The old saying “a man’s home is his castle” should really say “a cat’s home is his (or her) castle, and you are his (or her) staff. Your cat knows every inch of your world, and every detail of your daily routine. Move a table, or sleep late and your cat KNOWS. Their world is one of order and routine. Even the smallest of changes gets noticed. Here come the holidays and with them your pet’s stress level is likely to go sky high. A few of the holiday challenges for your cat: Visitors using their space Noise – loud music Decorations Loss of their hidey spaces Changes in routine Loss of your attention Changes in feeding time Travel Increased time alone Your cat has many ways of showing you’re their stress from striking out to urinating on guests’ belongings to eating and soiling issues to complete withdrawal. Beat the holiday pet stress for your cat with these prevention tips: Provide safe private spaces that your cat can use to retreat. They should be away from noise and activity and accessible to your cat anytime. Keep your cat’s food, water and litter box where it’s not in the middle of a crowd. If company is coming spend some time beforehand playing with your cat. The attention and exercise will help deal with the commotion to follow. Provide your cat with a new toy for both distraction and exercise Take cat care breaks – a few quiet minutes petting your cat will calm them and comfort them Consider a thunder shirt – it wraps your cat with a constant gentle pressure to soothe and calm. Give your cat time to explore the changed environment and decorations before company arrives. One challenge at a time. Prepare your guests – If your cat is not familiar with strangers or children explain the house rules of “don’t handle the cat.” Use pet diffuser – there are a variety of scent diffusers that can help reduce stress for your cat. Walk your cat – if your cat is used to walks make sure their walk schedule is observed. Check out pet strollers Soothing music has been shown to reduce stress in cats Entertain your cat with YouTube videos – You can always say, “My cat watches too much tv!” Avoid the stress of an emergency vet visit by making sure decorations and treats are out of reach Avoid the temptation to dress your cat up. Few cats are amused by this. Then don't forget to do your holiday shopping for your pet - A pet stroller will make a great new year for your cat.
