Separation Anxiety in Cats

Cats are also prone to separation anxiety in their lives, as they can become worried and stressed about being alone. It may be something you hear more commonly associated with our canine companions since cats are often more aloof and happy to do their own thing. While it was always something cats were more than capable of suffering from, it is more common recently with just how many people now work from home and spend much more time around their pets.

Long periods alone can negatively impact any pets, cats included and not knowing where you are can be the cause of quite severe anxiety if they’re used to you being around.

Signs of separation anxiety in cats will differ slightly depending on how your feline friend expresses when they’re feeling stressed. It might be quite dramatic or it could be as subtle as your moggy making a big fuss and running towards you meowing whenever you get home. The better you know your four-legged friend, the easier it is to pick up on behavioural changes.

Behaviours that may indicate separation anxiety include:

Anything out of the ordinary may indicate that something isn’t quite right. You can even try setting up pet monitoring cameras if you’re worried to make sure they’re behaving normally and not just sleeping by the door or pacing the house when you aren’t home.

The risk of seeing separation anxiety increases for kittens, especially for owners who naturally spend more time at home. If you’ve gone through similar big changes with your moggy, it’s worth monitoring them to make sure they’re not stressed when they’re home alone.

Kittens go through a lot of change in their short little lives, including coming away from their mother, who they have spent so much time with while developing and being doted on. They can attach to their new family very quickly and then struggle when they’ve left home alone without anyone to keep them in constant company.

Sometimes it can make the issue needlessly worse if you book time off work to get them settled in. As your new furry friend gets used to your companionship before you have to go back to work. It’s always best to start as you mean to go on and you’re less likely to build expectations you won’t be able to meet.

The signs of a kitten having separation anxiety are very similar to adult cats as they become distressed and destructive when you leave. You might notice that they can’t settle in a room on their own and need to be exactly where you are. Only then will they be able to settle down and sleep, but if you get up and leave they will follow you.

Kittens with separation anxiety will show signs of attachment and will become over-clingy, following you around everywhere and being vocal whenever they are away from you. 

There are lots of ways in which you can help your feline friend feel more comfortable when they have to spend time alone. You can help by giving them lots of things to keep them entertained but also through creating routine and structure that prepares them to be happy and secure when they’re at home without you.

Stress and anxiety in cats can be made worse by inconsistency. You may notice that if you are away from home at irregular intervals, your four-legged friend may worry more than if it’s nice and consistent.

When welcoming a new pet, establishing their routine will help them understand they may not have access to you all the time. Spending short periods apart when they will be expected to spend time without you will help them start to develop an understanding.

Routines get harder to change the longer you are in them so by starting as you mean to go on and giving them means to occupy themself while you’re away, you’ll have a happy moggy.

Cats will naturally enjoy some alone time which owners can encourage by giving them lots of fun things to play with and explore while you’re busy. Cat toys come in lots of different varieties, so you can cater to what your moggy likes to play with best.

If your cat doesn’t take much interest in toys then an interactive feeder can take their attention away from spending time alone. Tree toys are great to fill with treats or their regular food to engage them for much longer than feeding them in a normal cat bowl or just giving them a few treats if you’re heading out the door.

If you make a big fuss while leaving the house and your furry friend is already anxious, it will reinforce to them that there may be something to worry about. Even if you’re excitable, that can cause your moggy’s stress levels to skyrocket.

When you leave your cat alone for periods, your departure should be as exciting as when you walk into another room in the house. It should be a boring event to avoid eliciting an emotional reaction. You can put lots of things down to keep them occupied before quietly leaving.

Alongside independent play, you can also incorporate some calming catnip toys into what you leave behind for your moggy to play with. Toys that are filled with catnip will coax even the least playful cats to investigate like the Kingdom Fish with Catnip Toy. If your kitten doesn’t do much independent play, something fuzzy that smells like catnip can entice them to entertain themselves while soothing their anxieties at the same time.

KONG Kickeroo Catnip Cat Toy is a fun toy that your beloved pet can throw around with its fuzzy tails to entice play. If your kitten loves to chase balls then the Rosewood Cat Naturals Bavarian Catnip and Willow XL Ball is great for keeping them occupied when you’re away.

With time and through giving them both structure and lots of things to do while you’re away, your cat will learn that you will always come home and their anxiety should reduce. It may spike during periods of significant change but you can provide various anxiety aids to keep their stress to a minimum.

A young cat who is showing some early signs of anxiety may gradually improve to the point where they don’t worry at all when you leave however a cat who has felt worried about you going for years will be a lot harder to change their emotion around you leaving but with persistence it will reduce.

For everything you need to keep your feline friend happy and comfortable when you’re away and all of your other kitty essentials, take a look at our wide range in stock, online and in-store.