6 minute read
Pets
Stress in cats can be hard to spot
by Lynn Broom Longmead Veterinary Practice
Cats can be stressed by situations which do not appear stressful and can develop strange behaviours in response to these stresses without ‘looking’ stressed.
Long-term stress can produce multiple subtle behaviour responses which often go unnoticed by their owners and so a diagnosis of a stress-related condition often comes as a surprise.
The main behaviours we see in stressed cats are recurrent cystitis, inappropriate urination and over-grooming. The causes of stress can include changes in the home such as a new baby or new pet, aggressive neighbourhood cats or even their owners going away on holiday. Living with another cat is frequently a cause of longterm stress.
Recurrent cystitis is a common problem caused by stress in cats. Typically they will urinate frequently, often in unusual places and blood can be present in the urine. There is rarely any infection present and most cats respond well to pain relief.
Prevention may be achieved by limiting stress, using plug-in pheromones like feliway and, where necessary, supplements which support a healthy bladder lining. This a distressing condition for female cats but has the potential to become life-threatening for neutered males who may become unable to urinate and risk bladder rupture and acute kidney failure.
Cats can find living with another cat a cause of long-term stress. PHOTO: Isa Karakus/Pixabay
Litter trays
Increasing water intake can help by increasing frequency of full volume urination and can flush out crystals which may form in concentrated urine and may further irritate the bladder lining. Cats frequently prefer running water and allowing them to drink from a dripping tap or a cat fountain can increase drinking. Ensuring fresh water is always available is essential even for cats which prefer to drink outside as sources of water will be limited during hot or freezing weather.
Cats which urinate and/or defecate in the house other than in litter trays will often do so because of stress. Again pheromones may help with this.
Providing multiple litter trays around the house, particularly in areas where the cat is choosing to relieve itself can help. Placing one in a convenient place for us may not be used by a cat because they don’t like its position for some reason. Many cats will not use a dirty litter tray, particularly if another cat has used it. Regular cleaning and more trays than cats can help with this.
Stress over grooming is also commonly seen. Typically cats will lick their tummies and between their back legs excessively to the point where they become bald and can cause sores.
Ruling out sources of pain or itching is essential as both can cause similar symptoms. Reducing stress, if possible, can help. Some medications may help but this can be a difficult condition to control.
Cats are generally solitary animals and sharing a house with another cat can be surprisingly stressful. The stress can be reduced by providing multiple areas to eat and drink and multiple, frequently cleaned litter trays. Ensuring each cat has its own space will reduce conflict.
The International Cat Care website provides excellent information on recognising the subtle signs of chronic stress in cats and provides useful advice to help manage it to help you make your cat as settled and comfortable as possible in their situation.
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CAN YOU BE A FOREVER HOME?
These are just some of the cats the Blandford & Sturminster Newton branch of Cats Protection has looking for new homes.
Dusty and Dexter (less than a year). Sweet, loving and very playful. Would make a great addition to any home. Keanu and Shadow (two, one). Keanu is a confident twoyear-old black and white boy, and Shadow is a slightly shy year-old boy. They are best friends.
Felix (13) and Patch (ten). Timid pair who need a home together. Pebbles (eight months). An in-your-face very loving girl, still learning boundaries. Stanley (one). Lovely boy looking for a home to call his own.
For details, please call our helpline on 01258 858644 or visit our website www. cats.org.uk/blandford LOST CATS If you have lost a cat, please contact us via our website, phone or Facebook. Please make sure we have a contact phone number so we can get in touch with you quickly if needed.
n Tabby and Grey/White and
Apricot Females, both missing from their home in Long Critchel since July 19.
n Black female, missing from
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from Durweston since July 17. FOUND CATS If you are regularly seeing a cat in your garden or down your street that you don’t think has an owner, please give us a call – it might be a lost cat that could be reunited with its owner.
n Tortie and white, Guys Marsh,
seen repeatedly in the area.
We are still offering neutering and micro-chipping for £5 in postcode areas DT10 and DT11 SP7, SP8 and BH21. Phone 01258 268695. BEHAVIOUR TIPS
Tip #20 Ensuring your dog will respond to cues in ALL situations
Many owners experience problems with their dogs not responding in the same way to them in different situations.
For example, the dog comes when called at home but not if he sees another dog. This simply means that training has not yet been finished.
Dogs are very literal in how they learn things and rely very heavily on context.
Also, like us, they are motivated by many different things to different degrees.
When training anything – for example, recall – initial training to teach the meaning of the cue is done with minimal distractions – perhaps at home or in an empty field.
However, this is just the start. Once this is mastered, it is then important to gradually increase difficulty and distractions and introduce different contexts – always keeping to a level where he is highly likely to succeed and ensuring he can’t learn the wrong thing.
Also, remember that many things – such as returning when called – will be far more difficult for the dog if there are other more interesting things to do – for example, other dogs around – so higher value rewards are required in more difficult contexts. Helen Taylor is a qualified, accredited behaviourist, a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist, a Registered Practitioner with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council and is a member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (no 881). help@helentaylordorset.co. uk; www.helentaylordorset.co.uk
MID DORSET CATS PROTECTION
Loving homes needed for cats and kittens in our care.
