Despite Being Famous For Their Independent Nature,..

Cats despite being famous for their independent nature are highly prone to stress which can even be the beginning of permanent health issues.

This week as part of #HappyCatMonth we are sharing a bit more insider info about what ticks a cat and also the long term repercussions, stress can have on a cat.

What are common stressors that can affect your cat?

• Displacement (temporary or permanent) from his/her familiar territory. Cats are territorial therefore, any change to their environment can have a negative effect on the cat’s health. Hospitalisation and moving houses are common examples.

• Physical intrusions to their territory. For example when a new pet joins the family or death of the primary caregiver.

• Any event that makes the cat feel lose his/her sense of control over access to key resources. Example, moving of litter trays or feeding station to a new position that doesn’t feel safe to the cat or another pet who exerts dominance and inhibits access to resources.

Are you paying attention to the signs of a stressed cat?

• Tail thrashing, thumping or ‘swishing’ vigorously side to side

• Skin twitch

• Persistent meow

• Unusual aggression

• Increased grooming (yes even more than usual)

• Urine spraying (also displayed by females when under stress as well as neutered males)

• Lethargy and lack of interest in socialisation

• Loss of appetite

Now, here is the problem when cats are exposed to stress perpetually. They become ill and below are just a few infections that are linked to long term stress in cats

• Urinary tract diseases (UTI)

• Respiratory diseases such as Feline Herpesvirus

• Gastrointestinal diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Hyperthyroidism

• Diabetes

• Skin diseases such as alopecia and allergies

Despite the tough and cool exterior, cats are very sensitive and do not deal with stress very well. They are even worse at communicating their problems clearly which has never worked well in their favour either.

Therefore as their designated guardians it is our responsibility to create and maintain a peaceful and stress free environment for our feline buddy which will ultimately not only keep them happy but, also prevent those high vet bills and heartaches when our cats suffer from an illness that could have been easily prevented.

Time to #thinklikeacat

Soi Dog is dedicated to provide the best care for possible for the rescued feline patients and residents at the shelter.

If you missed a ‘virtual tour’ of Soi Dog’s new cattery, make sure to check out the video here: https://links.soidog.org/Soi-Dogs-new-cat-abode

You can also watch the tour of the new cat hospital which opened up last year: https://links.soidog.org/Soi-Dogs-cat-hospital

#soidogfoundation #streetcats #soidogrescue #thailand

Source: https://www.facebook.com/SoiDogPageInEnglish/photos/a.137025..

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Soi Dog Foundation

Established in 2003 in Phuket, Thailand, Soi Dog is Southeast Asia's largest organisation helping stray animals. The Gill Dalley sanctuary in Phuket is home to over 1,600 animals. Soi Dog also has a treatment facility in Bangkok and responds to crisis situations throughout Thailand. The organisation is dedicated to implementing effective, sustainable solutions that reduce the suffering of dogs and cats in Asia, runs entirely on donations and works efficiently so all donations are used to help animals as effectively as possible.

The foundation is a registered not-for-profit organisation in Thailand, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, France and Holland. It has a maximum 4-star rating with Charity Navigator, the largest and most-utilised independent non-profit evaluator in the United States, a platinum seal of transparency from Candid, the world’s largest source of non-profit information, a Top Rated award from Greatnonprofits and the Travelers’ Choice award from Tripadvisor.

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