This month Dr. Jacqui writes about Stressed Kitties

Stress has become an unfortunately common part of the human experience. Whether it is stress secondary to finances, work, personal relationships or just driving in heavy traffic, it takes a toll on our mental and physical health. We know that chronic stress is bad for us and the same is true for our cats. Your kitty certainly doesn't have to worry about her next job deadline or running late for a meeting but your cat may be experiencing her own feline form of stress. We will review typical signs of feline stress and techniques to reduce your cat's stress level.

Signs of Stress:

• Insomnia: A typical cat sleeps for 9.5 hours and rests for another 5.3 hours in a 24-hour period. Stressed cats tend to spend more time awake/alert and attempting to hide.
• Under or Over-grooming: The average cat grooms for about 4 hours per day. Stressed cats may show a significant reduction in grooming and gain an unkempt appearance. Some stressed cats groom excessively, in a compulsive manner, creating bald spots on their body.
• Hiding: While even a happy cat may enjoy an occasional break from the hustle and bustle of the household, a cat that stays under the bed or in another hiding spot the majority of the time may be stressed.
• House-soiling: Stress may actually contribute to the onset of an inflammatory condition of the bladder called feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). Cats with this condition often urinate inappropriately. A stressed cat may also be too frightened to go to the litter box location, resulting in inappropriate urination or defecation. A stressed cat may also spray in the home.
• Not eating: Cats that are stressed may stop eating or reduce their intake of food. Changes in appetite can also be a sign of serious medical conditions so a consultation with your veterinarian is advised.
• Aggression: A cat that swats, hisses, growls or bites indicates anger or unhappiness. If your cat is chronically or frequently in that state, it's probably quite stressed.
• Unhappy body postures: Distressed feline body postures include ears pinned back, dilated pupils, a tucked or fluffed tail, rapid tail twitches and a crouched body posture. A happy cat will stand tall, have its tail raised straight up, rub its cheeks on you and purr.

Stress Reducing Strategies:

• Veterinary Visit: This may seem like unusual advice, considering that most cats appear to be quite stressed by veterinary visits. But the signs of stress at home may actually be indicators of an underlying disease process. Cats are notoriously good at hiding illness so the only signs you may appreciate in your sick cat are the subtle signs of stress listed above. And even if your cat is physically healthy, your veterinarian may be able to provide you with a tailored treatment program for your cat's mental well-being.
• Remove Triggers: If you can identify specific triggers for your cat's distress, then remove or manage those triggers so that they are less problematic for your cat. For example, if your cat is afraid of noises, silence the buzzers on your appliances. If your cat is stressed by houseguests, create a houseguest-free zone for your cat with its necessary resources (litter box, water, food, resting spots) for the duration of their visit.
• Exercise: Exercise alleviates stress for people and it may help your cat as well. Identify your cat's favorite toy and then set aside 5–10 minutes for kitty play and exercise time in the morning and evening.
• Cuddle Time: It has been documented that stroking animals can reduce human stress. If your cat enjoys being stroked or groomed, you may be returning the favor.
• Provide Outlets for Typical Cat Behavior: A free-roaming outdoor cat will spend about 4 hours a day hunting for food. Our indoor kitties probably spend less than 4 minutes per day walking to their bowls. To provide your indoor cat with "hunting" activity you can place all or a portion of its food in a puzzle toy or hide multiple food bowls around the house to create a daily treasure hunt.
• Create a Kitty Spa Bathroom: Provide your cat with an exceptional litter box experience. Provide a large litter box in an easily accessible but private area. Fill the box with 3-4 inches of a clumping litter with a superior odor controlling ingredient like Fresh Step® with carbon. Scoop the box regularly and change the litter box monthly by washing the box and adding new litter (always wash hands thoroughly after handling used cat litter).
• Pheromones: Feliway® is a synthetic analog of a calming feline pheromone (a form of chemical communication). Available as a plug-in diffuser or a pump spray, using Feliway® in the environment may help to reduce feline stress.
• Drug Therapy: Some highly stressed cats may benefit from drug therapy. Consultation with your veterinarian can help to identify if this is an appropriate option for your stressed cat.