In the wild, cats hunt prey but are also vulnerable to other larger predators, so a natural tendency inherited from their wild ancestors makes many house cats anxious or frightened in certain situations, like car rides, vet visits, or loud noises like fireworks.
Luckily, there are signs you can look for to tell if your cat is scared, as well as steps you can take to help control your cat’s fears.
Signs that your cat is scared
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Hiss
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Growl
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hide
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Trembling
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Let’s breathe fast
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Move away from the source of her fear
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Assumes a tense posture: ears are flat against the head, eyes are wide open, fur is standing on end, and the tail may be held close to the body or wagging rapidly back and forth.
How to Comfort a Scared Cat
A single, intensely traumatic experience can easily turn into lifelong fear and anxiety for a cat, so addressing that fear as soon as possible will increase the chances of your cat being less fearful in the future.
If your cat is showing signs of fear, here’s what to do:
1. Give them their own space
When your cat shows signs of fear, it’s a good idea to allow them to escape to a safe place where they can relax and feel safe.
Your cat’s area should have everything she needs so she doesn’t have to leave until she’s settled, including:
2. Know their triggers
Watch your cat for signs of fear and make a note of any signs that appear.
Maybe you have a stray cat that frequently wanders past your house and scares your pets, your cat may show signs of fear when put in a carrier to take her to the vet, or you recently brought a new puppy into the home and your cat is scared of the puppy.
By paying close attention to situations that frighten your cat and recognizing early signs of fear, you can intervene to prevent your cat from experiencing these negative emotions for an extended period of time, then place your cat in a safe place and remove him from the fear-inducing situation.
3. Try pheromone diffusers and other products
a Using some calming products can help manage your cat’s fears.
The most commonly used are calming pheromone diffusers such as: Feliway® Multi-Cat Calming DiffuserIt’s best to use one diffuser for every 700 square feet of space, and make sure you don’t plug it into an outlet near the litter box. Feliway’s formula mimics the pheromones of mother cats, which helps reduce stress in cats.
Another way to calm a fearful cat is to give them a calming probiotic product, such as: Purina® Pro Plan® Calming CareWhen given daily for a few weeks, it can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol in your cat’s body.
These products help keep your cat calm and balanced, making other fear-reduction measures more effective.
4. Ask a behavioral scientist
The fear can stem from pain or illness, so it’s important to have your cat examined by a vet first to rule out or address any underlying medical issues.
If your cat has no health problems, Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Any fearful behavior requires caution, especially if the fear is new or unexplained.
A veterinary behaviorist will consider your cat’s particular situation and decide the best course of action for your cat. In cases of extreme fear, a veterinary behaviorist may also be able to prescribe medications such as pregabalin or fluoxetine to help manage your cat’s fear.
Behaviorists can also be a valuable resource when it comes to behavior modification training for your cat, and can help you tailor training methods and medications to suit your cat’s condition.
5. Work on desensitization
Once you have met with a behaviorist and been prescribed the necessary medication to control your cat’s fear, you will likely be instructed to begin behavior modification techniques, which in the case of fear often involve counter conditioning and desensitization.
For example, if your cat is afraid of thunder, counterconditioning and desensitization could begin with exposing the cat to the sounds of thunder at a low enough level that it does not respond.
If your cat remains calm or behaves neutrally while the noise is playing, praise and reward it – this can be in the form of a valuable treat, petting, or other affection – this will help your cat form a positive association with the sounds of the storm.
Then gradually increase the volume, praising and rewarding your cat if it continues to behave calmly. Repeat this process until your cat can tolerate a typical storm volume without exhibiting a fear response.
The pace at which you progress to the next volume will vary depending on your cat – if your cat shows signs of fear, return to the last successful step and give your cat more time to adjust before increasing the volume again.
The same principles apply if your cat is scared of other animals, strangers, or objects. In these cases, desensitization often involves praising and rewarding calm behavior while moving your cat closer and closer to the fear-inducing stimulus, rather than increasing the volume.
Throughout this process, your veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist can provide feedback to make sure everything is going properly so as to give your cat the best possible chance of overcoming its fear.
