Signs your pets are stressed
h Dogs: It’s not always easy to spot signs that dogs are stressed about other animals, says animal behaviourist Kirsten Dillon at Natural Instinct pet food, because many are extensions of natural behaviour. But the most common can include destructive chewing, licking their lips when it’s nothing to do with food, panting when they haven’t tired themselves out, turning or looking away from you and adopting a crouching position with their tails tucked under.
h Cats: When it comes to felines, Dillon says to look for changes to their normal habits. These can include more biting and scratching and hyper-vigilance – including twitching ears, wider eyes with dilated pupils and never being able to relax. She says: “The most common is a change to their toileting habits – they may begin to go in the house when they didn’t before, or they may change where and when they use the litter trays. They may also spray urine to mark their territory.”