fond of company, and this is especially true with new animals. While your kitty certainly doesn’t mind spending time with you and other family members, the presence of animals outside of their social circle can cause them to feel threatened or distressed. To exacerbate matters further, some cats are very territorial, meaning that introducing a new pet too quickly to their space can be a potent recipe for anxiety and conflict. Fortunately, most cats can learn to like (or at least tolerate) another cat or dog as long as they’re introduced to each other properly. For more advice on this process, be sure to check out this article from The Humane Society. If your cat is still experiencing anxiety after a few months with their new playmate, then we highly encourage you to visit your veterinarian for additional help and counsel.

2. Separation From You

Your cat doesn’t just rely on you for food, water and a fresh litter box. Felines have an innate need for socialization and affection, which you can provide in spades. Even if they don’t always show it, your cat loves and craves your attention and company, which is why they can become deeply distressed when you leave for several hours each day for work or school. In most cases, pet parents will solve this separation anxiety issue by picking up another animal to keep their cat company, but this might not be an option if your kitty isn’t a fan of other pets. Fortunately, by providing your cat with plenty of toys and exercise, you can usually tucker them out or keep them preoccupied while you’re gone, allowing them to sleep or play instead of worrying about when you’ll come back. You can also keep your TV or radio on while you’re away to give your feline something to focus on. In fact, even something as simple as a bird feeder outside one of your windows is a solid source of entertainment for a cat!

3. Change of Home

A large number of cats need time to adjust to a new home. If your cat suddenly becomes anxious when there’s no discernible cause, it’s entirely possible that they may be acting out due to the effects of the transition. You may be able to develop a series of exercises and natural treatments to mitigate this issue.

Note: If your cat is having situational anxiety problems, be sure to chat with your veterinarian about helping them with pet-friendly supplements. For example, our Canna Companion formulation is incredibly effective at encouraging a calm demeanor during moments of temporary or situational anxieties in cats. Together, you and your veterinarian can develop a perfect treatment plan to meet your feline’s unique needs.

Contact Canna Companion

If you have any questions about Canna Companion and how our supplements can be used to support the physical and mental well-being of your cat, then be sure to call or message us today. Also, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions about how to help your anxious cat. We’re always here to help.