My cat is anxious after moving. Will another cat help her adjust?

I recommend you put some Feliway diffusers in your house and do some environmental enrichment for her. Usually these two things help. https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser thedrakecenter.com/materials/environmental-enrichment-indoor-cats  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AejmrLa_Cs4

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats are finicky creatures. Cats tend to only like the cats they know. Even though your cat seems to like the ones she lives with doesn't mean she will like a new cat. Cats are territorial and like their own personal space. I would first allow your cat to get used to your new house with your boyfriend. See how is goes over several months. She will be stressed for a while just because of the move. Then see how she is once she is settled. If you want to get another cat for company consider it in a few months. Good luck!

This takes lots of time and patience to improve. You can try a Feliway pheromone spray or diffuser. That often relaxes cats and reduces their anxiety. If she enjoys grooming brush her for a short time each day. Usually then they will start coming out to get groomed and be with you. The loud noises are hard and there is not much to be done other than act calmly like you are doing. I never force a cat to come out or do do things that make them anxious as this will only worsen the problem. Make sure she has a quiet, private 'safe' place to go. With time she should improve, it's hard to get over bad kitten experiences. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Princess.

Yes, another cat may help Sugilite with her separation anxiety, and if you can afford the cost of another cat, it may be worth looking into getting her a companion. If you do get another cat or kitten, you will have to slowly introduce them to each other. I will give you the method I recommend for introducing new kittens to the home, and it works for adult cats as well :-) Take the kitten, and put her in her own room with her own food, water, and litter box. Keep the door closed, and for a few days, feed them both treats on other side of door so they associate each other's smell with a good experience. Then let the other cat in the kitten's room while the kitten is in a cat carrier. They can smell each other, but not be in contact. If either becomes upset or show signs of aggression, remove the second cat from the room, and try again later. Praise them when they interact appropriately. When they are interacting well with each other through the carrier, you can let the kitten out of her room, and see how she interacts with the other cat. Praise them when they interact appropriately, and separate them with any sign of aggression or upset. I would get a cat tree with lots of shelves to give the cats vertical space to get away from each other. I would keep the kitten in her room when you go out until they are comfortable with each other.

This all sounds like normal behavior for an older cat - as they become adults they are often less interested in playing and cuddling. I doubt a new kitten would make Sammy more likely to play or cuddle, and it can sometimes be difficult to introduce a new cat into the house depending on the personality of your cat. Sometimes it goes great and the old cat enjoys the new cats companionship and other times it can cause stress and make an anxious cat feel more anxious. If you do decide to get a new cat this information can help with an introduction: https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-cats-to-cats/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-c_iBRChARIsAGCOpB3pz_xbrEjo5QJNK5yK8odrEGEQte7aR1lpVwVAlyUTp21ppH-_bP4aAk95EALw_wcB

Cats can become stressed by other cats but they do often work things out eventually. There are a few things you can adjust to help decrease stress. Cats are sensitive to the type of litter, size of the box and location of the box. If you have more cats, you need 1 litter box per cat + 1 additional box. You should also have a litter box on every floor of the house. This article discusses different types of litter and litter boxes: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-litter-finding-the-right-fit-for-your-cat/ In general though, cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes, clay-based clumping litter that is scoped every day and a private, quiet location. If you have other cats or dogs, if they can access the litter box, it may cause Luna to be afraid that she could find herself trapped in the box. Cats are a prey species in the wild and they still retain those instincts. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with anxiety. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

The multi cat diffuser may give you slightly better results but they both will likely help. The diffusers are nice because it’s a constant infusion of the pheromone that occurs even when you are not home. Other things that can help Trixie to feel more calm are to provide climbing opportunities that satisfy her natural instincts. A tall cat tree or shelves mounted to the wall with a bed on top can help some cats feel more secure. Set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play as tiring her out may result in less anxiety. Royal Canin also makes a diet called Calm that affects the serotonin levels in the brain and some cats do very well on this diet. If she continues not to do well, medications may help. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!