You aren’t the only one who deals with stress; your pets do too! Unfortunately, anxiety in dogs and cats is quite common. If your pet is stressed, it may exhibit unwanted behaviors or aggression. Because of this, it is vital to know the signs of stress in your pets and how you can help them feel better. Read on for more information about stress in your dogs and cats and how to put them at ease.
What Causes Stress in Pets
Many factors can trigger stress in your pets. You may not think twice about things that can cause stressful situations for your furry family members. These items include having strange people over that your pet is not used to, moving to a new home, loud noises like fireworks or fire truck sirens, or if you leave your pet at home alone. These kinds of things can make your pet feel scared or worried. It is essential to watch for body language in your pet and make sure they are not feeling anxious. Body language to look out for in dogs and cats are:
- Excessive Grooming
- Dilated Pupils
- Barking
- Hiding
- Accidents
- Reduced appetite
Relieving Stress in Pets
The good news is that there are a few ways to help alleviate stress from your pets. Exercise is an excellent way to get your pet feeling better. If you have a dog, take them for a walk or to your backyard for a game of fetch. Bring out the feather wand or laser pointer for your cats and let them go wild! Mental stimulation is another good way to relieve stress in your pet. Snuffle mats or toys with hidden treats is an excellent way to help their minds get to work and melt away their anxiety.
Scratching posts help cats in these situations because they are like dog stimulation toys. Instead of scratching your couch or you, they can avert their attention to the scratching post. Lick mats are another perfect way to help your pet with stress. Dogs and cats benefit from lick mats because it helps prevent them from excessively licking and producing painful sores on their bodies.
If you notice signs of stress in your pets, use our tips to help them return to their usual, happy selves. For more information on how to keep your pets happy and healthy, learn more here: Highland Veterinarian.
You aren’t the only one who deals with stress; your pets do too! Unfortunately, anxiety in dogs and cats is quite common. If your pet is stressed, it may exhibit unwanted behaviors or aggression. Because of this, it is vital to know the signs of stress in your pets and how you can help them feel better. Read on for more information about stress in your dogs and cats and how to put them at ease.
What Causes Stress in Pets
Many factors can trigger stress in your pets. You may not think twice about things that can cause stressful situations for your furry family members. These items include having strange people over that your pet is not used to, moving to a new home, loud noises like fireworks or fire truck sirens, or if you leave your pet at home alone. These kinds of things can make your pet feel scared or worried. It is essential to watch for body language in your pet and make sure they are not feeling anxious. Body language to look out for in dogs and cats are:
- Excessive Grooming
- Dilated Pupils
- Barking
- Hiding
- Accidents
- Reduced appetite
You aren’t the only one who deals with stress, your pets do too! Stress in dogs and cats is quite common. If your pet is stressed, they may start to exhibit unwanted behaviors or aggression. Because of this, it is important to know the signs of stress in your pets and how you can help them feel better. Read on for more information about stress in your dogs and cats, and what you can do to put them at ease.
What Causes Stress in Pets
There are many factors that can trigger stress in your pets. Things that you may not think twice about, can cause stressful situations for your furry family members. These items include having strange people over that your pet is not used to, moving to a new home, loud noises like fireworks or fire truck sirens, or if you leave your pet at home alone. These kinds of things can make your pet feel scared or worried. It is important to watch for body language in your pet and make sure they are not feeling anxious. Body language to look out for in dogs and cats are:
- Excessive Grooming
- Dilated Pupils
- Barking
- Hiding
- Accidents
- Reduced appetite
Relieving Stress in Pets
The good news is that there are a few ways to help alleviate stress from your pets. Exercise is a good way to get your pet feeling better. If you have a dog, take them for a walk or to your backyard for a game of fetch. For your cats, bring out the feather wand or laser pointer and let them go wild! Mental stimulation is another good way for relieving stress in your pet. Snuffle mats or toys with hidden treats is a good way to help their minds get to work and melt away their anxiety.
Scratching posts help cats in these situations because they are like stimulation toys that dogs use. Instead of scratching your couch, or you for that matter, they can avert their attention to the scratching post. Lick mats are another perfect way to help your pet with stress. Dogs and cats’ benefit from lick mats because it helps prevent them from excessive licking and producing painful sores on their bodies.
If you notice signs of stress in your pets, use our tips to help them get back to their normal, happy selves. For more information on how to keep your pets happy and healthy, contact Highland Veterinarian at 301-854-3372.
