Why does my cat cry when I leave? Is it separation anxiety?

True separation anxiety is not horribly common in cats. But the signs would that your cat shows distress when left alone or separated from you (or other people she's attached to). You might be self-inflicted trauma, excessive vocalization, urinated or defecating inappropriate places, lack of appetite, withdraw, over grooming or (less commonly) destructive behaviors. She might be hyper focused on you when you are around or vocalize/follow you when you prepare to go. It's important to check for a medical reason for any of the symptoms you're seeing (for example, if there are litter box issues, it could be separation anxiety, or could be related to illness or cystitis or many other causes). Generally, videotaping what she does when you're not home is helpful in diagnosis, and then a full blood panel (CBC, blood chemistry, urinalysis, fecal test) and exam to check for medical issues. I hope that gives you some idea about if your kitty is effected and how to proceed! Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! He may have separation anxiety and that may explain it. I would recommend a product called Feliway which may help with episodes of distress or separation anxiety and is not a medication per se but it helps them feel more at ease. Best of luck!

This can be normal cat behavior. Sometimes they are needy and asking for something such as food or attention, sometimes they are bored. Be sure to try to encorporate lots of environmental enrichment for Roxy around your home—scratching posts, toys, treat puzzle toys, elevated car walkways on the wall, elevated perches or window perches, bird feeders on windows next to perches etc. That may help minimize this behavior. If the behavior is related to anxiety, which is possible, a product such as Feliway or Comfort Zone may be helpful. You can use catnip on scratching posts and toys to stimulate her to play with them. Here is some good information you may find helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/environmental-recommendations-for-cats/ Thanks for asking PetCoach! Have a good day!

Poor Wally! He may just be a very talkative cat. This will likely improve with time. In the mentine, you may want to try some feliway diffusers and spray in his favorite areas. Feliway is a cat pheromone that helps to calm some cats. It doesn't work on all cats though. You could also try some catnip as this may make him happy while you are away. Again, not all cats react the same to this. Finally, you can look into calming essential oil diffusers but you want to make sure you get one that is safe for cats. You can look into doterra or www.oilyvet.com for safe choices. If the anxiety gets really bad, I would have your vet prescribe an anti-anxiety medicine. I hope this helps!

It's possible Spirit may feel a bit anxious when you're gone. Cats can become clingy and exhibit the behaviors listed when they are feeling anxious. A good first step is always to schedule a vet checkup and rule out any possibility of illness that may be causing these behaviors as well. That said, if Spirit checks out healthy, there are a few things you can do to help. When you leave the house, playing a soothing talk show on TV or on the radio can help, as well as placing pheromone diffusers/calming collars on spirit to help her relax. You can also get her more used to you leaving by only leaving for a few minutes, then coming back. Make sure to not make a big deal out of the event when leaving, so she doesn't anticipate it and start to become anxious. A good play session to get her tired out before you leave can also help reduce anxiety as she'll likely just want to sleep while you're away. If the issue continues, or worsens, talking with a veterinary behaviorist may help as they can create a more tailored plan and see what's going on in-person.

Cats with separation anxiety can exhibit many signs. Hiding / reclusive behavior, meowing / vocalizing more, scratching at walls or doors, shaking, inappetance, drooling, etc. can all be signs that your cat is experiencing separation anxiety. I would recommend using products such as Feliway and NaturVet Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin which you can find online or at your local Petco. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

From your description, if Miel is showing this crying behavior when you aren't around, it can be sign of separation anxiety. She is anxious when you leave and is afraid you may not be coming back. This can be a common problem in dogs. I recommend crating her when you are gone. The crate will provide her a small space where she can feel safe in it when you are gone. You will have to slowly train her to get used to a crate. Start putting her in it when you are home and sitting nearby so she doesn't think you are abandoning her, and slowly increase the time she is in it. She can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that she has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to her in the crate. That will keep her occupied for a while. Finally, you can get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety and pair that will a DAP pheromone collar that releases pheromones when in contact with his skin. If these methods do not help her, then I recommend having her seen by a vet to discuss the use of anti-anxiety medications. Good luck, I hope this helps!