The most fun month of the year has begun! The holidays are coming up again. St Nicholas, Christmas, New Year's Eve... Great fun! For us, this may be the best time of the year, but for our pets it may go by quickly. For them, the festive season equals stress days.
Stability
A cat attaches great importance to its environment. The fewer changes, the better. If you dare to move your seat at all while cleaning, your cat will usually start expressing his displeasure immediately. During the holidays, just about everything in the house changes. Furniture is moved, a Christmas tree is placed in the house, the litter tray is moved because visitors are coming over... Just what your cat cannot stand.
Such changes in his environment lead to stress. These can then cause bladder and scratching problems later on. Eventually, you end up with persistent behavioural problems. Maybe next time, be more considerate of your cat....
We listed for you how to recognise stress or anxiety in your cat.
- Keeping the tail down
- Eating excessively or stopping eating
- Whiskers pointed backwards
- Fleeing/hiding
- Thick tail
- Fur on back stands up
- Puff
- Pretending to be asleep
- Squinting eyes
- Licking with tongue
- Orange plate
- Plaintive meowing
- Uncleanliness: peeing next to the litter box
Those are a lot of things to keep an eye on. Keep in mind that not every cat is going to show these symptoms. One cat might only show one, while another might show five. So to avoid long-term health problems, keep the following tips in mind to get through the holidays well.
Tips to make it through the holidays
- Make sure you have enough litter boxes in the house.
One cat in the house? Then you go for two litter boxes. Two cats in the house?
Then you need three. Count the number of cats you have + 1 each time. Also make
sure that the litter box is not (completely) closed. A cat likes to keep an eye
on its surroundings to see any danger approaching. - Make several hiding places for your cat in advance.
That shelter must be warm, safe and accessible. Take into account your
cat's preferences. Some cats like to sit high, others prefer to hide low to the
ground. A cardboard box with possibly a blanket in it can also work wonders. - Invest in a scratching post.
Cats like to hide, especially in a comfortable hiding house or at height in a
hammock. At the bottom of this article you can see some of our favorites! - Place a food and water bowl in various places in the
house.
This way your cat can choose where it feels comfortable. Keep the water
bowl separate from the food bowl. - Don't close doors!
Cats need plenty of room to move, especially when they feel anxious. - Let your cat skip dessert.
You may think that you are making your cat happy with a leftover chicken or
steak, but often they start gobbling due to the stress. Afterwards, the cat is
left with diarrhea and you guessed it... You have to clean it. So not
recommended. - Invest in an aroma diffuser.
Yes, they also exist for cats! There are various scents that have a calming
effect, such as valerian, catnip, or silver vine. A Feliway vaporizer is therefore highly
recommended! - Don't lock up your cat.
Has your cat done something he normally shouldn't? Don't lock him up.
Punishing your cat while he is anxious is counterproductive. - Reward good behavior.
Even more than usual. - Keep your cat indoors, especially during the holidays.
Letting your cat outside during the fireworks is an absolute no-go. - Get your cat chipped!
If a cat is scared, they will try to flee. It often happens that a cat
dares to slip away. If that is the case, she can be returned to you safely
quickly. - Close your curtains.
Especially during New Year's it is recommended to close your curtains. This
way your cat cannot be scared of the sudden fireworks. - Put on some classical music.
Maybe not your favorite genre (or is it?), but cats can really appreciate
this. Classical music has a calming effect. - Introduce your cat to fireworks sounds in good time.
On Youtube there are a lot of fragments with fireworks sounds that you can
play a few days before New Year's Eve. Do this gradually, every day you can
turn up the volume a little.
Looking for a hiding place?
The ideal hiding place
Se tutto il resto fallisce...
We're sure these tips will get you through the holidays just fine!
Have you tried everything, but does your cat remain anxious? If so, do not hesitate to contact a vet or a behavioural therapist.
In any case, we wish you happy holidays!
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