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Pixabay.comSimply put, yes, it can. Cats have many stressors. The stressor they hate the most however, is change. They hate when something disrupts their daily routine so they might even act out when this happens. Even a simple change like when you move the furniture around or forget to clean her litter-box can have a large impact on her psyche.For humans, stress can damage our health, well-being, and productivity. Stress can have just as bad an effect on cats.
So What Is Stress?Stress can basically be defined as a state of tension that results from something. Although stress is an emotion and most human emotions are not reciprocated by other animals, stress is one that is. In fact, all animals are able to experience stress. Although stress is a very real problem, it doesnโt always have to be bad. Stress can also act as a driving force. If your cat is hungry, she might get stressed and in order to relieve the stress sheโs experiencing, sheโll go hunting for food. Although stress is good in small doses, once it becomes too much, itโs very unhealthy and even potentially dangerous. Stress can very much affect your catโs health as well as her mind.
What Exactly Happens When Your Cat Is Experiencing Stress? - Her breathing will become more rapid.
- Her blood pressure will climb.
- Her digestion will slow down.
- Her heart rate will increase.
- Her immune system starts being less effective.
All these factors can contribute to medical conditions which, in turn, can shorten your catโs life.
Here Are Some Signs That Your Cat Is Stressed: - Urine spraying
- Aggression
- Hair loss due to an excess of self-grooming
- Loud vocalization
- Loss of appetite
- Change in overall activity and interactions
Play it safe and visit a vet as soon as you notice any of these signs. As much as it could be stress, any of these signs can also point to other underlying medical conditions.
How Can You Calm Down Your Stressed Cat?Spend time with her for one. Also she may act aloof and all, she needs human interaction in order to be happy. She values the time that you spend with her. Not only will it get her mind off of things, but it also strengthen the bond that you have with her. Maybe there was a change in the house that triggered the stress. Try to change it back if you can. If itโs something out of your control, then build her a safe space where she can retreat to when she wants to be alone to mull things over. Finding out what caused the stress is an important factor in relieving the stress.