Knowledgeable cat caretakers will prick up their ears, look bright eyed and bushy tailed and a say, yes, of course stress affects a cat.
On two occasions I have personally seen how stress can affect a cat. However, I have this feeling that not enough focus is placed on minimizing cat stress and its effects on cat health.
Perhaps the average cat caretaker – I am not sure – more or less assumes that if they are looking after their cat well there is no reason why their cat should be stressed.
This is probably true at a basic level but cats have different personalities and are affected by events and circumstances very differently. Also cat’s can’t communicate with us that they are stressed. The first you’ll probably know is when your cat is ill. Stress should be factored into diagnosis and treatments for feline illnesses.
The two instances when I have seen stress cause illness in my cats are:
- Cystitis brought on by my absence while at work coupled with a dry food diet and
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in the form of overgrooming brought on by the presence of stray cats coming into the home through the cat flap (cat door).
In both instances, removal of the stress factor produced clear benefits. It can take time for the benefits to show. With respect to idiopathic cystitis (cystitis of unknown cause), in a study, stress was found to have an impact on “bladder permeability”. I am unable to define “bladder permeability” but the point is that bladder function is altered by initial stress.
Cats that have been infected with feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR) caused by the feline herpes virus are usually chronic carriers (long term carriers). During times of stress for whatever reason including emotional stress the immune system breaks down and the virus is shed through secretions from the mouth.
In general, stress lowers a cat’s immunity to disease. The cat is more prone to contract diseases such as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Environmental stresses are also a factor in cats being infected by the feline leukemia virus. Environmental stress can take the form of overcrowding and poor sanitation. These are hazards in multi-cat households managed by a person who is not coping well.
The Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue people say the following in relation to one of their cats (Baron) advertised on Flickr
..Because of the stress of living at the shelter, he has chronic eye inflammation…
Stress in people can increase the rate of the spread of cancer. Apparently stress also increases cancer rates in people. It is reasonable to assume that cats can be similarly affected.
It is well known that stress can cause inappropriate urination. Persian cats are quite delicate emotionally, it is said, and have higher incidences of poor litter use.
Feline acne can also be stress-related. Although feline acne can also be due to the sort of feeding bowl being used. Ceramic, glass or metal is best and plastic bowls are the worst.
The important thing about stress is that as it weakens the cat’s immune system the cat is more exposed to infection by all manner of viruses and bacteria. It isn’t just a case of stress causing a certain disease. Stress is a foundation for poorer health.
As mentioned it can be difficult to notice stress in a cat. My personal experiences are good examples of a direct link between stress and illness but often it is much less clear cut.
A concerned cat caretaker should be sensitive to what might be stressful to a cat. I have always felt that a calm, relatively noise free and warm environment that is dominated by routines is a good starting point to minimize stress.
The possibility of generating a stressful environment is heightened in multi-cat households. Cats have adapted to be social animals but they need some personal space and their may be hierarchical problems of a dominant and submissive cat. Submissive cats are likely to feel stressed. Flash points are litter trays and feeding areas.
The bottom-line with regards to cat stress is to ensure that the environment allows the cat to fully express his natural drives and desires.
P.S. It is said that stress can cause a cat to go grey around the muzzle.
Great comment …and very nice of you to offer your advice. Thank you very much. I am working out what to do. I am a bit of a tired old geezer these days who lacks the motivation of past years. I find it hard to simply look for a home that is 100 miles from London! That simple fact is a barrier in itself.
Michael, I understand that it would have an effect on being at your usual club and thats gotta be a hard choice to make – especially if you have been there for years and know everyone quite well. But personally I feel there is no price you can put on a bit of nature in your own backyard. Mist in the morning and nothing but the sound of birds, along with a lovely outdoor space you can call your own to sit back and enjoy it. Everybody in London has a problem with the idea of moving and I would imagine you have been there for a long time so its not an easy prospect. But let me also tell you over the years I have many friends who have made the leap either to nearby or some to New Zealand and nobody has even a tiny bit of regret about it. You find everything you need where you end up, invariably and London, if you are near, is by no means lost. Consider that you might be a short trip on the train away. You can still be very near.
But what happens is you end up liking it so much that you are not particularly worried about the ease of getting up there. I guess I am just saying that it’s a pattern that I see in people that I know who have been in your situation. Now everybody is different so I can’t speak for you but what I can say is that I think having a touch of nature in your own home is an extremely valuable thing. The quiet of a winters night with a little fire going and the sound of pheasants outside is actually an incredibly peaceful and freeing sensation which I for one value very highly in this day and age. It’s quite lovely not to have an orange sky at night and, as I remember from many late nights in London, birds tweeting at 4 in the morning because there is so much light they think its day time or something. I really think if you do decide to try it out you will be so very happy you did. It does wonderful things to your thoughts and state of mind and I imagine a person like yourself would really get that alot more than others. I hope you dont mind me being so forward about it but I feel strongly about it actually. London is a huge massive part of me which I of course will never lose, but boy is it nice to be a little closer to nature as well. It affords you a freedom both outside and inside you can’t get any other way – nor from a holiday. I hope you don’t mind my little rant 🙂
Yes, a house that is half decent where I am (with a garden) cost £600,000 minimum. I fully understand your argument. I am considering exactly what you are saying, in fact. I am not sure at the moment. It is about routine and comfort zone (for me), just like cats 😉 I know London and the area where I live. And I am a member of a club here and have friends here and so on. But….as you say, property is expensive.
Michael, I am guessing because in London a garden is not an easy thing to have since real estate there is insanely expensive. I don’t mean to pry, but have you ever thought about getting away a bit. I lived for a couple years in Winchester and London was just under an hour away. I didn’t miss it and really enjoyed the greenery and fresh air without feeling like I was cut off from civilisation. I was quite worried I would feel cut off being from London and having my whole life and friends there but in the end it was totally fine. Very nice actually. If I were to move back to the UK I would probably do the same again – be near London somewhere interesting in of itself and be able to afford a much nicer place and have more of the lovely outdoors – presumebly to the benefit of my cats too.
I may have to move and live in a flat without a garden attached. I am with Charlie 24/7. That must make it easier on him if he has to be a full-time indoor cat. I hope so. It is not ideal, far from it. I may not have a choice.
The best cat caretakers are highly sensitive to a cat’s sensitivities. They empathise with a cat and are aware of a cat’s senses. Some vets aren’t. Many cat owners aren’t. More work needs to be done on educating people about avoiding cat stress.