How To Help Your Cat With Anxiety

July 7, 2021/0 Comments/in Cat Care/by Liana Waddy

How To Help Your Cat With Anxiety

How to help your cat with anxiety? It’s a question a lot of cat parents ask – myself included. If I’m gone for more than 6 days one of my cats gets a urinary blockage. Here are some ways you can help with anxious pets.

1. Distractions, distractions, distractions

When does your cat seem to be the most anxious? Is it right after you leave? Or when they wake up from a nap and nobody is there? Sometimes having a distraction is the best thing for them. We have a whole blog on interactive puzzle games. These toys can provide just enough distraction to get you out of the house or keep your cat distracted from their anxiety.

2. Add more litter boxes

They say you should have 1.5 litter boxes per cat. Since you can’t have half of a litter box you should have two if you have one cat, three if you have two cats, five if you have four cats, and so on. Count how many litter boxes you have and if you’re cleaning them often enough. Any litter box will do! Some cat owners want to have one or two really nice ones and then an extra, cheaper one. If cleaning the litter box is the issue, we have some products we recommend to help make the chore a little less worse.

3. ThunderShirt

You may have heard of ThunderShirt before. It essentially works the same way swaddling a baby calms them down. The biggest downside to ThunderShirt is it needs to be on your cat prior to the stressful situation so it won’t be as effective if their anxiety is unplanned. These work best for events like Fourth of July or New Years when you know stressors such as fireworks will be happening.

ThunderShirt for Cats @ $39.95

4. Pheromones

Pheromones are much different from essential oils. Essential oils can actually be toxic to pets, but pheromones (produced synthetically) can help provide an anxious pet relief. Adaptil is the dog version and Feliway is the cat version. The dog version will not work for cats and vice versa.

The classic diffuser is great for open floor plans or large rooms as they cover 750sqft. If you have a large house or many closed off rooms, you may need to invest in multiple diffusers. You can learn more about the Feliway Classic Home Diffuser on their website. They also produce a collar and travel sprays for pets on the go or when a diffuser isn’t a viable option.

SENTRY PET CARE Calming Collar for Cats on Amazon @ $19.99

5. Calming Sprays

Calming sprays can also be a good option if your cat likes to hang out in one specific area. These don’t require being changed out monthly, only when they’re empty, nor putting a collar onto your pet.

Feliway Cat Calming Pheromone Spray @ $20.59

6. Calming Chews

Calming chews can be bought over-the-counter at most pet stores. These chews aren’t as strong as something you’d get from the vet but provide a natural way to help calm your cat. Depending on which one you choose they may be hard or soft treats. Some brands also include hemp seed oil.

Quiet Moments® Cat Soft Chew on Amazon @ $9.99

7. CBD Oil

Cat owners have found varying success with CBD Oil helping their pet with anxiety and you may as well if you’re looking for a more holistic and natural approach to managing your pets anxiety. Before starting CBD Oil make sure to talk with your vet, especially if your pet is on any medication, to make sure it’s safe to give them. There’s lots of different brands out there and methods of delivery, you’re sure to find one that fits you and your cats needs. Some brands to start your research are:

8. Consider talking with your vet

Just like with people, some cats need anxiety medication to help manage their anxiety. Pets can’t articulate how they’re feeling but if you’ve tried all of the above ways it may be time to have a discussion with your vet. Make sure you discuss you and your pets needs. Do they need a slight sedative or something stronger? Is there a liquid option if your cat doesn’t take pills? Don’t have a regular vet? We have you covered. Here’s our 5 tips for picking a veterinarian you love.

Do you have an anxious cat? Let us know how you help control their anxiety and if there’s anything we forgot @WetNosesPetSitting or #WetNosesPetSitting

How To Deal With Anxious Pets

July 4, 2021/0 Comments/in Cat Care, Dog Care, Pet Care, Pet Health and Safety/by Liana Waddy

How To Deal With Anxious Pets

How do you deal with anxious pets? It’s a question a lot of pet parents ask – myself included. If I’m gone for more than 6 days one of my cats gets a urinary blockage. Here are some ways you can help with anxious pets.

1. Distractions, distractions, distractions

When does your pet seem to be the most anxious? Is it right after you leave? Or when they wake up from a nap and nobody is there? Sometimes having a distraction is the best thing for them. We have a whole blog on interactive puzzle games for both cats and dogs. These toys can provide just enough distraction to get you out of the house or keep your pet distracted from their anxiety.

2. ThunderShirt

You may have heard of ThunderShirt before. It essentially works the same way swaddling a baby calms them down. The biggest downside to ThunderShirt is it needs to be on your pet prior to the stressful situation so it won’t be as effective if their anxiety is unplanned. These work best for events like Fourth of July or New Years when you know stressors such as fireworks will be happening.

ThunderShirt Classic Anxiety Vest for Dogs, Heather Grey on Chewy, Starting @ $39.95

ThunderShirt for Cats @ $39.95

3. Pheromones

Pheromones are much different from essential oils. Essential oils can actually be toxic to pets, but pheromones (produced synthetically) can help provide an anxious pet relief. Adaptil is the dog version and Feliway is the cat version. The dog version will not work for cats and vice versa.

The classic diffuser is great for open floor plans or large rooms as they cover 750sqft. If you have a large house or many closed off rooms, you may need to invest in multiple diffusers. You can learn more about the Home Diffusers on their website.

They also produce a collar and travel sprays for pets on the go or when a diffuser isn’t a viable option.

4. Calming Sprays

Calming sprays can also be a good option if your pet likes to hang out in one specific area. These don’t require being changed out monthly, only when they’re empty, nor putting a collar onto your pet.

SENTRY Calming Spray for Dogs, 1 oz on Amazon @ $22.95

Feliway Cat Calming Pheromone Spray @ $20.59

5. Calming Chews

Calming chews can be bought over-the-counter at most pet stores. These chews aren’t as strong as something you’d get from the vet but provide a natural way to help calm your pet. Depending on which one you choose they may be hard or soft treats. Some brands also include hemp seed oil.

Quiet Moments® Cat Soft Chew on Amazon @ $9.99

treatibles Chews for Dogs, varying prices

6. CBD Oil

Pet owners have found varying success with CBD Oil helping their pet with anxiety and you may as well if you’re looking for a more holistic and natural approach to managing your pets anxiety. Before starting CBD Oil make sure to talk with your vet, especially if your pet is on any medication, to make sure it’s safe to give them. There’s lots of different brands out there and methods of delivery, you’re sure to find one that fits you and your pets needs. Some brands to start your research are:

7. Consider talking with your vet

Just like with people, some pets need anxiety medication to help manage their anxiety. Pets can’t articulate how they’re feeling but if you’ve tried all of the above ways it may be time to have a discussion with your vet. Make sure you discuss you and your pets needs. Do they need a slight sedative or something stronger? Is there a liquid option if your pet doesn’t take pills? Don’t have a regular vet? We have you covered. Here’s our 5 tips for picking a veterinarian you love.

Do you have an anxious pet? Let us know how you help control their anxiety and if there’s anything we forgot @WetNosesPetSitting or #WetNosesPetSitting

Fireworks Pet Safety Tips

April 17, 2020/0 Comments/in Cat Care, Dog Care, Pet Care, Pet Health and Safety/by Liana Waddy

Pet Fireworks Safety Tips

Holidays like the 4th of July, New Year, and others are great fun with lots of fireworks but are maybe not as fun for our pets. If you want to keep your dogs and cats happy and healthy, here are all your Fireworks Pet Safety Tips!

1. Fireworks are fun for us, but are scary for pets!

We might love the pretty lights but for many dogs and cats, fireworks can feel like the end of the world. If you keep that in mind it can make it easier to plan for your pets.

2. Make sure all tags and microchips are up-to-date.

If you have moved recently then your information might be out of date. Making sure it is all current will be a life-saver if one of your pets gets out.

3. Have a current picture of your pets, just in case.

If your pet is picked up by animal control you might need to prove ownership. Or if you need to make flyers you will need a current, clear picture ready to go.

4. Set up a safe and quiet place at home.

If your pet does get nervous with the loud noises, it helps to have a quiet area for them to rest. This is also helpful during any festivities like parties and barbecues.

5. Make sure all windows and doors are closed.

If your dog or cat were to get really nervous, jumping out an open window can look like an easy escape. Even screens might not stop a determined pet, so be safe and keep them securely latched.

6. Do not let dogs out loose in the yard.

Your dog may never have shown an interest in jumping a fence before, but scary noises can push a dog to new limits. I have even heard of dogs that jumped the fence while their person was in the yard with them, so be overly cautious.

7. Try calming items like music and ThunderShirts.

For pets that are extra nervous, you can try all sorts of calming items. Loud music that drowns out the sound of the fireworks may help and so may calming music for dogs. So can ThunderShirts, essential oils, and CBD oil (check with experts on these first as some can be toxic to pets).

Be safe and have fun this holiday!

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