Whether you're a cat lover or not, no one wants to deal with an angry and upset cat. Cats can get irritated for a variety of things: a car trip, a visit to the vet, the sound of a thunderstorm, a stranger in the house, a foreign cat outside, or something else. If your cat is so upset that it's growling, meowing loudly, or running around the house looking for a hiding place, it may need your help to calm down. Start trying to calm your cat down by controlling her surroundings and leaving her alone. If that doesn't work, you should consult your veterinarian for medical options that can help your cat.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Approaching an Excited or Frightened Cat
Step 1. Think about the safety of you and your cat first
Only approach the cat when it is absolutely necessary, such as to see the vet. Most upset cats prefer to be left alone, rather than petted or cuddled. If you must approach the cat, the first thing to do when the cat is angry is to protect yourself and the cat. A frightened cat can and will bite and scratch its owner. This counterattack indicates that your cat is so angry that it will bite or scratch anyone near it if it can't attack the object or thing that irritates it.
- You should approach an angry cat with extreme care.
- Approach the cat slowly and preferably, wear long-sleeved clothes and long pants.
- Have a towel handy in case you have to catch the cat.
Step 2. Use a calm voice and demeanor
Talk to your cat calmly. For example, say, “It's okay, Meow, come here honey. Shh. Shh. Sit back and wait for your cat to calm down, and let her realize that you didn't mean to hurt her and weren't a threat.
- Speak calmly and in a low voice.
- Singing can calm a cat, as can talking quietly. Sing any song, happy songs or sad songs you can try. However, don't sing loudly, harshly, or sing songs that change notes quickly.
- Play something soft on the TV.
Step 3. Get the cat to approach you
Give the cat food if he is still alert. Wet food is usually more attractive to cats than dry food. In addition, fish also has a more delicious smell than meat.
- Let the cat climb higher to make it feel safe and can see what's going on.
- If possible, pet the cat's face by gently running your thumb over its nose.
Step 4. Move the cat to an isolated location if he is still upset
Placing the cat in a quiet place and allowing him to be alone can help calm the cat down. Close all doors where the cat is. Also close the curtains and windows so he can't see out of the room. Keep children and other pets away from the place. The goal is to provide a quiet, non-threatening area where the cat's anxiety level will decrease.
To move the cat to a quiet room, cover the cat with a towel so that only the head is visible (like a burrito). Then, you can put him in a quiet room, such as a bedroom, along with his litter box until he can calm down again
Method 2 of 2: Finding a Long Term Solution for a Frightened or Excited Cat
Step 1. Find out what's bothering your cat
Once the emergency is over, you should reassess the situation. What makes your cat angry? If it's something that happens only once, such as a worker in your household, you can anticipate when the thing that made him angry comes back and keep the cat in a quiet room until the trigger has gone. If the trigger is a stray cat outside, you can use several techniques to repel stray cats, such as using a water spray or spraying cat repellent chemicals in your yard.
If the problem is likely to reoccur (such as a car ride, guests at home, or a storm), you can take steps to make your cat better prepared for the situation
Step 2. Use pheromones to calm the cat down
Pheromones are chemicals that are secreted from glands in a cat's body-the face, feet, back, and tail-to communicate with other cats. Certain pheromones, such as what a cat releases from its face when it rubs its head against an object or its owner, have a calming effect on a stressed cat.
Scientists have succeeded in mimicking this chemical, which is sold in a variety of forms, such as necklaces, sprays, wipes, and plug-in diffusers
Step 3. Use assistive devices to calm the cat in addition to medication
There are several non-medicated options to calm a frightened or stressed cat. Essential oils or herbal blends can mimic pheromones and can be tried as artificial pheromones. Dietary supplements have also been shown to relieve anxiety and stress in cats. The ingredients in this supplement can support the balance of chemicals in the cat's body to make it calm. These ingredients come in liquid, snack, or tablet form.
- Body wraps (thunder shirts or anxiety wraps) are another non-drug sedative. This Velcro garment and wrap will wrap around the cat's body and gently press on pressure points to soothe the cat. This principle is the same as wrapping a baby or covering a cat with a towel.
- Not all cats will respond positively to body wraps, pheromones, or mixtures of these materials. You may have to do some trial and error first to see how your cat will respond to these products.
Step 4. Consider taking short-term medications
Some cats have a certain chemical makeup that requires the use of drugs to help calm them from anxiety or stressful situations. There are short-term options you can use to deal with car trips or some of the people your cat hates. A variety of medications are available to calm cats down when dealing with certain short-term situations that are temporary. These medications require an examination and a prescription from a veterinarian who will ensure that your cat is healthy enough to take them.
- Not all cats react to a medication the same way, so most vets will recommend trying certain medications at home to provoke your cat's reaction to sedatives.
- Keep in mind that some sedatives must be taken about an hour before departure or a stressful event occurs, so that the cat will not be affected by the drug due to the build-up of anxiety.
Step 5. Talk to your vet about sedatives that can help your cat
There are a variety of sedatives used for cats. All of them have side effects and warnings if consumed by cats with health problems such as kidney failure, heart disease, and diabetes. Only a veterinarian can suggest the right medication for your cat. Sedatives that can be consumed by cats include:
- Benzodiazepines. Examples include alprazolam, midazolam, and lorazepam. These drugs are the most commonly used as sedatives for cats. This drug can work quickly to reduce fear and anxiety in cats and works in the same parts of the brain as alcohol in humans. Warning: NEVER give alcohol to cats.
- SARI. Trazodone is an example of this type of sedative. This drug works very quickly to relieve anxiety.
- Clonidine and gabapentin. This drug has a sedative and anti-anxiety effect on animals including cats.
- Chlorpheniramine and Benadryl are allergy and hay fever remedies that can be used to calm cats down.
- Phenobarbital is another example of a sedative used for cats.
Step 6. Find out the long-term treatment
There is a long-term solution for cats who are often anxious. For cats with anxiety so severe that it paralyzes them, long-term medication (administered daily for months to years) is the best solution to making life more enjoyable for both the cat and its owner. Fortunately, there are now many medicines that are safe and can reduce the chemical imbalance that makes cat's life miserable.
- These medications include: Amitriptyline (an antidepressant that reduces anxiety in animals), Buspirone Hydrochloride (helps with phobias, such as the fear of people in uniform or the fear of storms), Clomipramine (Clomicalm), and Fluoxetine (Reconcile, Prozac).
- In order for these medications to work effectively, these drugs must "build up" in the cat's body, so it will take you about 6 weeks to see if the drugs are working on the cat.
- In addition, these drugs should not be stopped suddenly because adverse effects can occur. The best way is to reduce the intake of drugs slowly to give the body a chance to adapt to reducing the dose of the drug.
Tips
- Make sure you are patient and calm! Cats will drain your energy.
- If the cat runs away and hides in its place, leave it alone to cool off.
- Sit at a 45-90 degree angle in front of the cat. This pose will be less intimidating and less challenging, and shows that he has a way out.
- Place the food a few steps away from the cat and then back off so it feels free to move!
- Don't try to pet an angry cat. Instead, leave him alone until he calms down. When he is calm, pet and give him full affection.
- Cats can feel angry and upset from being teased and held too much. Treat your cat like your own child. Give him love and affection. Do not be arbitrary because cats are also living creatures.
- If your cat is easily frightened, play soothing classical music around the house.
Warning
- Do not bring other animals into the room as this can stress the cat even more.
- If you're about to touch a cat and it hisses and/or arches its back, back off slowly and rethink your strategy.
