Stressing importance of keeping cats calm

CAT owners may be creatures of habit, but when it comes to change their cats may not find it quite as easy to adapt as they do.

Stress in cats is often caused by changes to their environment and although stress in cats is very common, their owners do not always pick up on the signs. Signs of stress include putting on or losing weight, not using the litter tray properly, and/or spraying urine in the house. Stressed cats may also groom themselves excessively, causing hair loss, or eat too quickly and then vomit.

Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore, of the Hospital for Small Animals at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, explains: "There are many things that can cause stress in cats, but they are generally linked to unsettling change or feeling threatened. We may think of cats as social creatures but they are in fact solitary hunters and many can only cope with social interaction to a limited degree. If there is more than one cat in the house it could be that there is a problem within the group.

"Ways of preventing cats from becoming stressed include making sure that they all have access to their key resources such as. food, water, resting places – preferably positioned high up – a litter box or easy access outside to somewhere they can urinate and defecate, hiding places or access out to somewhere safe and, where the cat wishes it, suitable non- threatening social interaction.

"It can help to not have set feeding times so the cats can eat separately with no competition. If there is more than one cat and there is a problem within the group, then providing the stressed cat with somewhere to eat in privacy will also help."

In general, cats may get on better with each other if they are related. However, the rules are not hard and fast and some cats find social interaction more stressful than others.

Signs of stress tend to show in cats after they reach two years old, when they are considered to be more socially mature. However, the foundations for becoming stressed can be in a kitten's genes. They can be laid down while they are young, resulting from early life experiences – particularly those occurring between two and seven weeks of age – or they can be passed on if the mother is stressed while the kittens are in the womb.

Elderly cats are particularly prone to stress, and they often find change very traumatic. They are more likely to be nervous at going outside, where they may feel threatened. Providing them with a litter tray can really help.

If cat owners introduce new pets or there are also young children in the household it is also important to make sure that the cats have a place where they can hide and feel safe.

Prof Gunn-Moore, who will be giving a talk entitled "Its All About Me: Preventative Healthcare for Cats" on 10 March, says: "Cats can be very passive aggressive towards each other. This can, for instance, involve the psychological behaviour of sitting in the way of another cat, making it feel unable to go and eat or to use its litter tray. Being aware of how cats behave in groups means that owners can look at ways to make their cats feel less stressed."

Stress can lead to serious complications, including cats passing blood when they urinate with a condition known as feline idiopathic cystitis. This condition is associated with the cats being unable to produce a hormone – cortisol – which helps them adapt to stress and fight back. For instance, a cat with this condition will not hiss at another cat when it feels threatened. This makes any perceived threat to their environment even more stressful as they lose their ability to "fight" or "flight".

As well as the session on cats, other talks on the preventative healthcare series run by The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies will focus on horses on 24 March and dogs on Wednesday, 7 April. The free talks start at 7pm (finishing at 8pm) at the Lecture Theatre G.08, William Robertson Building, George Square. More information can be found at www.ed.ac.uk/vet/events