How To Alleviate Your Pet’s Anxiety

Pet Care

Recently, a friend of mine has been worrying about her cat. She got a new job and her schedule changed to her being gone for a few hours on days that she wasn’t normally gone. She would come home to find her cat being uncharacteristically clingy and acting really sick. After a few hours of her being home, the cat would seem to be better. After assessing her symptoms and consulting a vet, she discovered that her cat had separation anxiety due to the change in the routine.

This is a fairly common occurrence among household pets. They are sensitive to change—just like humans.

What is the Cause of Anxiety?

There are several kinds of anxiety found in animals.

1. Separation Anxiety

Just like my friend’s cat, many animals can develop separation anxiety. This kind of anxiety refers to when an animal gets anxious from being left alone. This can happen for a number of reasons: a change in their owner’s schedule, a traumatic event, or a lack of socialization when they were first born.

alleviate pet anxiety2. Changes in Environment

As I said earlier, animals are sensitive to change. Any changes in their environment can lead to an increase in their stress levels. If you move houses or add a new person to the household (spouse, baby, etc.) they will need time to adjust and can be anxious until they are used to the changes. Even short car rides can lead to an increase in anxiety.

3. Noise Anxiety

This kind of anxiety is caused by loud noises. This happens a lot during the holidays when fireworks are constantly being set off. Or if you live in an area like Cincinnati, where we do Fireworks Fridays every Friday of baseball season (my dog absolutely hates baseball season.)

Another common cause of noise anxiety is thunderstorms. The abrupt, loud noise of the thunder causes heightened stress levels in lots of animals.

4. Confinement Anxiety

This kind of anxiety can occur whenever an animal feels trapped. Have you ever hugged your pet and noticed how tense they become? Hugging your pet can often lead to a sense of confinement and they will often try to flee. This can also contribute to their anxiety during car rides. Not only are they in a new environment and being transported to a new environment, but they are also stuck there and can’t get out.

What are the Symptoms?

alleviate pet anxietySeparation Anxiety

Separation anxiety is a little different than the other forms of anxiety and thus has its own specific set of symptoms. Some of the things to look for are:

  • Howling, crying, barking, meowing
  • Urinating/defecating indoors/outside of the litter box
  • Pacing
  • Digging or scratching at doors, trying to get to owners
  • Destruction

Other Anxieties

These symptoms are for more general signs of distress. The important thing is to know the normal behaviors of your pet, so that you are able to tell whenever something is out of the ordinary. According to Doggonsafe.com, some of these can include:

  • Yawning when not tired
  • Licking lips without food being present
  • Scratching when not itchy
  • Biting at paws
  • Suddenly sniffing the ground
  • Loss of appetite

These symptoms are similar in cats as well.

alleviate pet anxietyHow Can You Help?

There are several ways that you can help to reduce the anxiety in your pet.

  • Separation Anxiety
    • Try not to make leaving and coming home a big spectacle
    • Leave your pet with a piece of clothing with your scent on it
    • Use a specific word or action every time you leave that will signal to them that you’ll be back
    • For cats, a window perch can help distract them
    • It’s important to remember that your pet having separation anxiety does not make them bad, so punishment does not help. In that same vein, obedience training is not the answer. While training can be a great thing, what your pet really wants is to spend time with you.
  • Noise Anxiety
    • Thundershirt— the Thundershirt wraps around your dog or cat and the provided pressure helps to soothe your animal during times of loud noises.
    • Scarf Wrap— Similar to the Thundershirt, this is a DIY way of wrapping a scarf around your pet’s body in such a way that it helps to calm them down.
  • General Stress
    • Food—there are certain foods that contain the amino acid L-Tryptophan that can help to provide your dog with an added Serotonin boost. These foods include: uncooked pumpkin seeds, roast beef, chicken breast, cooked tuna, uncooked oats, and whole, cooked eggs.
    • Essential Oils—some people like to use essential oils as a natural way to treat both themselves and their pets. There are several oils that can be used to help treat anxieties in your pets. For dogs, you can combine coconut oil and lavender and massage it into their skin for a calming effect.
    • Consult Your Vet—It’s always a good idea to consult your vet if you become worried about your pet’s behavior. If things become serious, they can prescribe medication to help reduce your dog or cat’s anxiety.

As Doggonsafe.com says, “it is a GOOD THING that a dog shows you that he is anxious or uncomfortable.” Your pet is giving you signs that they are in distress, now it is up to you to pay attention.

Do you have a pet that struggles with anxiety? Tell us your story!