Our beloved pets are often stressed, and there can be many reasons for this. Ultimately, the cat cannot stand it and begins to attack the owner and does not obey. In such cases, it is important for cat owners to know how to calm their cat. After all, this way, the owner will be able to protect himself, his family and his pet from injuries that the pet itself can cause. There are many ways to calm your cat, so let's look at them.
How anxiety manifests itself
Our pets also know how to get nervous and how. Perhaps someone's behavior shocked them and they became angry, or perhaps a minor event caused stress in the cat. The behavior itself will tell you when the cat is nervous. For example, she begins to lick herself often. This may not be caused by parasites, but this action indicates overexertion. The following reactions will definitely tell you that the cat has become very nervous.
- Fear. Looks for a place to hide, or tucks its tail under itself. If a cat is looking for places where it wants to climb so that no one will find it, this is a clear sign of fear. She is afraid of something, for example, the veterinarian or noises, and is looking for a place to calmly wait out what really frightens her. Stress also changes a cat's eating behavior. The cat either eats too much or does not take a bite into his mouth at all.
- Aggression. It is easier to identify, because in a very stressful situation, a cat can even attack those around it. So, this may be a defensive reaction of their cubs. If you see that a cat fluffs its tail, hisses, arches its back, its pupils narrow, its ears are flattened - this is a clear sign of aggression. This condition appears suddenly. Veterinarians explain this behavior by saying that the cat has a stressful situation in its life that it cannot cope with alone.
- Panic. In this case, an external stimulus can send the cat into a panic attack. She begins to scream heart-rendingly, releasing a large amount of saliva. Ears are flattened, pupils are dilated - symptoms of panic are obvious.
- A game. In the game, small pets love to bite and attack people by the arms and legs. You need to know how to calm your kitten down when he gets so angry. If this behavior is caused by play, an educational conversation should be held in order to stop the game, in the case when the cat continues to behave this way.
- Protection of offspring. If a cat has cubs, she will fully defend them. Therefore, she can rush at people if she feels that the offspring are in danger.
- During heat, the cat becomes too nervous.
- Internal illnesses. Get examined by a veterinarian. Perhaps the stress is caused due to internal pain in the cat's body. It is worth checking for diseases by going to the doctor.
- Moving or traveling. Those cats that are used to staying at home and have never gone outside will definitely be scared of this noisy place. They experience enormous stress in a new place and take a very long time to leave it if they feel uncomfortable. Don't cuddle the cat, give it time to get comfortable and just give it support. She will definitely feel that she is not alone, and you will not escape her.
When a cat shows with all its appearance that it is not happy with you, this is not normal. There are some problems that make it difficult for the cat to perceive you as a friend at the moment.
Aggression as a reaction to pain
Sometimes it is difficult for owners to understand what happened to their affectionate and gentle pet. And even more so, it is not clear what to do if the cat is aggressive towards people. This happens quite rarely. If you have not offended the fluffy beauty, she has no reason to behave this way, however, with the exception of cases when she is experiencing severe and excruciating pain.
This often happens with urolithiasis. The animal begins to react with hostility to any touch and may bite or scratch. What to do if the cat is aggressive and attacks? First you need to consult a doctor and rule out the possibility of illness. In severe pain, the animal perceives almost any action as an attack.
Have a conversation within the family. Cats are very vindictive and remember for a long time if they are hurt. Perhaps one of the children is playing too roughly with your pet, which is why his behavior has changed dramatically.
READ How to choose and put on a cat harness
How to identify the cause of anger in a cat
With the help of such reactions, the cat shows with its entire appearance that it should be left alone or helped with something. In order to find out the reason for what is pissing her off, you need to look at the cat’s behavior and assess the environment. It is important to determine what external factor influenced the pet’s irritation. If the irritation is due to internal factors, you know what to do. You need to take your cat to the doctor. Do your own research. So, you have already done half the work and can calm the cat down.
Be sure to monitor your cat's behavior and lifestyle. Perhaps something is bothering her and she needs help.
What to do at home?
Once you have identified the cause of this behavior, there are a number of preventive measures you can take to help your kitty cope with the stress.
It is not necessary to immediately run to the doctor if such behavior is not caused by internal pain. You can figure out the reasons at home and make attempts to help the cat.
Comfortable conditions
You will need:
- Cardboard box or house.
- Separate room for privacy.
You need to leave the cat completely alone. It is also important for her to be alone. This way she will calm down and gain new strength. Create comfortable conditions for her. Provide your cat with shelter. This could be her house or a cardboard box. So, she will climb into a shelter and be able to calm down there and relieve stress.
For cats, boxes are a way of escape and safety. Sitting in it, they are surrounded on four sides by walls, and even with high sides. This makes them feel safe.
Use of drugs
To calm your pet, there are many medications that are aimed at calming a nervous state and are sold as sedatives.
Vet pharmacies sell special sprayers that emit pheromone odors. The animal, sensing a familiar smell, will calm down. For example, there is a product called “Feliway”.
Homeopathic herbal substances that are gentle on the animal. These are available in different forms: spray, tablets, drops. For example, such as “Fitex”.
Chemicals containing herbs. Available in the form of tablets, drops, sprays or injections. For example, “Stop-Stress”, “Xiazin”, “Vetranquill”.
There are hormonal drugs that have a strong effect. They are designed to prevent estrus, but do not stop it completely. Available in the form of tablets, drops and injections. For example, “Sex Barrier”, “Covinan”, “Gestrenol”.
In any case, you should consult your doctor before use. Your cat may not be suitable for chemical or hormonal treatments. It is important to approach this issue delicately and with extreme caution.
Never give your cat valerian. It affects the cat's system like a drug and is addictive.
Water therapy
Cats really hate water, so you can use water to calm your pet. Wet the cat's fur by spraying it with a spray bottle. Or if the cat is not very afraid of the bath, you can put it there and water it from a ladle. So, her attention will switch to her wet fur coat, which now needs to be looked after. For the next hour she will definitely keep herself busy with licking and drying. The problem is solved - the cat is calmed down.
Cats are not fans of water, but this method will clearly cool its ardor and keep it busy for the next couple of hours.
What else can you do?
- Comprehensive examination by a veterinarian. If you notice that your cat is suffering and this is definitely not caused by external factors, you should consult a doctor to see the source of the problem and prescribe treatment.
- Change your diet. A cat's diet can cause stress. It is worth changing the diet, reducing the amount of food or changing the brand. Or reduce portions while increasing the number of feedings.
- Insulation. It is worth not only leaving her alone or giving her a box, but also completely limiting contact with other family members and animals. It is necessary to allocate a separate room in which both food and a tray will be placed. Let her calm down a little in a couple of days and come to her senses. Naturally, it is important to combine this method with another method to cure and help the cat.
- Music. Compositions with a touch of classics will definitely help your cat calm down. You can also try using white noise. Children fall asleep to such sounds, and maybe the cat will be able to calm down.
- Attention. You can try to show attention and affection if the cat is not in a moment of aggression and does not attack you. You can try to caress her, say a lot of good words, stroke her.
Do not self-medicate. So, you definitely won’t help the pet.
Traditional methods
Folk remedies have a very good effect not only on humans, but also on animals. Therefore, you should turn to this method if you do not want to endanger your cat with chemicals or if it did not help you.
- Chamomile, thyme. Make decoctions from these ingredients and give them to your cat.
- You can spread butter on the cat's face. She will start licking and washing herself, which will occupy herself for a long time.
- Add soda to the milk using the tip of a knife. Let the cat drink and calm down.
- If a cat is in heat, the best option, but not suitable for everyone, is to introduce her to a male cat.
As everyone knows, herbs are good for relaxing and healing the body. They are very useful and contain many beneficial properties.
How to calm a cat if he wants a cat?
People face this problem every year, and it brings a lot of discomfort. Before you learn ways to calm down, you need to find out the signs that indicate that the animal needs intimacy.
The following changes in behavior indicate puberty:
- The pet marks the territory. Thus, he wants to call on “girlfriends” for love pleasures. The pet can mark not only the floor, but also walls, furniture, etc.;
- Unexplained aggression towards other animals and people;
- The pet makes inviting calls, this is how it attracts a partner. The meowing can continue for hours, both day and night.
To calm a cat down when he wants a cat, you can use two methods: castrate him or give him special drugs to regulate his sexual desire. The first option is considered a radical method, since after this the pet will never have offspring. Special drugs have the ability to quickly and quite effectively suppress sexual desire. Drops help many, while others prefer injections.
In case of emergency
There are times when there is no time to prepare decoctions or touch the cat. In emergency cases, you need to act quickly.
Broadcast calm
Keep calm. The cat really feels how nervous its owner is. Because of this, she may begin to experience a lot of stress. If the animal sees that the person is radiating calm, the cat itself will quickly calm down.
Also, calm your cat down with gentle words. Stand or sit away from her and tell her words that she would like to hear. They understand everything, because the sounds of their beloved owner are the most beautiful.
Another way is to try to instill good intentions in your cat using telepathy.
Shift attention
As mentioned earlier, you can use water as a distraction. The cat will definitely keep itself occupied for a long time and will stop feeling stressed.
Try to attract attention to her favorite toy. Play with her, distract her with games.
Play is a good way to keep your cat occupied during aggression. If a cat loves to play, she definitely won’t refuse such an idea.
Play aggression
A cat may show excessive “zeal” during play: it can attack the “toy”, torment it, and at the same time it can scratch or bite the person playing with it, and ruin the things it plays with. Knowing this feature of your pet, you should not provoke his aggressive behavior: you should play with him less or temporarily abandon games.
Sometimes the reason for a cat’s aggression lies on the surface: cats are playful by nature and aggression in some cases is increased playfulness. The main sign of playful aggression is suddenness.
READ How long does pregnancy last in Scottish cats and how to care for them
What is not recommended to do
The most important thing that you definitely should not do is hit your pet. The cat is already angry and in a state of increased nervousness. Beating will not help education in any way, but will only cripple the cat inside and out.
Cats quickly show a reflex to our or their actions. Remember Pavlov's dogs. Therefore, do not give your pet food and treats during times of anger and anger. This way she will develop a reflex that when she is angry, she is given food.
If the behavior is caused by heat, but you are not ready for offspring, either have her spayed so that no one suffers, or distract her and be close to her. Just don't disturb her and don't touch her often. Even if she wakes you up in the middle of the night, and you know for sure that it is not caused by pain, do not be fooled by provocations. So, she will understand that she can lift you up with her screams, and you will fulfill all her requests. Each time she will do this more and more persistently.
Cats love to attack people, especially their legs. It could be a game or aggression. You should not give a reason to do this and immediately limit her in such actions.
Massage for kittens
When a kitten is taken away from its mother, its diet changes, which often leads to bowel problems. Cats lick the tummy and genital area of their babies to encourage them to defecate. Therefore, if a kitten is constipated, you need to massage its tummy with your finger or a sponge soaked in water. This simple procedure imitates the licking of a cat and in most cases causes pushing.
And if the kittens are bottle-fed, then massaging the peritoneum and anal area after each feeding is a mandatory procedure.
When changing food, one of the reasons for constipation in a kitten is flatulence. As stool moves through the intestines, gas bubbles form. They provoke delayed bowel movements and cause colic. For flatulence, peritoneal massage is also recommended. Flatulence cannot be cured in one day. Therefore, sessions should be carried out regularly.