Watch
the cat for signs of stress or illness.
Not exact matches
Subtle behavioral changes, such as hiding away
for long periods
of time, as well as more obvious changes, such as over-grooming to the point
of losing fur, are all potential
signs of stress in pet
cats.
A recent survey by feline welfare charity
Cats Protection found that it's difficult
for cat owners to recognize
signs of stress in their pets.
This double - blind, placebo - controlled study looked at the drug's effect on
signs of stress in community
cats trapped and held
for spay / neuter.
Researchers at the Koret Shelter Medicine Program found that
stress - induced loss
of appetite and weight may provide an early warning
sign for impending URI in shelter
cats.
The shelter will also train the cafe's employees on processing adoptions and caring
for the
cats, including noticing
signs of stress or illness.
Cats in particular are notorious
for hiding
signs of illness but studies have shown that «sickness behaviors» such as decreased food intake, increased vomiting, elimination outside
of the box and a complete avoidance
of elimination will also increase when a
cat is
stressed.3
Eliminating outside
of the litter box is frustrating
for cat owners, but can also be a
sign that your
cat is experiencing
stress.
Cats display symptoms
of stress much differently than humans do, so we might be looking
for the wrong
signs.
Another issue to consider is the
stress involved
for some
cats when oral antibiotics are administered but, as stated above, 99 %
of young
cats exhibiting clinical
signs of urinary tract disease do not have a bladder infection and, therefore, do not need to be treated with antibiotics.
Please note: Confinement may be extremely stressful
for free - roaming
cats, so if the
cat shows
signs of extreme
stress (repeated attempts to escape the trap or not eating), he or she should be released immediately.
If your
cat is showing
signs of stress prior to leaving
for the veterinary appointment, spray a towel with Feliway and cover the crate with it.