Ruff days or cat-astrophies? How to help pets handle stressful situations

Just like with people, when pets experience chronic stress it can raise cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure; weaken the immune system; and even cause fluctuations in weight — all of which increase a pet's risk of becoming ill.

Fortunately, pets are skilled at expressing their emotions through body language. Learning to understand these signals and to recognize when stress is building can make all the difference in helping pets stay healthy and comfortable.

Dr. Audra Jones, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences’ Veterinary Education, Research, & Outreach campus in Canyon, Texas, explains common causes of stress and how owners can recognize and best support pets in stressful times.

Stressful situations

Some situations — like veterinary visits, car rides, moving houses, and introducing new pets to the household — are especially challenging for pets.

“Pets may associate veterinary visits with stress related to the pain of injections or treatments, or even the smells of other animals in the same space as them,” Jones said. “While car rides are enjoyable for some pets, others can have very different responses due, in part, to motion sickness, past negative experiences, and unfamiliar sights and sounds.”

Big life changes, like moving to a new house or quick introductions of a new pet, can also heighten stress.

“Cats and dogs are territorial in nature and like to be in places that are familiar to them,” Jones said. “Pets also don’t like to share space with another animal that may threaten their environment and peace.” 

Signs of stress

Stress can show up in subtle ways before it becomes severe.

“Commonly, both dogs and cats will yawn or lick their nose and lips as an early sign of discomfort in a situation,” Jones said.

If stress increases, physical behaviors may become more noticeable.

“Both dogs and cats might freeze and it is possible to see them shaking in fear,” Jones said. “They might also tuck their tails between their legs and lower their bodies closer to the ground in an attempt to ‘shrink away’ from the stress.

“Pets might also defecate or urinate under severe stress,” Jones said. “And stressed-out pets will usually not want to eat treats or drink water until the stressful situation is resolved and they feel comfortable enough to let their guard down.”

While both dogs and cats can sometimes express similar stress behaviors, there are also differences between species.

“Dogs will generally start panting when stressed and sometimes will smack their lips or jaws together,” Jones said. “Cats will commonly look for hiding places or run from stressful situations.”

How to help stressed pets

When a pet becomes stressed, owners should stay calm, be patient, and work to diffuse tension.

“When animals feel unsafe or nervous, they can become aggressive and go into fight or flight mode,” Jones said. “If a dog is growling, please do not attempt to approach the animal. This dog is reacting with ‘fight’ and will likely attack if approached or threatened.”

Instead, owners should avoid loud noises, speak calmly, and observe pets’ reactions to different tones — some animals respond well to higher-pitched voices, while others may find them irritating.

“Try to recognize what’s making the pet feel stressed or unsafe and, if possible, remove that threat from their environment,” Jones said.

Creating positive associations before stressful events can also help. To prepare for visiting a veterinary clinic for the first time, Jones recommends doing a “happy visit.”

“During these visits, dogs walk through the clinic and get used to the smells and people involved in the day-to-day activities without a negative association such as a vaccine, nail trim, or other procedure,” Jones said. “For cat patients, I let them explore and receive treats in the exam room. And all pets get treats before and after the visit.”

Medication can also be a valuable tool for particularly anxious pets.

“If you know that your pet gets stressed about car rides or vet visits, ask your veterinarian about prescribing an anti-anxiety treatment,” Jones said. “These prescriptions are catered to each individual patient and have a great safety profile. They can make stressful experiences much more enjoyable for pets and all others involved.”

Cats, in particular, benefit from gradual desensitization, including things such as leaving their carrier out before a visit, which allows them to explore and feel more comfortable, and spraying the carrier with synthetic pheromones at least 15 minutes before travel.

“Pheromones are natural chemicals that are secreted by cats to mark a safe spot,” Jones said. “When cats rub against a tree or your leg, they are marking that spot as ‘safe’ by secreting pheromones.

“Luckily, there are products available that contain that same ‘safe’ chemical,” Jones said. “Using these sprays in a cat’s carrier and/or putting the spray on a towel and placing it in the carrier will help ‘mark’ safe spaces for cats.”

Stress is an inevitable part of life — for both humans and animals — but understanding how it affects pets and learning how to best support them during those situations can prevent long-term consequences.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu.

###