Holiday houseguests and anxious cats
Visitors, wrapping paper and a new tree can unsettle a cat. A few small changes keep the house calm.
Cats like routine, and the holidays are the opposite of routine. A little planning helps.
Give them a retreat
Set up a quiet room with water, a litter box and a place to hide before the guests arrive. A cardboard box with a blanket is fine. Let the cat choose when to come out.
Watch for stress
Hiding, not eating, over-grooming, accidents outside the box or hissing at people they usually love are all signs of stress. A cat who stops eating for more than a day, or who strains in the litter box without producing urine, needs a vet right away.
Tree and decorations
Secure the tree, skip tinsel and ribbon, and keep lilies and mistletoe out of the house. Wrapped gifts with string are very tempting.
Traveling?
If you’re away, have someone come in daily rather than relying on an automatic feeder alone. Book a wellness exam before you go if your cat is due: it’s much easier than discovering a problem on a holiday.