The bond between cat and pet parent is a wonderful thing, but what happens if it goes a step too far? Like dogs, cats can suffer from separation anxiety if they become over-attached to a human family member or even another companion animal. So, what should you do if your cat has separation anxiety?
When Separation Anxiety Occurs
Separation anxiety in cats most commonly occurs when a kitten is orphaned, or taken away from their mother and siblings too early. Young kittens are dependent on their mothers and feline family members for more than just food; they need comfort and to learn how to be a cat. If their time with their mother and littermates is cut short, they will naturally shift their dependence on to their human parent.
Many cat parents also inadvertently reinforce separation anxiety by rewarding their cat for clingy and needy behaviour. I know that I’m guilty of this parenting mistake… Charlie was a very needy and vocal kitten. When I first got him at 3 months old he’d follow me everywhere howling most of the time. To comfort him and stop him meowing day and night I’d pick him up and pop him inside my sweatshirt where he’d comfortably sit or fall asleep. He’s almost 3 years old now, and whilst he’s a lot better that he was, the best way to stop that 3am howling on the occasions when he starts, is to pick him up and take him back to bed for cuddles.
Other factors that are likely to trigger separation anxiety in cats are changes in their routine or lifestyle, such as a divorce or change of family members living in the household, or changes to your work routine and the times at which you leave the house and arrive back home again at night.
Signs of Separation Anxiety in Cats
A cat with separation anxiety will often develop inappropriate toilet habits, such as going outside the litter tray, or urinating or defecating on your personal items and clothing to mix your scents and make him feel more secure. He’ll probably vocalise excessively and display obvious distress when you leave the house and greet you over-enthusiastically when you come home. Excessive grooming and not eating when they’re on their own are other signs of separation anxiety in cats.
Of course, these symptoms could also be indicative of an underlying medical issue, so it’s important that you take your cat to the vet to rule out any illnesses.
How to Treat Separation Anxiety in Cats
There are many different things you can try to minimise your cat’s anxiety when you are apart, including:
- Change the routine around your coming and going – don’t make a big deal of petting him and saying goodbye when you leave, and leave him alone for 15 minutes when you get home.
- Let other members of the family get involved in playing and feeding times, so your scaredy cat isn’t so focussed on just one person.
- Give your cat more confidence by increasing playtime and letting him explore on his own; a cat perch next to the window is great to let him see the outside world and boost his confidence.
- Make sure you enrich his home environment as much as possible, so there’s plenty to do when you’re not there. He should have lots of interactive toys to play with, scratching posts and comfy areas at different levels to explore and sleep in.
- It may help if you leave the radio on for ‘company’ when he’s home alone, or invest in a cat DVD. I know some pet parents who call home regularly and leave answer phone messages that their cat can hear.
A cat with separation anxiety is always going to be distressing for their pet parent, but with time and patience you can reduce your cat’s stress and anxiety.
Have you experienced separation anxiety with your cat? How did you deal with it?
Image: Mikael Tigerström / Zepfanman via Flickr
Sweet Purrfections says
September 5, 2015 at 7:49 amI’ve started leaving the TV or the radio on when I leave the house.
Faith Ellerbe, Live.Wag.BARK! says
September 5, 2015 at 2:45 amI never thought cats could have separation anxiety since they are so independent. Great information!
Cathy Armato says
September 4, 2015 at 10:22 pmI never think of cats having anxiety, mostly dogs ebut I guess cats suffer from it too. I’ve had clingy cats but I’ve been fortunate not to have anxious cats! Excellent post, thanks for sharing!
Lindsay, Matilda - Little Dog Tips says
September 4, 2015 at 2:56 pmAnimals are so intuitive – they always know when we’re anxious about leaving them, but that just makes them more anxious themselves!
Amanda says
September 4, 2015 at 12:56 pmThese are very excellent tips. My Sadie started suffering from anxiety when we lost my cat Edison. They were very close so Sadie became depressed when he was no longer around. Luckily we were able to help her get back to a normal potty routine and she doesn’t howl everyday anymore.
Susan and the gang from Life with Dogs and Cats says
September 4, 2015 at 10:43 amGreat advice. Separation anxiety affects cats, but they might not be as obvious about it as dogs.
Maureen says
September 4, 2015 at 9:46 amGreat post! I didn’t realize cats got separation anxiety as well as dogs, but it certainly makes sense that they do!
Marie says
September 4, 2015 at 5:25 amI wouldn’t say my cat has seperation anxiety but if I am away for a few days he greets me at the door meowing loudly as if he is very annoyed at me and saying “Where have you been!”.
Spencer the Goldendoodle says
September 4, 2015 at 12:10 amGreat post! I never really put much thought into separation anxiety in cats, most of the time Callie the Cat wants to be left alone.
Suzanne says
September 4, 2015 at 12:02 amI have 3 cats and 1 dog. I understand the separation anxiety issue, when I left for 11 days. Thank goodness my husband stayed home or all the animals would have gone crazy.
You give some great advise. Thank you for sharing.
Suzanne
The Swiss Cats says
September 3, 2015 at 11:57 pmGreat post and great advice ! We are okay with it, but occasionally Mum can tell at once if we missed her. Purrs
Beth | Daily Dog Tag says
September 3, 2015 at 10:15 pmThese are good tips! My mom always leave NPR on for her cat whenever she leaves the house, so the cat won’t be lonely.
Worli says
August 10, 2014 at 6:40 amNice Article! Cats are very social animals! A cat with separation anxiety may follow the owner from room to room. I think it is important to keep them happy with their environment with cat toys, trees, beds and goodies so that when you do have to leave them, they are less anxious and know that you will return.
Susan and the gang from Life with Dogs and Cats says
August 8, 2014 at 1:22 pmGreat article! I think my cats are all okay, but I can tell when they miss me.
Christine & Riley says
August 8, 2014 at 11:51 amWow! I never knew cats could suffer from this also. Will definitely share with others!
meowmeowmans says
August 6, 2014 at 1:37 pmGreat tips! Thankfully, our cats, while not exactly happy when we leave, do okay with it.
MamaLisa says
August 5, 2014 at 4:00 amThat’s almost a perfect description of our Snafu! He became pretty aggressive towards a couple of our cats, but at least he did not over groom. We figured out that his anxiety was triggered by my going back to work full-time. Several broken glasses, dishes and two answering machines later (not to mention the damage from spraying), we gave him his own room. Feliway has helped tremendously (especially with our other cats), but since Snafu was still spraying, we gave in to our veterinarian’s suggestion to put him on fluoxetine. Yes, Prozac. It’s been about 3 or 4 years and I’ve taken him off the meds twice over that time (the 2nd time because I’m now back home full time). I honestly became more worried for his quality of life when he wasn’t on them. So I’m watching his kidneys and liver values to be sure he’s okay.
Wow…I guess, your article really struck a chord with me! Thank you for posting this!
~MamaLisa