How to calm a scared cat

A scared cat is often hard to spot as cats are notoriously independent and it can be difficult to tell that something is wrong with them.

Depending on their environment cats can become scared or fearful due to a number of reasons. If you have a scared cat it can be worrying for you as their owner, but it’s important to understand your pet’s behaviour and reasons behind their fear. Although each cat is different, they tend to exhibit some tell-tale behaviours when they are scared or stressed.

There can be many reasons for your cat to be scared or nervous, which include:

• New or unfamiliar people
• Other cats
• Loud noises/fireworks
• Dogs or other predators
• Changes to or in their environment

Signs of a scared cat can be freezing in place, running away, hiding, hissing or snarling, or arching their back and puffing their fur. If they are particularly scared or anxious, they also become aggressive and scratch or bite.

If you have a scared or anxious cat, they could develop a urinary tract problem, which can develop due to stress and cause pain, blood in the urine or even lead to blockages in the bladder.

Tips to help to calm a scared cat:

Find out what’s causing the fear

Try to find out the reason behind your cat’s fear. This could help with how to handle it. Every cat is different, and anything could be making your cat nervous. For some fears the signs will be obvious, but for others it could be harder to identify.

Give a scared cat space

If your cat seems scared or anxious leave them be and give them space. Following your cat around could lead to further stress. Let them come to you if they want to. Create a safe one for them to go to should they need it.

Scratching posts

Make sure you have plenty of these around the home for your cat to use. This will help your cat to relieve stress and stop them from scratching at furniture or carpets.

Always stay calm

Cats will often pick up if you’re afraid or stressed, so trying to stay calm is really important. If they are showing signs of stress, if you stay calm his will help them feel more at ease.

Try to stick to routines

Most cats love routine as it means they can predict what’s going to happen next. If possible, be sure to feed them and let them out at the same time each day.

Introduce new things slowly

Sometimes change can scare your cat, especially if they aren’t prepared and they find something new in the home which they feel they can’t get away from. If you’re making any changes to your home, try to make it a gradual change if possible. Always make sure your cat has somewhere they can go to get away from new things if they are feeling scared.

Avoid or reduce the things that scare them

If it’s possible to avoid or reduce the cause of their fears, this will often help to stop their fear getting worse. If your cat is scared of something they come across while outside, it might be best to keep them indoors for part of the day. They might even be happier staying at home all the time, especially if this means you can keep them from what is scaring them. If they seem to be more stressed indoors, make sure they have an easy way to get in and out as they choose.

Try a calming supplement

Nutracalm is specially formulated to naturally calm anxious and nervous cats and help to reduce unwanted and unruly behaviour. Nutracalm is a fast-acting natural calming supplement and has been designed to aid a quick natural response once taken.

If you are looking for calming tablets for nervous cats, then Nutracalm is highly recommended by vets throughout the UK and Ireland.

If you are worried about your cat and their behaviour, you should consult your vet, who is best placed to offer advice with regards to your pet’s health.