Cat Separation Anxiety: What Are the Causes, Signs, and Possible Treatment?

While research on separation anxiety in cats is in the early stages of understanding, many have noticed the signs. I will retell the story of my two cats, Bubba and Charlie.

Charlie was my future wife’s cat for 4 years. About 6 years ago, when we moved in together, Charlie was distant and avoided me, at least at first. Once he realized that he was here to stay, he began to accept me. At first he was a little standoffish but little by little he accepted me to the point that he would lie on my lap much to my wife’s dismay. My job at the time was on the road, with periods of time at home. We soon found that when I was away, Charlie overdressed himself, to the point of creating a bald spot on his flank. When he was home, the excessive grooming stopped. When I retired, the only time we were away was every two weeks, my wife had to go back to the hospital where she worked to do her payroll. We would be away for 2-3 days every 2 weeks. Upon our return, we would find that Charlie had vomited all over the house and in our bed. The reason we know this, once we get home, we walk out of her and find her throwing up. As soon as we got our bags out to pack for our trip, Charlie would hide under the bed, the couch, or under the dining room table to avoid us.

Bubba on the other hand was a stray dog ​​that I adopted about a year after I moved in, my best guess was that he was about a year old. It took a while, but Charlie and Bubba became good friends. The only sign with him was that on our return he would not let us out of his sight. If you went to the bathroom, he had to be there too. He walked with me, rubbing against me to the point of almost tripping me.

Upon investigation, these are all signs of separation anxiety in cats. Speculations about the cause range from genetic factors to environmental factors involved. Some say that being orphaned or weaned early can predispose to the development of separation anxiety. As this topic is studied further, it is possible that more information will be obtained.

Things to do are subjective. The first thing would be for the vet to do a complete physical exam to make sure that the behavior is not caused by any underlying physical problem. This may involve blood tests, urine tests, thyroid tests, or a blood pressure check.

Some other suggestions include making game time less stressful by making changes to the normal routine. Some experts suggest that for 15 minutes before departure and return home, the owner ignores the cat. Putting down a distracting toy can be helpful. Someone suggested hiding tasty treats in various places around the house. Making the environment more stimulating can help. A cat tower with toys taped near a window might help. Sometimes they just enjoy watching what’s going on outside.

Some experts have stated that short-term use of anti-anxiety medications may be necessary in some situations. You should note that these are not specifically labeled for use in cats and should/should be prescribed and monitored by your veterinarian.

Future research should be able to tell us more about the cause and treatment of separation anxiety in cats and improve the lives of our little feline friends.

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