We are lucky enough to have options when it comes to treating anxiety in cats, but how do you know which are the best calming products and which to avoid?
We suggest using products that are market tested and come recommended by veterinarians or animal welfare experts. New products come onto the market every day, but the level of testing for animal products is not the same as for humans so it’s easier for products that may not be up to scratch to slip through the cracks.
The best anti-anxiety plan involves combining the use of cat calming products with behavioral training and talking to your veterinarian.
Our favorite products to consider in any cat calming strategy are:
Our number one cat calming product of choice is a cat calming pheromone diffuser. Vets recommend the Feliway brand, because it mimics a cat’s facial pheromones, which helps to minimize cat anxiety symptoms.
A pheromone diffuser disperses pheromones throughout your home. You simply plug the diffuser into an electrical socket and the warmth allows the pheromones to disperse. These products mostly replicate the pheromones given off by nursing female cats, allowing for a sense of security and helping in the prevention of cat anxiety.
This doesn’t work with all cats so you’ll need to give it a try before any particularly anxious time such as moving house.
Cat calming sprays are another useful tool. They are multi-functional and can be sprayed on your pet’s bed or collar. Multi-cat Feliway can be used to soothe a cat who is stressed out by other cats in the home.
It’s best to use a pheromone spray in places where your cat is most likely to be or brush past: curtains, scratch posts, doorways. You can also spray it onto their bedding.
The use of a pheromone collar is another good way of relieving your cat of stress. Like pheromone sprays and diffusers, the pheromones that cat calming collars emit are intended to mimic what mother cats produce to calm and soothe kittens, and thankfully they can also help with the calming of adult cats.
If you want to jump straight to our number one best cat calming collar pick, here’s our review of the Sentry Calming Collar For Cats.
Calming treats for cats use a blend of calming and relaxing herbs, similar to how some herbal teas work for people. These natural alternatives have been developed to promote relaxation, relieve anxiety and restore calmness during stressful situations such as changes to the home environment, a new addition to the household, vet visits, or a stay at a cattery, and during thunderstorms and fireworks.
There are a range of cat calming treats on the market and not every one is created equal. We have reviewed natural cat treats, CBD cat treats and calming chews that cat owners swear by. But always remember they are a treat not a meal substitute!
Cat calming foods have seen remarkable success in helping stressed cats (if you want more advice for calming stressed cats, read here). There are a range of cat calming foods on the market and not every one is created equal. We have reviewed Royal Dry Canin Calm Cat Food and Hill’s Prescription Diet c/d Urinary Stress + Metabolic Cat Food which are our most recommended, but note that Hill’s Prescription requires vet approval.
This one is slightly controversial, but it’s worth highlighting here as along with medication for cat anxiety, it can be useful if your cat has chronic anxiety or for particularly stressful times. While CBD appears to be safe for cats, there’s currently almost no regulation of it and so there’s a lot to consider before giving your cat CBD oil or CBD cat treats which we discuss in our ultimate guide here: CBD for cats: Benefits, Safety, What to Know. But most importantly, check in with your vet before giving your cat any sort of CBD oil or CBD cat treats.
These are cat anxiety-specific tight-fitting shirts and jackets that apply mild tension (similar to wrapping an infant) and can help decrease cat anxiety. However, if your cat isn’t used to wearing garments, they might have an adverse effect. Think about whether your cat likes to be cuddled close and that should give you a good indication.
While the majority of cats will gladly sleep on your bed, or in some cases in it, a calming cat bed is made to mimic the feeling of warmth and security surrounding a kitten when sleeping with his or her siblings. These beds are made super snuggly, with soft washable fabric and come in a variety of styles. There’s the donut cat bed, the cat cave, the basic cat blanket style or even the cat teepee. You can also get them in different sizes to suit the smaller cat right up to a maine coon cat bed.
If you’re looking for the best cat calming bed, you can read our review right here of the AmazinglyCat Fluffy Cat Bed.
A cat tree may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a cat calming product, but it’s a vital piece of furniture to help make your cat feel secure and have a sense of ownership. Think about it, no one else sits on there, no humans, no dogs. It’s a cat only zone and so it is a vital product to help a cat experience a sense of comfort and ease. Our favourite is this cat tree for large cats, which provides stability and plenty of room for cat toys and blankets to help ease anxiety.
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