Home

>

Cat

>

Health & Wellbeing

>

Separation Anxiety in Cats

Separation Anxiety in Cats

SA

Image placeholder

Updated on November 01, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Separation anxiety is a behavioral condition that occurs when a pet is separated from their owners or caregivers.
SEVERITY:
Severity is mild to severe
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves with treatment but may be a chronic problem
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian, by the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    A well socialized cat is lesslikely to develop SA. Calming therapies may decrease symptoms.
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between cats or between cats and people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis requires history, physical examination
VERY COMMON IN
Separation anxiety is more common in single, indoor-housed cats.

Symptoms & Signs

Signs of separation anxiety in cats may occur when the cat is separated from its pet parent or another companion pet with whom it has a strong bond. A cat with separation anxiety may insist on being with the pet parent at all times, even following their pet parent from room to room. When the pet parent gets ready to leave the house, the cat may sulk and hide, or try to get between the pet parent and the door. When the pet parent returns, the cat may show an abnormally enthusiastic greeting. Some of the behavioral problems triggered by separation anxiety in cats are the same as those seen in dogs: vocalizing after the pet parent leaves, inappropriate urination or defecation (sometimes near a door or on the pet parent’s personal items), and, less often, destructiveness (chewing, scratching). Cats may also show their distress in other, less obvious ways such as becoming too anxious to eat when left alone; or vomiting only when the pet parent is not there. A less common sign in cats may be excessive grooming, to the point of creating a bald spot on one or two areas of the body.

Diagnosis

The first step is to discuss the situation with your veterinarian and have your cat undergo a complete physical examination. It is important to make sure that your cat's behavior is not due to an underlying physical problem. For example, a cat which is urinating outside the litter box and/or doing a lot of howling may be developing a urinary tract obstruction or infection. A cat that is over-grooming may have a food allergy. Your veterinarian may recommend some tests including a complete blood count, a chemistry profile, urinalysis, thyroid testing, or a blood pressure check.

Causation

Many people are familiar with separation anxiety in dogs, but assume it does not occur in cats. However, recent research by veterinary behaviorists suggests that separation anxiety may also develop in cats. Contrary to what had often been thought in the past, cats are actually very social creatures and can form strong bonds with people and with other animals. While there is certainly more research to be done in this area, this syndrome could be an important consideration for those dealing with anxiety-related feline behavior problems. It is not known for sure what causes separation anxiety in cats. It has been speculated that there may be both genetic and environmental factors involved. Being orphaned or being weaned early may predispose a kitten to developing separation anxiety. Boredom and lack of exercise may also contribute to the condition.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
It may be possible to make the time surrounding the pet parent’s departure less stressful for the cat, by making some changes in the normal routine. For 15 minutes prior to leaving and upon returning home, the pet parent should ignore the cat. Leaving a distracting toy can be helpful. An empty toilet paper roll with the ends closed off and holes in the sides can be filled with various types and sizes of treats, which will fall out as the cat plays with the roll. There are also commercial food-dispensing toys available which are used in similar ways. Another option is to hide very tasty food treats (cooked chicken) in various places in the house. Other toys the cat especially likes should be taken out just before the pet parent leaves and put away once the pet parent returns. When the pet parent returns, the cat should basically be ignored for approximately 15 minutes. Making the cat's environment more stimulating may help, also. A comfortable perch that allows a view from a window can provide entertainment, especially if there is a bird feeder in sight. Climbing ledges or carpeted towers with attached toys can be fun also. Leaving a radio or TV on softly can be comforting; some cats enjoy "cat videos" with sounds and pictures of birds and other small creatures. Some cats may be less anxious with another animal in the house, but this depends on the individual cat and may or may not be a good solution.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
If you suspect your cat is suffering from separation anxiety and over the counter methods are not working, please contact your veterinarian or a pet behaviorist to discuss options further.
icon MEDICATIONS
The most effective therapy for separation anxiety often involves a combination of behavior modification and anti-anxiety medication. These medications may include Buspar, Prozac, and Clomicalm. These are not labeled specifically for use in cats, and their use must be prescribed and monitored by a veterinarian.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
None
icon SPECIALISTS
Although most cases of separation anxiety in cats can be managed by a general practitioner veterinarian, a specialist in animal behavior may be needed in complex cases.

Cost Of Treatment

Medication(s) may cost between $30 and $100 each month depending on the type of medication. Pheromone collars or diffusers may cost approximately $30 each month. A certified veterinary behaviorist may cost $50 or more per session.

Recovery

A combination of behavioral modification techniques and anti-anxiety medication is typically effective at resolving separation anxiety issues in most cats.

Monitoring

Follow-up veterinary examinations with blood testing will be necessary for cat’s taking long term anti-anxiety medications to monitor for side effects.

Prevention

The best prevention is to try to start out with a kitten that is well-socialized and thus hopefully will be less likely to develop behavior problems of any type. Providing a physically stimulating environment can also help give your cat things to focus on other than missing you!

Questions about Separation Anxiety in Cats

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

Read More

Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

Read More

My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

Read More

My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

Read More

There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

Read More

My cat is having trouble passing a turd... He keeps producing small amounts of this brown mucous on the pee pad I have in front of the litter box, but hasn't been able to completely eliminate the actual piece. He's eating normally & drinking plenty of water, & he's at a healthy weight. I realize that I'm going to have to take him to the vet if this doesn't clear up, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?

Seeing your vet ASAP is definitely a good idea to make sure there isn't an impaction causing the severe constipation that may need an enema or stool softeners to resolve. In the meantime, you can try offering a little bland yogurt to try and help the soften the stool, as well as make sure he's drinking plenty of water by mixing some into his food, but if Booboo is in severe distress, hasn't passed any stool at all, or is having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or stops eating, you should seek out veterinary care from your vet or a local ER clinic immediately.

Read More

image

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Files Under:

Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.