Too much stress, for any cat, can bring on withdrawn behavior. It’s especially puzzling for people whose cat had always seemed so confident and resilient. Then a move, more or fewer people in the house, or a radical schedule revamp creates big changes in the cat’s personality.

Becoming either withdrawn or aggressive can be a cat’s way of coping with stress, but it’s not the best way. They need help.

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Why have events overwhelmed our cat? How can we fix it? Here are some factors to consider:

Territory sensitive? Some cats are reliant on geographical cues to help them orient themselves, figure things out, and pay attention only to what they need to.

Disrupting the environment of such a cat is going to be more stressful than for a cat who uses a few important touchstones. If they know where their litter, scratching post, and sleeping stations are, they will be quicker to feel content.

Missing someone? The house can get someone new who is getting all of a certain person’s attention. There might not be certain persons at all after a change.

Cats will mourn and feel anxiety until they get over having their attachment disrupted. If we give them emotional support, they will feel better faster. They will always miss the person, but they don’t have to become sick or distracted any more.

Needs help with new routine? Some cats worry that the new place will have new, and unknown, routines. They fear having trouble in the new litter spot or where their favorite bed has gone.

Make a fuss over where their new spots are, and point out important dishes and other equipment that belongs to them. We could make a point of showing them their dishes before the move, or get some new, distinctive ones to help the cats make the transition.

Lost in the shuffle? Of course, our cat is not the only one coping with these changes. We can be overwhelmed too, and often this means we will regard our cat’s distress as just one more burden on us. But that’s usually the wrong way to look at it.

Because our cat is begging for more attention, and attention we pay to our cat is a stress reducer.

So let’s trying doing both of us a favor, and see if we can’t curl up with our furry buddy for some stress relief for both of us. Let them know we love them, that it’s hard on us too, that we need them to help us feel better.

Let our cat feel important again. That’s the step that might have been missing. That’s the step that will make us both feel love again.

That’s the one thing we can’t lose in the move.

Get cat moving tips with Dear Pammy, How can I lower my cat’s stress from moving?

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