This change improves a cat’s Two methods of behavior modification that may be recommended by your vet are desensitization and counterconditioning. However, as a charity, we need your support to enable us to keep delivering high quality and up to date information for everyone. "A well-behaved pet wouldnât go repeatedly berserk on you without a solid motive, so try to discover the root of the problem and fix it for them," iHeart Pets advised on its website. Treatment for behavior disorders like cat anxiety often involves a combination of management of your cat’s environment, giving supplements or medications for cat anxiety, and trying behavior modification. Although treatment options do exist, they're limited and costly. "If your Every pet parent appreciates a fastidiously clean cat. Although some people persevere with feral kittens, it requires a great deal of time and patience to get them to respond and this lack of early experience is usually very difficult, if not sometimes impossible, to get over. As with all illnesses, it is best to start treatment early.You will need to teach your cat some coping skills that can be used in a variety of settings. Remember that cats feel safe in high places so when you progress to letting the cat out in the room with you, provide it with a high perch where it can sit in safety and watch the world go by beneath.If you are concerned about your cat’s quality of life then speak to your vet. In addition to taking your cat in for a veterinary exam, you can take a few palliative steps to reduce the discomfort your cat may be experiencing. This can cause their owners great anxiety because they feel the cat is not happy. Owners must be able to offer something even more rewarding than this feeling of safety and relief that the cat feels on following its instincts if they want to stop it running. Any underlying medical conditions need to be treated as well.If left untreated, these disorders are likely to progress. "Eating or choosing not to eat is a way for them to Cats sleep a lot, so if your cat is spending more time pacing than sleeping, it's a sign that kitty is anxious. Hair loss, or alopecia, is a common problem for cats. Using a toy, attached to a string and a long rod, would enable your cat to enjoy the game fully without feeling you are too close. Hiding under a bed may seem like a wretched existence but if this is perceived by the cat to be an escape from danger and a safe place then the emotion would be one of relief rather than any directly negative feeling.As a solitary species, the cat has no pack to back it up if things go wrong – if threatened its best chance of survival is to run away and hide, staying very quiet until the danger has passed. A cat that has a fear of unfamiliar people, for example, should not be exposed to new houseguests.Most cats respond to some degree to a combination of behavior modification and treatment with cat anxiety medicine or supplements.Medications like antidepressants take several weeks to work. Pet parents often first notice signs of cat anxiety between 5 months and 1 year of age. Most treatment options will be long-term, possibly years, depending on the number and intensity of symptoms and how long the condition has been going on. It is best to ignore it and give positive rewards (using whatever motivates the individual) for calm behaviour.Never lose your temper or try to force it too quickly – this will just reinforce your cat’s previous fears. The socialization period for kittens ends at 7 weeks old, but research has shown that proper socialization can benefit a cat up to 14 weeks old.Expose your cat to a variety of social situations and environments in an overwhelmingly positive way when they are still young to decrease the likelihood of fearful behavior. Most treatment options will be long-term, possibly years, depending on the number and intensity of symptoms and how long the condition has been going on. Build on your successes gradually. However, before you determine that your cat is anxious, it's important to rule out any other medical problems first. Anxiety isn't just for humans; cats can get it too. A furry friend-turned-family member, your cat is always around, and for people suffering from anxiety, a cat provides a safe, calming constant in their life.