You adopted your cat from the shelter and you can’t help but wonder about some of his behaviors. Some noises triggered his flight from the room. Certain things make him hiss. Could your cat have PTSD?
Can cats get PTSD?
While we don’t usually refer to cats as having PTSD, the truth is that they can certainly have behaviors that are triggered by sights, sounds, smells, and actions. Stressful triggers can range from a storm outside to being brought over to a family member’s house for pet sitting while you’re out of town.
Cats that have been through traumatic events may exhibit fear-related behaviors or even aggressive behaviors in response to certain stimuli.
What Are the Signs of PTSD in Cats?
Signs of stress or PTSD can be difficult to identify in some pets, while other cases are quite clear. It can take time to become attuned to the behaviors of our furry family members.
Here are some signs you should watch out for:
- Avoidance behaviors
- Making attempts to escape the situation
- Avoiding eye contact
- Hiding or climbing to an inaccessible place
- Pacing
- Crouched to make the body as low and inconspicuous as possible
- Easily surprised
- Hyper-focused on what is happening around them
- Decreased appetite
- Breathing
- Increased vocalizing
- Destructive behavior
- Aggression, especially in response to specific triggers
- Removing the outside of the litter box
What Causes PTSD in Cats?
Our cats can’t tell us directly what’s bothering them, so it can be difficult to identify the things that stress your cat or trigger an episode of panic or aggression. Things may also have happened when you were not in their life, such as abandonment by a previous owner, that could lead to PTSD in your cat.
Some cats experience physical abuse at the hands of humans in their lives. These cats are more likely to develop PTSD.
Physical abuse can include:
- Hitting or shaking the cat.
- He was dropped in a moving car.
- Animal shooting.
If your cat sees an action or object that reminds him of that event, he can become very stressed. Even something as seemingly innocuous as going to the vet can be a painful trigger. Loud sounds can also trigger stressful responses in our cats. Thunderstorms, fireworks, trains, and more can all be scary noise sources that make our cats run away.
While abandonment or neglect is more likely to be identified as an event that triggers PTSD, lack of attention can also promote PTSD in your cat. These cats lack the essential interactions and socialization that can help make a happy and healthy cat.
You may not think that pain causes PTSD, but it can be an important factor in how your cat responds to stimuli. If your cat has arthritis, it may associate jumping on the couch with pain and begin to avoid it. Do your cats fight? One or both cats may begin to avoid the other. This can also be the reason why cats start to avoid using the litter box.
Diagnosing PTSD in Your Cat
If you notice any abnormal behavior in your cat, contact your veterinarian for an appointment. Your veterinarian will begin by taking a thorough history and performing a comprehensive physical exam, looking at your cat from nose to tail. The veterinarian will look for physical changes that may be causing these behaviors, such as a painful hip.
Your veterinarian may suggest diagnostics to examine your cat in more depth. Blood work can look for metabolic changes, while a urinalysis can show a urinary tract infection. Radiographs (X-rays) help to check for bladder stones or areas of arthritis.
Some veterinarians, particularly behaviorists, may need to visit your home to watch how your cat reacts to different situations. Videos of your cat’s movements, interactions with other pets and family members, and where they hide can provide valuable information to your veterinary team.
How Do I Care for a Cat With PTSD?
The first step in caring for a cat with PTSD or anxiety is to identify that there is an issue. The extent of the distress will help determine what steps you need to take to help your cat.
1. Environmental Changes
If something in the environment triggers your cat, can you eliminate it? Sometimes, rearranging the furniture and adding a cat tree can make a big difference. A TV set or white noise machine can provide soothing background noise to help prevent loud sounds from causing panic.
If you have a lot of cats or other animals, make sure there is a safe place for them all to go. You should have at least one litter box for each cat and one additional one, and they should be placed in different places around the house.
2. Behavioral Change
Counterconditioning your cat can be difficult, but it’s a great way to help it develop more positive associations with certain stimuli. Working with an animal behaviorist is often the best way to use behavior modification techniques because what works for one pet may not work for another.
3. Medicine
Vets use several medications to reduce anxiety. These drugs are most effective when combined with behavior modification.
Commonly used prescription drugs include:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)
- Gabapentin
Some supplements, such as Purina Calming Care Probiotic, are helpful. Pheromone products like Feliway are not traditional medications but can help reduce your cat’s stress and anxiety. Combine pheromones with a product like Cat Attract litter to encourage your cat to use the litter box.
4. Enrichment
Enrichment activities are important to your cat’s well-being. They often provide mental and physical contact and can also build a human-animal bond between you and your cat. Puzzle toys and even building obstacles for your cat to investigate are both great ways to enrich your cat’s environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cats traumatized after a cat fight?
Cats can certainly be traumatized after a cat fight, especially if an aggressor continues to bully one of your cats. The affected cat may become more withdrawn, fearful, and jumpy. They may eat less or start urinating outside the litter box.
Do cats remember traumatic events?
Cats remember good and bad things that happen to them. Even if they happen once, bad events can leave a lasting impression and affect your cat’s behavior for years if you don’t intervene.
Conclusion
Cats can have PTSD, but we don’t often call it that or describe it as such. Anxiety-causing events should be addressed through positive techniques such as counterconditioning if possible. Your veterinarian may also suggest medication as a way to help your cat.
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