My cat moved, is hiding, and won't eat. How to help a stressed cat?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. You can try a product called Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin for cats and see if this helps with any anxiety. If this does not work, then you could always speak with the veterinarian about an anti-anxiety medication short term. You can also buy Feliway spray and spray the carrier Kovu will be in to see if this also helps. I hope the move isn't too stressful for you or Kovu! Please let me know if you have any other questions / concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Change in environment can be very stressful for animals so I am not surprised that he is having some problems adjusting. You could try a Feliway diffuser and some Solliquin chews and see if that helps. https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected http://www.solliquin.com/#page-top

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mickey. Congrats on your new cat! Moving into a new home is stressful, so it takes time and patience. Move him into a small room in your home, and put in there a litter box, food, and water. Visit him a couple of times a day, praising him and giving him treats when he comes out to see you. As he comes out more and more, you can play with him and give him love. Then after a couple of days, open the door to his room to let him explore. Initially, keep the amount of time he explores short, then gradually increase the time as he becomes more comfortable in your home. Eventually, he can be out of his room full time. In the beginning, keep him in his room when you go out so he feels safe. I hope this helps!

He is probably just really stressed. It is best if you leave him alone, don't force him to interact or you may traumatize him more. Be sure he has access to food, water and litter box that is close to him. Be sure the house is as quiet as possible. Get him some Feliway diffusers for the new house and a calming supplement called Zylkene. Both of those things should de-stress him. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=117324 https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=115875

I think he is likely stressed and unsure of his new surroundings. I suggest you get a Feliway diffuser to put in the room with him. It is a wall plug-in that emits pheromones to relieve stress in cats and calm them. It really works wonders in the majority of cats. You can buy these online or at any large pet store like Petco. Be sure that room he is in is very calm and quiet. ( https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) Also, you may need to try a different food or a different form of food. I suggest putting out multiple options for him like 2 different varieties of dry food and 2 different types of wet food (one pate type and one chunky) to which he prefers and go from there. You can always call the shelter and ask what they were feeding him although they may not know. I suggest trying a "light" or reduced calorie food as at 14 pounds he is a bit overweight. We like to keep cats at 12 pounds or less to prevent diseases like diabetes, orthopedic issues and heart disease. If he does start eating in the next 24 hours then I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I hate to hear that Figgy is so stressed out. I'm not sure what set up you have but for now, all of Figgy's things (food, water, litter box) should all be easily accessible to him. Even put the food and water where ever he is (ie under the bed). You might also try putting him in the litter box. For now, keep the door shut where he is hiding and set up. Do this until Figgy is comfortable about coming out. Keep the environment quiet. Keep the dog away from Figgy's area. Once he is comfortable, you can begin to leave the door open though I would keep a baby gate up and continue to keep the dog out until Figgy becomes comfortable. You can also try using an uncovered litter box (Figgy might be afraid he could be trapped in the box). There are also a few other things that might help. Try enriching the environment. 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 play time and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Provide a stand or resting place by a window so he can look outside. You may also try clicker training him for positive behavior. Here is a link about training cats: https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-i-train-my-cat/ Most cats response best to combination therapy. If he has not eaten, drank or used the bathroom by tomorrow, he needs to go to the veterinarian. For the stress/anxiety, the veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, sorry to hear about Goliath. Indeed it sounds like stress may be contributing to his inadequate appetite. You may move his food bowls to a more private area and see if this helps him be more comfortable when eating. However, there are other causes for a poor appetite other than bad oral health. This may include liver disease, kidney disease, IBD, or even lower urinary tract disease. If you note any lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, straining to urinate then he should be seen by his veterinarian immediately. Otherwise, you may attempt to modify his environment to decrease stress. This may include aerosolized diffusers such as Feliway to help make his environment more comfortable. Hope this helps and best of luck.