Help with my anxious kitty

tico

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Hey there everyone,

So I have a situation where I'm striking out and don't know what to do to solve this issue with my kitty Clementine. It has definitely gotten worse in the last little while, which is why I'm coming to the forums for suggestions!

A little about my cat's background:
- she came to me as a stray at 2 or 3 years old
- She and I live alone together, she's been with me for about 4 years
- She's very affectionate and a definite lap cat
- Not very curious or high energy, not particularly bright either... haha
- generally prone to anxiety, stresses out when she sees other cats, racoons, etc
- absolutely obsessed with food - could eat oodles and oodles if I let her (but I don't)
- she is spayed
- she's had urination issues ever since I got her, which stem from her anxiety, I believe. We have been on an upswing for the last little while. Changing litter improved a lot. She has tended to urinate outside the box now when she seems stressed.

Now about the issues....
She seems to be having a really hard time with separation anxiety while I'm at work. I'm usually gone from the house from 8am and get back home anywhere from 4:30 to 6pm. She initially gets really excited I'm home because she gets fed, and as soon as she's done, she starts to cry, run around, yowl, do the spazzy thing. She'll typically use her box (I'm grateful we're still on an upswing with this). Sometimes she has great days, sometimes she has okay days (as in, she does it a little bit, and settles downs after using her box) and some days (like tonight) she just has a baaaaad day. It's been 5 hours of her off and on displaying these anxious behaviours. I can get her to settle down for 10 minutes here or there, and then she's up again, stalking, bolting, complaining loudly and just seeming distressed in general. Also, her obsession with food goes haywire. She is constantly looking for food, trying to eat things left in the dishes and just displays angry vibes at being removed from scrounging for human food that may be on the counter before it is put away.

The main reason why I think it has to do with separation anxiety, is because on the days I'm home, she's a delight from morning to night. She is such a lapcat, and has no issues when I stay at home. Also, she is always perfectly happy when we wake up every morning and on days when I go out for just a few hours. The only time I see this type of behaviour are at the end of work days. I don't know why some nights are worse than others... I don't know if something stresses additional her out on her extra bad nights -- maybe a neighbourhood cat giving her a hard time through the window? All I know, is that this behaviour is becoming more and more frequent. On days when I'm home, while she's always reminding me of dinnertime an hour before, I don't see the anger with needing more food that comes when she turns in to the Spaz Kitty. Typically, she begs for dinner, eats and then goes back to chilling on her good days, so I don't think it has anything to do with me not giving her enough to eat.

What makes this even more complicated, is that the vet has diagnosed her with idiopathic cystitis. She has a healthy bladder and blood work. From the way the vet explained idiopathic cystitis to me, it makes a lot of sense, because soon after she is stressed out, her pee becomes an issue -- irregular/spurting stream, straining to urinate, pain (licking) her bum. Sooooo... the anxiety is showing up as physical pain, which makes it harder on her to recover, like a downward spiral. Tonight she tried to pee around 3 times, and there was a good amount of unsuccessful straining. This always clears up in a couple days. I'm so grateful that she is still willing to use her box.

Some things I've done...
- given her catnip (she loves it but temporary distraction)
- get her wriggles and frustrations out chasing a mouse (again, helps in the moment, but she doesn't settle down after)
- given her TCB oil in her dinner (not sure if this is helping or not... maybe I could switch it to breakfast, if it makes a difference)

I would be so appreciative for tips and suggestions on how to either prevent this, or at least settle her. She will let me hold her and stroke her, and she stays calm. But on her worst days, I can't put her down on my lap and expect her to settle down there (or anywhere else). I feel like I have a newborn baby sometimes! She has places to go "hide" if she wants. But she doesn't want to do that either. She just wants to have tantrums. I feel badly for her, because clearly she feels upset (and in pain) but I can't fix it.

Thanks for reading and for your help!
 
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tico

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Accidentally double posted... and don't see a delete post button! :rolleyes2:
 

Katy Perkins

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Have plenty of climbing and hiding opportunities in their living space. Introduce new landscapes slowly. Don't suddenly decide to rearrange the furniture and expect your cats to be okay with it. If you have a cat who is skittish about approaching you, find out what their favorite treats are and lay on the couch with a bag in hand (you're less of a threat in a prone position). Allow them to come to you.

Don't just be the food source. Engage your cats in play with dangling toys whenever possible. Keep litter boxes clean and dry. Maintain at least two in separate areas of the living space. Keep water sources clean and filled, and again, maintain at least two.

If you must leave your cats alone for extended periods, have someone visit at least once a day to change the water, clean litter, and feed them. Don't simply throw down a bunch of dry food and expect them to fend for themselves. Cats are relatively low maintenance.
 

Maurey

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Do you have the opportunity to visit a cat behaviorist, or book an appointment with a vet experienced with feline anxiety? While there are a lot of things that can be done to assist an anxious cat with separation anxiety ( not paying them any particular attention when coming and going from the house, providing enrichment and hiding/climbing spaces, tiring kitty out before leaving with play, etc), if it's to the point of idiopathic cystitis, it could be beneficial to consider anxiety medication, at least as a temporary measure to get cortisol levels down.
High levels of anxiety and stress heighten cortisol levels, which can cause problems other than an inflamed bladder lining, sadly.
 
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tico

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Do you have the opportunity to visit a cat behaviorist, or book an appointment with a vet experienced with feline anxiety? While there are a lot of things that can be done to assist an anxious cat with separation anxiety ( not paying them any particular attention when coming and going from the house, providing enrichment and hiding/climbing spaces, tiring kitty out before leaving with play, etc), if it's to the point of idiopathic cystitis, it could be beneficial to consider anxiety medication, at least as a temporary measure to get cortisol levels down.
High levels of anxiety and stress heighten cortisol levels, which can cause problems other than an inflamed bladder lining, sadly.
Good idea... Maybe I'll talk to my vet (or find another) who would consider if medication is a possible option. I didn't know that stress can cause additional problems, but it makes sense. I wish I didn't have to work all day! She'd be much happier with retired folks... But my parents don't want a cat. And, of course, I love her a lot. It probably didn't help that she got super accustomed to me being home a whole lot more last spring... 🤷‍♀️😕 (Although as a teacher, I grace her with my presence every summer...)

Thanks for the tip.
 

Carolina SA

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Would keeping her in a smaller room while you are out help? One with a nice window perch to watch Cat TV and her blankets, toys, litter box, etc. Maybe some cat music from youtube on replay?
I've used calming music with animals often to make an empty house less "empty" for them and I limit room access, sometimes they seem more secure when alone in a safe area especially my bedroom.
Another option is when you are home for the holidays...bring home a kitten ;) Maybe a little friend will help her?
 
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