My cat is stressed, not eating, and acting strange. What should I do?

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

I would recommend trying to keep the kitten and older cat separated for now. Than slowly introducing them back to each other. I would make sure that the older cat has a litter box and food some place away from the kitten that way he will feel more comfortable eating. It is very important cats eat every day. If Niko is not eating anything he needs to go see a vet. You can try feliway which is a cat pheromone to help decrease stress in the house too. The reason Niko is acting out is due to stress in the house

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.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You may consider placing him in a separate area from the other cats for a few days with his regular food and water. Try the calming collar and the Feliway Spray (or the room plug ins work well too). You can also softened the food (or try a can of wet food) and heat it up a bit to bring out the flavor to entice him to eat a bit. If he still doesn't eat, there may be a medical reason why he is not eating and it may be a good idea for Oakley to see his veterinarian for an evaluation soon. I hope this helps a bit and thanks again for posting!

It sounds as if the lambs are pretty stressful for Oreo. It's a good idea to make sure Oreo has a place she can get away from the lambs and rest, eat, and use the litterbox without being stressed out. This may help her calm down some and begin eating again. If she doesn't start to settle down after a few days or with changes to help her relax, then a vet check may be a good idea to make sure a stress-related illness hasn't started.

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.

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