6. Restlessness or Pacing

Walking in circles and pacing from room to room are other signs of anxiety in cats. This restlessness is often accompanied by excessive vigilance and caution as they’re on high alert all the time.

7. Excessive Grooming

While grooming is natural for cats, too much is an area of concern. Grooming is a self-soothing mechanism for feline anxiety. When cats lick themselves, they release endorphins that have a calming effect on them. It’s also deemed a coping mechanism that provides temporary relief. 

However, cats can get carried away in some cases. Bald spots and skin irritation are often the result of this activity. This creates additional skin problems that can worsen the issue. 

8. Panting and Trembling

If you notice your cat breathing with an open mouth and trembling, then it’s a clear sign of anxiety in cats. These generally happen suddenly, which is often during very loud noises, unfamiliar environments, and the first trips to the vet.

9. Changes in Appetite or Sleeping Patterns

Anxiety can significantly affect your cat’s daily rhythms. They might stop eating, begin overeating, or gulp down food unusually fast. Similarly, they might sleep excessively as an escape or have disrupted sleep patterns, including staying awake and pacing.

10. Gastrointestinal Issues

Additionally, too much stress and anxiety can result in gastrointestinal problems for cats. They might vomit, have diarrhea, or experience abdominal pain. These symptoms come from the stress directly affecting their digestive system. 

How Long Does Cat Anxiety Last?

It will depend on the cause. Short-term stress and anxiety in cats often end when the stressor is removed from the equation. Common examples include vet visits, car rides, and visits from strangers. This type is usually short-lived, as cats can slowly get back to normal when the situation resolves. 

Chronic anxiety, on the other hand, can last for weeks and months on end. This can stem from past trauma, environmental factors, and health issues. 

How Do Vets Diagnose Anxiety in Cats?

While behavioral changes from feline anxiety don’t seem to be much of a threat to their health, prolonged stress can be a problem. The constant anxiety can also signal a few medical issues that need to be addressed. That’s why we need to get to the bottom of it.

First, our pet behaviorists will conduct a full physical exam on your cat. Your input here will be very helpful. The signs of anxiety you observe in your cat will greatly help the diagnostic process. If you have video evidence, that will also be helpful.

If we notice any issue that might have been causing the stress and anxiety, we’ll proceed to specific tests that can be done to diagnose the cause. This can include blood tests, diagnostic imaging, and other tools.

Anti-Anxiety Treatment for Cats: How to Reduce Cat Anxiety

The treatment process will be based on the specific issue your cat is facing. If your cat’s anxiety is coming from specific health issues, then we’ll provide medications, procedures, and treatments for those specific issues.

If we suspect that your cat requires more than just medical techniques, we recommend using techniques to improve your cat’s mental state. This can include: 

1. Enriching your cat’s environment

A happy and enriching environment keeps your cat busy and stimulated, helping avoid stress and anxiety. Add interactive cat toys, scratching posts, and other tools to keep your cat occupied. 

You can also give cat trees, window perches, platforms, or shelves, as these can be areas where your cat can play and feel secure. 

2. Create predictable routines

Cats thrive on a predictable routine they can depend on. This makes them know what to expect so they can feel safe and secure. Establish and stick to a consistent daily routine, consisting of playing, feeding, and grooming.

3. Use anti-anxiety products

Pheromone diffusers can mimic the natural feline calming signals and provide comfort for your cat. These products come in sprays, diffusers, treats, and supplements, which means they are easy to use. 

4. Provide prescription medications

We may also prescribe prescription cat anxiety medications from our pet pharmacy to help relieve and provide a feeling of comfort. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can increase serotonin levels in the brain, helping reduce cat anxiety-related behaviors.

There are also benzodiazepines, which are medications that enhance the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a chemical that helps cats feel calm. 

5. Try out behavioral modification methods

Sometimes, a few behavioral practices can work. You can start by exposing your cat to its usual triggers. This can include new pets, specific objects, or maybe even your car. The key is to do this slowly and gradually until your cat appears used to these things. 

Once your cat starts to show comfort and confidence, you can increase the intensity of exposure. To help, you can also provide treats to give positive reinforcement and praise. 

“Behind every meow is a cat calling for help. Being there is the start of helping them feel safe and secure.”

- Dr. Nenad Misura

Final Thoughts

Anxiety in cats can be confusing, as we don’t fully understand how cats think. What we can do is try to provide our best friends with all the help they need to get through anything. When we’re right by their side, they can shine. 

Through time and a few enriching methods, we can reduce our cats’ anxiety and bring out their confidence.