Find the source of your cat’s stress to remedy it

How can you tell if your feline is under stress? If you acknowledge your cat is under stress, can you identify the source to eliminate or lessen it? The source will often dictate the remedy.

It is not difficult to identify some obvious sources of feline stress. Adjusting to new environments is something most cats don’t well. Our felines appreciate a set routine.

Storms and loud noises send our felines into hiding. Most cats do not travel well, especially when the car ride and carrier are associated with the veterinarian, boarding or the groomer.

Is your pet anxious when you leave the house and when you come home? Your buddy probably misses you so much he or she is suffering from separation anxiety.

Some cats do not do well with the stress of a mult-cat household. Let’s face it, some of us have a small cattery. Resources of attention, food and water must be shared. Some felines are like small children. They have a hard time sharing and playing with others.

Some veterinarians are fans of pharmaceutical drugs like Elavil or Amitriptyline. Strict monitoring of your pet’s behavior and eating habits should be watched whenever trying a new drug.

There are certainly less drastic measures you can try to calm your cat down. Herbal and flower remedy therapy should be considered. One natural product is Rescue Remedy Pet, completely different than Rescue Remedy, which has been found at health food stores and Whole Foods.

The original product had more than 20 percent alcohol in it and tasted terrible to our felines. In reality, we were really making them just a little bit tipsy. Of course, we were modifying their behavior.

Feliway is another natural alternative. Although the product was initially thought of as a correctant for urinary issues, the product maker also suggests spraying it on bedding and inside pet carriers for less stress during travel.

The usage makes sense because some felines do urinate inappropriately when under stress. The product also comes in a plug-in form.

Sometimes behavior based on stress or aggression can be redirected. Kitty Kong is a toy I like to use to redirect aggression. It is a body pillow for felines, and they love to kick the heck out of it.

Whatever way you are considering to relieve stress for your feline, please do consult with your veterinarian to help you decide what is best for your feline.

AdoptablesBoth of today#146;s felines would like to speak to you directly from the heart to tell you the horrible fates they endured by human thoughtlessness and cruelty.I am brown tabby Jordan. I once had a home. You see, I am 18 years old, and with my age my owners thought I was too much of a problem. I have always been nice and friendly, so when they threw me out the door, I cry to come back in.#147;Please, I will be good and try to eat less food so I will cost less money. There is nothing for me out here. I don#146;t know anything about catching mice.#148;My cry falls on deaf ears. Next, they try to chase me with a broom and a stick. I run and run and lose all sense of direction.I am on the run for days on end. I am so hungry and dehydrated, I will walk up to any person I meet to try and get help. After much rejection, today has to be my day. I cannot go on much longer. The person is reaching out to me. I approach for a handout. Instead, this terrible stuff is sprayed in my face. It burns and I can#146;t see. I will be told later that they call this offensive stuff mace.Today is my last attempt to find help or I am not going to make it. I cry at a kind lady and, to my surprise, she picks me up and brings me to Buddy. These people take me to an animal hospital for IV fluids and care because, by now, I only weigh 4 pounds. I receive daily IVs and all the food I want. If you cannot be my special person to adopt me, perhaps you can make a donation earmarked for my special care.I am Izzy, a brown female tabby, 7 to 8 years old. For me, life started out in a good home. Then my owner started to add so many felines we were all in competition for food and space. Things got ugly when the house and litter boxes were not cleaned.There was so little food for the many that some of my friends died before my eyes. Soon my house would be condemned and it would be decision time. Who is healthy enough to go on?Luckily, The Buddy Foundation took me in and I have another shot at a forever home. I am all cleaned up now and I promise to be a sweet, tidy girl. I can get along with other cats, but not an entire household. Hoarders never have our best interests at heart. None need apply to adopt me.Ÿ Contact The Buddy Foundation at (847) 290-5806; visit us at 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, or online at thebuddyfoundation.org. 36482432Izzy