The plug-in cure for scaredy cats ... and therapy for lonely dogs
DOES your pet hide away or go into panic mode whenever you leave the house? It may be that they are suffering loneliness or even depression. Anxiety is common in dogs left while owners work. Cats often feel most stressed about fellow felines living in close proximity. It’s important to seek expert advice if you sense your animal is unhappy. Here, four owners reveal how they healed their pets’ mental anguish …
PHEROMONES STOPPED HER BEING FEARFUL Clare Guntrip, 33, works for the ambulance service and lives near Watford with her husband Jae. they have a ten-year-old cat called lucy.
ThE moment I saw Lucy, who’s a Manx cat with a tail and unusual markings, I fell in love with her. Although she was shy and hid away at first, she was also very affectionate. I just had to have her.
After a few weeks, we noticed that while she was settled when it was just us around, if anyone else came in, she’d run behind the TV. She just didn’t seem to have the confidence to meet people.
It was difficult. We loved her and wanted to show her off, but she was too nervous to come out. Whenever the doorbell went or someone knocked, she’d immediately run away and we’d hear her scratching.
Lucy would scratch at the corners of the floor, at a door if it was shut, and she’d claw the carpet and sofa. I’ve been around animals all my life and never seen a cat hide as much or look as uncomfortable ortable when people came in.
She was obviously really unhappy and knowing that was awful. I just wanted her to feel safe and happy.
I spoke to a couple of friends who suggested using Feliway, a plug-in that releases pheromones that calm your cat down. I hadn’t heard of it. I knew nothing about pheromones and wondered how something you plugged in could work — but I thought I’d try it.
Nothing happened at first, but after a week or two a friend came round and picked up one of Lucy’s toys. Lucy ran straight out and started playing with it. I was so shocked. She’d normally have stayed hidden but now she wanted to play with a stranger!
After that, she started becoming more confident, coming out from where she was hiding more quickly. She even started purring, which was lovely to hear. Seeing her transformation was unbelievable.
Yet a couple of days after plug-in ran out, she went back to scratching, so I bought some more. They cost around £14 for a month’s supply, but they’re worth it.
Lucy now loves people coming in and always walks up to greet them. She’s a different cat compared to when we got her, and I feel so much calmer and happier too. EMMA MILNE’S VERDICT: WhEN cats scratch furniture and trees and so on, they are not just keeping their claws healthy, they are marking their territory. Their own scent makes them feel safe and secure.
The pheromones can really help because it makes the cat feel like it has already marked its territory. (Don’t worry, the smell is undetectable to humans!)
Cats can be timid and find strangers very threatening. Never force your cat to have human contact. Freedom to escape is really important for pet happiness. With cats, life needs to be on their terms. You know what they say: dogs have owners, cats have staff!
WE COULD NEVER LEAVE HER ALONE Jo-anne armstronG, 60, lives in Bangor, Co. Down, with husband peter, 71. they have a three-year-old bichon frise, lily.
LILY came to us when she was about ten months old and we were her fourth owners. One had been disabled and at home all day so Lily had never been trained to be alone. But we didn’t realise there was a problem until July 2018, when we went away for a few days leaving her with a friend.
Lily didn’t settle at her house so, on the day we were due home, our friend dropped her at ours before
we arrived and left her there, thinking she’d be happier.
But when we walked in she was very distressed. She was panting and the floor was wet because she’d salivated so much.
We called in a behaviourist, who set up cameras in the kitchen. We all went out and watched her on the screen — she was pacing, jumping up at the door and chewing the table and architraves.
She had separation anxiety and couldn’t be left alone for a moment
It broke my heart to see it — I was in tears. It was very, very distressing and I felt guilty I had'nt spotted it before.
The behaviourist gave me a training programme and started working with us. First, I’d stand in front of her while she was in her basket, telling her to ‘stay’ then taking one step back and giving.
her a treat if she did. Once she always stayed, I had to tell her to ‘stay’ then step to the side and give her a treat if she obeyed.
Then I took two steps back, then three, then four, then I turned my back on her, then I got out of the door. I’d do it for five minutes, ten times a day.
I became quite introverted and depressed. I couldn’t leave the house unless my husband — we’re both retired — was at home, so I lost a lot of my social life. Thankfully our Agria pet insurance picked up most of the bill for the behaviourist, which cost £800.
Eventually it got to the point I could leave the house for an hour or two, and once we left her for four hours and she was all right.
It’s taken eight months of hard work to get there but it’s worth it. She’s adorable.
EMMA MILNE’S VERDICT:
SEPARATION anxiety is a big problem in dogs for many complex reasons. It’s lovely to hear from such a dedicated owner who put in the effort to help their pet through it. Behaviour problems can be hard work for all concerned but the results can be well worth it.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD BULLY UPSETS HER
RIO TURONE, 24, a social worker, lives in Ware, Herts, with her boyfriend Alex McCready, 27, a technician. They have a one-eyed cat called Mulan, who is three years old.
I’vE had Mulan since she was around four months old.
She was a stray taken into the vets where my sister worked. I wasn’t a cat person, but thought I’d meet her and I immediately fell in love. She was quite timid, but she was also very loving and always wanted to be held.
At the end of last year, I noticed that the hair on her belly was very short, not fluffy. It looked like she’d been over-grooming. The vet told me to keep an eye on her.
Then, in October, she was bitten on the bottom by a neighbourhood cat and developed an abscess. Since then, her grooming got much worse — on her legs, her stomach, wherever she can get to — and she doesn’t go outside. If she needs the toilet, she’ll pop out but come straight back in.
We tried a pheromone plug-in spray and kept to a strict routine, but it didn’t work — so in January, we went back to Medivet in Stansted Abbott.
The vet thought Mulan’s problems were behavioural: something was upsetting her and she felt stressed. I think she’s scared of the cat who bit her.
The vet recommended we put her on some special food by royal Canin called Calm, which contains very mild substances that help reduce anxiety. She’s been on it now for a fortnight and she’s definitely a lot calmer. She still over-grooms but we’re hoping that, with time, she’ll continue to improve.
EMMA MILNE’S VERDICT:
NEIGHBOURING cats can be a huge cause of stress — as can cats in the same house. It’s good the food is working. If your cat can see cats in the garden, even closing curtains or blinds can help.