Cats are sensitive animals, as everything can scare them, starting from the loud bangs, storms, and even visitors of your house. Cats can be afraid or scared of a lot of different things and many cat parents find it challenging to find the cause and what to do.
Fear in cats cannot be underestimated and cannot be left untreated as it may get worse over time. Fear in cats can lead to stress, illness and even death.
You may start wondering how to know whether your cat is scared. There are some signs of a scared cat you can notice, such as freezing in place, crouching low to the ground and lowering her head, running away, hiding, wide eyes with big pupils look like ovals or circles, hissing or spiting, scratching or biting, peeing or pooing outside her litter tray.
If you notice any of the signs mentioned, then your cat could be afraid, stressed or scared. It is important to take an action to overcome her fear. Also see the complete list of 17 important signs of scared cats.
Let’s take a look at each of these incredible ways of calming a scared cat.
- Give some Space
Cats love enclosed spaces as they feel cozy and secure in those places. They are also territorial creatures which mean they can easily get overwhelmed once they have too much freedom to roam.
Try designing a smaller and cat-friendly space which contains of her food, water, bed, a litter box, and some toys. You can also keep the door closed so that your cat has the freedom to come and go as she wants.
Once you notice that she has her own space, then she will feel more comfortable to explore the rest of the house.
- Always stay Calm
Staying calm is really important as cats tend to pick up if they feel stressed or scared. If they are showing any signs mentioned in the previous part, then staying calm will help them to feel more at ease.
- Encourage to spend more time with you
Once you notice your cat is scared, the first thing you might want to do is chasing her and hugging her. However, chasing a scared cat will only make the condition worse as it may lead to anxiety.
Instead of chasing her, you can try leaving her favorite treats out so that she can smell them. If you’re lucky, the scent of the treats will draw her out from hiding.
Once she comes out, avoid rushing to greet her. It will only bring her back into hiding. Wait until she feels relaxed and comfortable.
Once she seems playful, then you may encourage to play a game with her favorite toy. Don’t forget to give her lots of praise after every successful interaction.
Follow these popular tips to keep your cat happy playing indoors and 6 fun games to play with your beloved cats. Both of you will get fun!
- Reduce or avoid things that scare
Another way to calm a scared cat is to get rid the things that scare her. If your cat is scared of something outside, then try to put the object inside for the part of the day. Your cat may get happier if you can keep all the things that scare her away.
- Close the curtains, play music or TV
Cats have a very sensitive hearing ability and it can be stressful for them to listen to the very loud noise outside, such as storms and fireworks.
If your cat seems to be scared, then try closing the curtains and play some music or TV so that she can get relaxed somewhere safe.
If firework is the cause, then you can follow these ways to calm your cats during fireworks.
- Keep the litter trays inside
When a cat is scared, she may not want to toilet outdoors. So, make sure you keep some litter trays inside so that she can use it whenever she needs it.
Regarding to the location, avoid putting them in these 4 worst spots for your cat’s litter boxes.
- Introduce something new slowly
Cats can be scared of something new or something that changes. If there is any change to your house, try to make it gradually. Make sure your cat has a place she can go if she wants to escape from the new things.
Give her an opportunity to look around the new things, sniff them and explore them so that she can get used to of the new things in a safe way.
- Contact your vet
If those ways above are not working, then you can consult with your vet. Talking to the vet is very important as a scared cat may get worse condition if she is not treated well. The condition may become more extreme in the future if it is left untreated.