Ease Anxiety in Cats and Dogs Naturally

Just like humans, animals can experience anxiety, a state of worry or nervousness characterized by physical and emotional symptoms, too. Shelter and rescue animals, in particular, tend to suffer from anxiety more than other animals, as an unfamiliar environment around strange people can raise an animal’s stress levels considerably. If you’ve got a dog or cat with anxiety, you might wonder how to make your four-legged friend less fearful.

Signs of anxiety in dogs and cats

Anxiety is a common emotion that can affect both humans and animals. In cats and dogs, anxiety can manifest in a variety of ways, including changes in behavior, body language, and physical appearance. Here are some signs of anxiety in dogs:

• Excessive barking or whining: Dogs often bark or whine to communicate their needs, such as hunger, thirst, or boredom. However, excessive barking or whining can also be a sign of anxiety. Dogs with separation anxiety, fear of loud noises, or other anxiety-related issues may bark excessively to express their distress. If your dog’s barking is excessive or disruptive, it’s important to consult with a veterinarian to rule out any medical causes.
• Pacing: Dogs may pace around the house or yard when they’re feeling restless or anxious. This behavior may be a way for them to expend excess energy or relieve anxiety. Pacing is often seen in dogs with separation anxiety or anxiety related to specific triggers, such as thunderstorms or fireworks.
• Panting: Panting is a normal cooling mechanism, but excessive panting can also be a sign of anxiety. Dogs may pant even when they’re not hot or exercising if they’re feeling anxious or stressed. Excessive panting may be accompanied by other signs of anxiety, such as trembling or restlessness.
• Destructive behavior: Dogs may engage in destructive behavior to relieve anxiety or boredom. This may involve chewing on furniture, digging in the yard, or trying to escape from their crate or yard. If your dog is displaying destructive behavior, it’s important to identify the source of anxiety and address it accordingly.
• Tail tucking: A dog’s tail can provide clues to their emotional state. Tucking the tail between the legs is a submissive gesture that often indicates anxiety or fear. Dogs may tuck their tails when they’re feeling threatened, insecure, or unsure of their surroundings.
• Licking: Excessive licking of the lips, paws, or other objects can also be a sign of anxiety in dogs. This behavior may stem from stress, nervousness, or anxiety-related gastrointestinal issues. If your dog is licking excessively, it’s important to observe their overall behavior and seek veterinary advice if necessary.
• Yawning: Yawning is a natural bodily function that can be triggered by fatigue, boredom, or stress. In dogs, excessive yawning can also be a sign of anxiety.

Cats, like humans and other animals, also experience anxiety. While cats are often perceived as independent and aloof creatures, they are just as susceptible to emotional distress as any other animal. Anxiety in cats can manifest in various ways, often subtle and easily overlooked by their owners. Here are some signs to look for that may indicate your feline friend is struggling with anxiety:

• Excessive vocalization: Excessive meowing, hissing, or growling can be a way for cats to express their anxiety or discomfort. This behavior may be more pronounced in cats with separation anxiety or fear of loud noises. If your cat’s vocalization is excessive or disruptive, it’s important to address the underlying cause.
• Hiding: Cats often retreat to dark, secluded places when they’re feeling stressed or anxious. This behavior is a natural instinct for cats, as it helps them to feel secure and protected from potential threats. If your cat is constantly hiding, it may indicate a more severe anxiety issue.
• Inappropriate elimination: Cats are naturally fastidious creatures and usually urinate and defecate in designated litter boxes. However, anxiety can disrupt this behavior, leading to inappropriate elimination. This may manifest as urinating or defecating outside of the litter box, on furniture, or in other inappropriate places. If your cat is experiencing inappropriate elimination, it’s important to identify the underlying cause and address it promptly.
• Overgrooming: Cats groom themselves regularly to maintain their coat and remove loose hair. However, excessive grooming, leading to hair loss or bald patches, can be a sign of anxiety. Overgrooming may be a way for cats to self-soothe or cope with stress. If you notice your cat excessively grooming, it’s important to consult with a veterinarian to rule out any medical conditions.
• Changes in appetite: Cats’ appetites are often sensitive to changes in their environment and routine. Anxiety can disrupt a cat’s eating habits, leading to either decreased or increased appetite. A sudden change in a cat’s eating behavior should be observed closely and may warrant a visit to the vet.
• Destructive behavior: Cats may engage in destructive behavior such as scratching furniture, chewing on objects, or tearing up carpet when they’re feeling anxious or stressed. This behavior is a way for cats to relieve pent-up energy or anxiety. If your cat is displaying destructive behavior, it’s important to identify the source of anxiety and address it appropriately.

Luckily, pet anxiety can be treated. There are many different methods that seem to be effective in treating anxiety in cats and dogs, from traditional methods like exercise to alternative treatments like CBD oil from SeaPet. Let’s go over some tips that can help you to relieve anxiety in your cat or dog. 

9 ways to calm your anxious pet

1. Make sure your pet is getting enough exercise. Anxiety often creates an excess of energy. When cats and dogs have separation anxiety, one of the best ways to manage their symptoms is to make sure they get enough exercise. Tiring out your cat with a full-on play session or taking your dog on a long walk helps to shake out some of that energy and gives you the opportunity to bond, building their trust in you.
2. Massage and physical contact. One of the most soothing things for a dog or cat with anxiety is their owner’s touch, like being picked up, getting a snuggle, or enjoying a petting session. It’s especially therapeutic when you learn massage techniques that are specifically targeted at relieving feline and canine anxiety. Here’s one to try: begin at your pet’s neck and work toward the tail in long, even strokes, keeping one hand on your pet at all times.
3. Sound therapy. Because the ears of cats and dogs are more sensitive than ours, pets can have their anxiety triggered by sounds that may not have much of an effect on you. Many owners find that their pets enjoy having some sort of white noise. From the television or radio — or even music specially composed to relieve anxiety in pets — masking noises from outside the home can be a very effective way to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. 
4. Create a calm area for your pet. If your pet has a tendency to hide when they’re anxious, creating a welcoming and calming area for them to retreat to can help to ease their mind. A bit of a time-out can help to calm many dogs and cats. An enclosed, dark space like a crate with a blanket thrown over it or even a cardboard box with a fleecy blanket in it can be a great place for dogs and cats to hunker down until the anxiety-causing stimulus has ended.
5. Thundershirts. These shirts are designed to apply constant, gentle pressure to an animals’ torso. It’s intended to create a feeling that’s similar to swaddling a human baby, mimicking the comfort of being in the womb. Owners of pets with anxiety rave about their results, but others find that it makes their pet feel confined and, therefore, more anxious. It’s best to introduce your pet to the compression garment gradually before they need it.
6. Pheromone diffusers. Pheromone diffusers plug right into your wall and get to work, diffusing dog- or cat-calming pheromones that are odorless to humans. These types of diffusers are available for both dogs and cats, and some brands offer pheromone collars for anxiety relief on-the-go. If you’re interested in trying aromatherapy for pet anxiety, there are several varieties of essential oils that are thought to be calming, such as lavender, geranium, and chamomile. It’s important that you not apply these oils directly to your pet; instead, use a diffuser designed for essential oils. 
7. Supplements. There are many different dog and cat treats designed to calm the symptoms of anxiety, from those containing L-tryptophan (the same compound that makes us feel sleepy after a big turkey dinner!) to melatonin supplements. However, one of the best natural supplements for dog anxiety and cat anxiety is CBD. CBD for cats and dogs has a wealth of anecdotal research that indicates that CBD is particularly effective at easing the symptoms of anxiety. 
8. Training. If your cat or dog gets anxious by a particular stimulus, one of the ways to address the subsequent symptoms is counterconditioning, or training your animal to replace their anxiety symptoms with a behavior like focusing on the owner or sitting quietly. Desensitization is another technique that’s often used in anti-anxiety training. By carefully measured exposures to the stimuli, dogs and cats can learn that the anxiety trigger isn’t frightening after all.
9. Traditional pharmaceuticals. The last line of defense against anxiety, particularly severe or chronic anxiety, is traditional pharmaceuticals. In fact, many of the medications prescribed for severe anxiety in dogs and cats are similar to those prescribed for humans. SSRIs and antidepressants can help dogs and cats live a life with less anxiety, but they do come with side effects, so talk to your veterinarian (and get a prescription, of course) before choosing this option.

Though there are many different options for treating cat and dog anxiety, it’s recommended that you start with natural methods, like natural supplements and compression shirts, before resorting to traditional courses of treatment that often have more serious side effects. 

Many of these anti-anxiety strategies can be combined, and in fact, the AKC recommends experimenting to see what works. Enhancing any one of these treatments with CBD can help to boost the efficacy of both methods, bringing even greater relief to your precious pet. If you’re interested in what CBD for dog anxiety and CBD for cat anxiety can do for your four-legged friend, head to SeaPet to pick up the best CBD for pets today.