My cat is acting scared and stressed around new dogs. What can I do?

Yes, bullying from another cat can definitely cause stress and anxiety. Pheromone products and calming food or supplements such as royal canin calm can be very helpful. Try not to encourage the other cat, ensure there is no food available for him and that he cannot access bedding areas etc

Hi there Adjusting to a new animal in the home can sometimes take months. There are a few things that can help, but honestly time is the best remedy. I would make sure all the pets have enough space, and a safe place to eat and drink that is away from the new cat. I would also use the Adaptil spray and Feliway spray diffusers in your home. This helps animals calm down and can make their enviornment more neutral while they adjust. Finally, just be sure to keep things routine. Pets love routine and while a new cat isn't routine, keeping everything else this way will help. Best wishes and thanks for using Pet Coach!

Moving can be very stressful on any species. Cats will sometimes display signs of mis-directed aggression when they are stressed. I would recommend getting Feliway pheromones started asap. These come as plug in diffusers or even collars if the cats will tolerate them. They release calming hormones into the air that people won't smell, but do help relax agitate pets. Give the cats a safe place to retreat to - a room or hideout where they can get away from each other, the dog and people. If possible try to have items from their last home there (a bed or toys). Try to feed the same food, switching it over gradually. I would recommend having several litter boxes in different areas of the house while they are acclimating. If the fights are serious enough you may need to separate the cats into separate areas of the house and gradually reintroduce them to each other. If the behaviours continue or worsen, I would recommend consulting with their veterinarian. There are medications that can help in conjunction with training to decrease behavior problems. The following website has some great information about cat behavior by one of best behavior veterinarians there ever was. You may want to search for articles on aggression and anxiety in cats for some more ideas. https://drsophiayin.com/resources/cat_behavior/

Unfortunately the new cat is likely causing stress and this is a common feeling reaction to stress. She may not want to go outside as long as that other cat is around. It may be difficult to keep the other cat out of your area unless you want to purchase or build a fence. There are fences available that have curvature to the top that make it difficult for a cat to climb over. There are some things you can do at home that can help to manage her stress. Set aside 30 minutes a day for a vigorous play. Use a pheromone diffuser. There is a special prescription food made by Royal Canin called calm which may help. Use food puzzles. Give environmental enrichment. Lastly, your veterinarian has medications which can help as well. Many cats require a combination of therapies. Best of luck.

I suggest you put some Feliway diffusers in your house starting about a week before the dog is to come over. This is basically "happy cat" pheromones and they really work to decrease stress. Their website has a lot of great information. ( https://www.feliway.com/uk/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser ) Also, make a "safe space" for your cat so that, if needed, she can get away from the dog. The best way to do this is to put a baby gate up across the door to one room so that the cat can get in but the dog can't. Put the litter box, food and water in there. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Royal canin calm food can be very helpful with anxiety and nervous behaviors, as can thundershirts and pheromone products. I would also recommend your husband feeds and walks her in the garden for toilet breaks so she can build up her confidence with him in positive, non-threatening routine patterns of behavior

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. It sounds like Calvin is quite stressed from this encounter with the other cat. I would try and give him a calming treat such as NaturVet Quiet Moments with Melatonin calm chews for cats and the Feliway spray and collar. Keep him calm in an isolated area for the next 2 to 3 days as well and hopefully he will wind down and not be as stressed. 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.