Cats hiding, spraying, not eating after loud noise. Stress or medical?

Stress can cause cats to hide or act abnormally. For example if you had house guests or got a new pet this could stress your cat out. However medical issues can also cause cats to hide. Cats may hide if they are feeling bad. I would keep a very close eye on your cats appetite, water intake, BMs, and urine if your cat is hiding. If you notice anything that is not normal I would take your cat in for a thorough exam and some basic bloodwork. Older cats can be prone to things like diabetes, renal disease, and hyperthyriodism. These can be fairly well managed with meds once daignosed. If your cat is a male, keep a very close eye on the litter box and be sure he is urinating ok. Male cats can get thier urethra blocked and become unable to urinate. This is an emergency and can be fatal very quickly if left untreated. If it turns out to be just stress I reccomend trying a product called Feliway. Feliway mimcks the phermone produced by mother cats and has a calming effect on cats. Feliway should be available over the counter at your local vet. hope this helps

It is possible that Pinga is exhibiting signs of stress in her home environment, but there are many things that you can do to help alleviate stress and help her feel better. Start by having Pinga seen by your veterinarian to help rule out medical causes for her behaviour. If no medical issues are noted, you may need to try some adjustments so you can help keep your home a fun and comfortable place for Pinga. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , healthcareforpets.com and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com , and Feliway Friends, a pheromone that helps cats get along with each other.

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.

Hello. It does sound like some event occurred to him. You indicate he is eating, which is good, but are you sure he is using the litter box, especially urinating? If not, this might be a concern. Sometimes when there is a personality change, it is best to first rule out the possibility of an underlying illness or injury. If he is eating & you are sure he is having no difficulties urinating, just watch him over the weekend, but consider having him examined sometime next week if he still seems off. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

While loss/grief can certainly cause behavioral changes in cats, losing weight, not eating and urinating everywhere make me worry there is an underlying health condition such as a urinary infection that is causing him distress. Not being neutered can also lead to marking behavior/stress if there is a female in heat nearby. It is a good idea to have a thorough exam done along with bloodwork, X-rays and urine tests potentially to determine if there is any health issue. If he checks out healthy, spending more time together may help him to relax some, as well as using a pheromone diffuser such as Feliway to help with the marking behavior/stress. If you think he'd benefit from a friend, gradually introducing a new cat may help as well, but can also be stressful.

A pheromone product such as Feliway spray or plug in diffuser may decrease any lingering anxiety or aggression related to the kitten. It may take some time. Be patient and do not force your cat to interact. Use praise and rewards to regain trust. If the behavior persists, have Lilly examined by your veterinarian. A sudden change in behavior can frequently be indicative of illness or injury.

Cats will often go off their food and be more lethargic when they are coming down with an illness. This is usually due to an upper respiratory infection (aka cat flu) or an infection of the stomach or intestines. While she may not be having nose/eye discharge, or diarrhea right now, you may see this in a day or two. Their are a couple of other diseases that I worry about with a fighting cat, because they can cause them to feel bad like this and be spread through biting. FIV and FeLV are two viral diseases that can depress the immune system and possibly lead to long-term infections. These can be easily tested for by a vet. If she is eating a little, then make sure there is plenty of water mixed in the food, because I worry most about dehydration. Sometimes warming up the food will entice them to eat it, so try that along with trying different, tasty foods. The best thing to do for Alba is to take her to the vet. She may be running a fever and could already be dehydrated. They also may see something else that indicates what her specific aliment is. It doesn't seem like an emergency right now, but it would be best to get her to the vet within a day or two. I hope that helps and Alba gets better soon.