Download scaredy cats - Siamese Cat Rescue Center

366 Meander Run Rd
Locust Dale, VA 22948
540-672-6373 (phone)
540-672-7066 (fax)
[email protected]
va.siameserescue.org
SCAREDY CATS
They can touch your heart, test your patience and baffle your mind.
Before we delve into the psyche of the scaredy cat, we must make sure our cats have the proper
annual medical checkups from the start. Before any attempts are made to overcome the scared
mentality, your cat will need to be examined by a certified veterinarian so all medical issues can
be addressed and remedied. Once any medical issues have been resolved (seeing a vet on a
regular basis cannot be reiterated too much) consider the following discussion.
The basis of a scaredy cat is excessive fear of people, other animals or situations. Fear, in and of
itself, is healthy and natural. Fear keeps us out of trouble. Humans and animals use a sense of
fear to determine safety from an actual or perceived danger. When any fear becomes excessive
or irrational, it becomes a phobia or an inappropriate belief that one is in danger.
Background Information
When kittens are 2-7 weeks old, they learn how to handle the people and animals within their
environment. If handled gently, they thrive and learn how to socialize with both humans and
animals. At this point in time, they also develop natural fear and determine what they are
comfortable within their environment.
When they have not been socialized properly, or had a series of tragic encounters that you may
or may not be aware of, you know that you have a scaredy cat on your hands.
Typical Scaredy Cat Behaviors and Physical Attributes
While fear behavior can be as different as the cat, the common signs of fear are as follows:
1. Hiding and/or remain hiding even when you try and coax them out
2. Running way when approached
3. Hissing/Slapping when touched
4. Standing very still or cowering
5. Aggression with humans or other animals
6. Litter box problems, urine or feces
7. Whipping the tail
8. Flattened ears or whiskers
9. Dilated pupils caused by catecholamine being released
Just as in humans, scaredy cats can develop from various situations:
1. Predisposition/genes (born that way)
2. Early separation from mothers (never learned proper socialization)
3. A traumatic or series of traumatic events (bad experiences with people or animals)
366 Meander Run Rd
Locust Dale, VA 22948
540-672-6373 (phone)
540-672-7066 (fax)
[email protected]
va.siameserescue.org
4. Current or past abuse (there is a reason to be afraid).
5. Separation anxiety (over-bonding with owners)
What triggers these excessive, irrational fears (or phobias)?
1. Other living creatures (especially cats, dogs, and humans)
2. Inanimate cues (most often noise)
3. Certain situations, such as being left alone or visiting the vet's office.
As with humans, a fight or flight behavior pattern is ingrained. Cats learn to fear by their
experiences. Once the fear is learned and/or re-enforced, as with humans, it is not forgotten.
Cats can learn to trust again, but if the threat (exaggerated fear) is perceived again, fearfulness
will resurface.
Common Effects of Fear
Fear normally falls into several categories: living things, non-living things, situations and
separation anxiety. As with humans, once terrified by a person, place or thing, re-thinking takes
time. Trust takes time. Also, incidents unrelated to, say, the original terror but similar in nature,
will spark a similar terror response.
Let’s understand factor each separately.
Living Things: Cats frightened of people, dogs and other cats have usually been under
socialized. They have been taken away from their mother too soon. Or, their prior experiences
may have taught them all too well not to trust any living thing, sometimes for very good reasons.
Non-Living Things: Any inanimate object can arouse fear, but noise is particularly common for
cats. A fear of noises is demonstrated by hiding, signs of high arousal, and cowering postures.
Situations, a sequence or series of events connecting people, places, or other that may lead to
pain or discomfort. Example: fear of cat carrier or car that normally results in a visit to a vet.
Cat is put into carrier; travels to the vet; sees the vet; experiences pain or discomfort.
Separation anxiety is common when a cat that is closely bonded or overly attached to his human
companion (or sometimes feline companion) becomes upset when separation occurs. Sometimes
it occurs when you leave the house, but can also happen when you close a door and the cat wants
to be near you at all times.
Any cat can have any one fear, or experience a number of these fears. Because cats can’t speak,
if we experience one or more of the following behaviors, we probably do have a scaredy cat.
Fear may result in the following behaviors.
1. Crying out or being extremely vocal when left alone or preparing to leave. And while
366 Meander Run Rd
Locust Dale, VA 22948
540-672-6373 (phone)
540-672-7066 (fax)
[email protected]
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Siamese are vocal normally, this cry has something important to tell you. This may
happen when you leave the house or the room.
House soiling or deposits of urine or feces are often near the door from which the owner
has departed or are on that person's clothing, bed sheets, or other personal effects.
Cats normally do not eat well alone. Depression may affect the cat so it looses total
appetite, thereby experiencing feline anorexia.
Many cats pull out clumps of their own hair, which may appear to be allergies, but is
actually stress or distress due to the owner’s absence. Excessive grooming, if untreated,
will continue even when the owner returns.
Vomiting during absence, but not when the owner is at home.
Clawing or scratching doors is rare, but can be destructive and is a sure sign the cat hates
alone time.
Heartily greeting their owners upon returning home is normally a good indicator of
separation anxiety.
Particularly with rescue cats turned in by their owners, we find them refusing to eat or maiming
themselves due to the stress of no longer being home. This is all the more reason why if any of
these behaviors are seen, a vet visit is essential to rule out any medical issues.
Treatment: Behavioral and Medical
Enrich the home alone environment to lessen the anxiety:
1 Position furniture, i.e. tables or stands so cats can see out the window or doors and see the
world.
2 Try to arrange mobile toys for movement within the home. Some of the moving objects
could be filled with catnip to enhance the pleasure.
3 Leave a radio playing soft music or the TV on a low volume setting to add “home
sounds” that the cat experiences when you are home.
4 Purchase a fish bowl or tank filled with fish. Again, home entertainment for your kitty.
5 Use a phone answering machine where your cat can hear your voice several times per
day.
6 Prepare to leave, and tell your cat you are leaving only for a short time. Leave for a short
time and return. Listen outside the door for cat noises. Increase the time gone as cat
becomes more comfortable when you are gone. Praise your cat upon your return.
7 Consider getting another cat, particularly a young cat. Kittens need to be in pairs for
socialization. Certain cats need company during the day, others don’t.
8 Keep a diary of your cat’s behavior so you will see the change in development.
The above remedies work well for separation anxiety but if they fail to work, it may be time to
visit the vet again.
To help a scared cat whose fears are generated from past abuse or poor socialization you may
find some of these tips helpful.
366 Meander Run Rd
Locust Dale, VA 22948
540-672-6373 (phone)
540-672-7066 (fax)
[email protected]
va.siameserescue.org

Keep your cat isolated to just one room in your house and provide a good hiding space (or
several). These can be cardboard boxes with holes cut in for the cat to come and go, a carrier
with the door removed and a towel draped over it for comfort or a special teepee style bed.

Some cats feel less fear when their people relate to them at their own level. Spend time with
your cats sitting or lying on the floor and talking softly to your cat. Do this several times a
day.

Keep your bed on the floor so your cat can't hide under the bed and has to use the hiding
spaces provided

Always talk and walk softly and slowly when you are in the room with your cat

Avoid direct eye contact with your cat. This is threatening to them

Read aloud to your cat and watch TV with them

Make certain that the cat has only good associations with your presence

Use a brush on a stick or a wand toy with feathers to touch your cat. This will help
desensitize them without the fear of your hands actually touching them.

Use food. Feed your cat at specified times only rather than free feeding and stay in the room
with them while they are eating. Give them treats. You may have to put the treats near them
rather than giving them to your cat from your hand until they are brave enough to be that
close to you.

Above all, be patient! It can take months or years to help some cats overcome the deeply
ingrained fears they have.
Many anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drugs are on the market that can ease your cat’s anxiety.
Here are some source drugs (with their common name second) that are useful in dealing with
anxiety issues.
Buspirone (BuSpar®)
Alprazolam (Xanax®)
Fluoxetine (Prozac®)
Clomipramine (Clomicalm®)
Amitriptyline (Elavil®)
Propranolol (Inderal®)
Each of the medications have an upside effect, but most come with possible side effects. Not all
medications work with every cat, so there may be a trial by error basis. Also, if your cat is
medically challenged, selecting the best fit will be up to you and your vet.
While some cats may need to remain on the medication, very likely the cat will temporarily use it
366 Meander Run Rd
Locust Dale, VA 22948
540-672-6373 (phone)
540-672-7066 (fax)
[email protected]
va.siameserescue.org
and then comfortably be taken off the medication once the resulting fear behaviors considerably
lessen.
Summary
As we can see, a scaredy cat is either born with predisposition to fear; or it can also be a
reflection of what the cat has experienced since birth.
Again, with any unusual, consistent behavior, it is imperative that medical tests rule out any
actual physical issues. Many scaredy cat behaviors can also be signs of physical illness.
While we cannot guarantee that every cat will be able to manage its fears, many, many cats have
lived long and healthy lives with time and patience. Some cats adjust fairly quickly to stress
reduction attempts; others take at least a year or more.
Always remember, patience is a virtue. Particularly with scaredy cats, working out the solution
will be a wonderful accomplishment for both the cat and the owner. GOOD LUCK!
REFERENCES:
http://va.siameserescue.org/VAstories.php
cats.about.com/od/faqsbehavior/f/scaredycat.htm
www.petplace.com/cats/scaredy-cats-fear-of-the-animate/page1.aspx
petplace.com/cats/just-for-kids-is-your-cat-a-scaredy-cat/page1.aspx
thedailycat.com/.../Behavior/scaredy_cat_party_animal/index.html
spcanova.org/feline_education.html
hartz.com/cats/ArticlePreview.asp?Animal=2&Article=237