Advice needed about nervous cat

sunshineyday

Hi, apologies if this has been asked before. We have a 3yr old cat who has been with us since she was 5 months old. She is healthy and loves attention.

However she always seems to be 'on edge' as it were and the slightest movement or noise has her flying through the house at top speed. Even on the rare occasion she sits still she never seems relaxed and is always positioned as if ready to pounce.

I wondered if anyone had any advice on how to make her feel more at ease/less nervous?

thanks in advance, xx

[Deleted User]

i've heard o something called feliway (not sure about spelling) you can get online or from vet. was advised to get it for my cat after moving. It might help calm her done. Am just about to buy it myself. might be worth you trying it for yours

i just saw this thread on page 2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2833196

sunshineyday

Many thanks for that Bushbaby, I had never heard of feliway but will definitely be checking this out now, hopefully it will help her feel less anxious.

Falleniceangel

Feliway is very good, you can get sprays and plug ins and all sorts of things. I know people who use it when they have to take their cats to the vets, it calms them down before you have to stuff them in the dreaded carrier box! :P

Also, have you checked her for fleas? They can be like this when they have fleas or ticks etc, so it maybe worth while just going through her fur.

It could also be just one of those fits of energy that cats have, it's not uncommon for them to go booting around the house for no reason. Both of ours do it, and the younger one has a great habit of chasing nothing. We say she is chasing sparkley things in her mind :P (she's a bit 'special' ha ha)

If you are bothered about her when you are out, leaving the radio on is supposed to help them as they don't feel like the house is as empty.

sunshineyday

Thanks for the advice, I called into the pet store earlier and he also recommended feliway but he didin't have any in stock - it's a bit pricey but I think I'd like to try it. I also checked her fur as you suggested but I don't think fleas/ticks are the problem
I also like your suggestion about the radio and will be giving that a go too.

hillcats

Interesting thread, one of our cats is a nervous thing, mainly because I have grabbed her a few times to apply the Frontline treatment, as she can be hard work, there is no best time as she is on edge I've had the scratches to prove it. Strangely her sister just let's me apply with no problem. I really wish we could calm her down for both our sakes.
It took me two days recently to get her and get her to vet for yearly jab... I do think though she just gave in after two days of playing chase, suddenly she walked casually passed and let me pick her up...

925dancer

Feliway os absolutely the most successful way to treat nervous/edgy/stressed cats, I know a lot of people with a lot of cats who have used it with great success!

I'd recommend the plug-in, buy it online, I think vetuk is the cheapest.

My little girl has turned into a bit of a grump of late and it is doing wonders with her, I'm on my second vial. Some people use for one month and never have need for it again, some people just keep using it as they are thrilled with the effect it has.

You can also use Rescue remedy, add it to their water or rub a couple of drops behind their ears. There's also something called Serene-um, I believe available from Pets at Home which is a calming remedy. Someone I know swears by this.

Good luck!

~~Diane~~

I've read this thread with interest. We've 2 cats, the older of the 2 is very stressed and never seems relaxed. Up to last year he was a very relaxed friendly cat would go to anyone. Anyway last year he nearly died, couldn't breath, bearly walk, so rushed him to the vets, turned out after xrays the vet thought he'd been kicked. He spent a a couple of days in the vets then brought him home, he's never been the same since, looks depressed all the time and will only go to my little boy.

Some time later we heard a neighbour and his daughter had been telling the kids our area if they see any cats to kick them in the head :eek:

I'll deffo be trying Feliway

darich

Another thumbs up for feliway here.

One of our cats was a bit stressed, we think due to extra cats moving into the area and reducing her territory. She was overgrooming and had licked most of the fur off her tummy - she was white with a pink tummy because the fur there was VERY fine.
After using feliway, she has a lovely hairy tummy now

It can be quite expensive so we generelly use it about 50% of the time to make it last longer. https://www.petmeds.co.uk is about £14 for a refill.

sunshineyday

~~Diane~~ wrote: »

Some time later we heard a neighbour and his daughter had been telling the kids our area if they see any cats to kick them in the head :eek:

I'll deffo be trying Feliway

I feel positively sick after reading this - how can people do this?????? and encourage children to take part in such cruelty!!!

~~Diane~~

sunshineyday wrote: »

I feel positively sick after reading this - how can people do this?????? and encourage children to take part in such cruelty!!!

there are some trully sick people around, it was only by chance we found out about it, another neighbour was telling me her boyfriend had to tell her kids off for hitting a cat, and then they told her what had been said to them.

They'll get their cumupance (sp) one day.