Can a Cat Die From Stress? Vet-Reviewed Health Risks and How to Help

Vet approved

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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Stress isn’t simply a state of mind. It can cause a physiologic response, negatively impacting the body and spirit, even for our feline friends. While stress itself isn’t likely to kill your cat, it can trigger other health conditions that can be potentially life-threatening if not addressed quickly. Let’s learn more in this article.

How Serious Is Stress?

Anxiety and depression may suppress your cat’s appetite. Conversely, they may overeat if their stressors are food competition related, such as territorial issues with a fellow house cat. Cats that withdraw from eating are in immediate danger of starving themselves. Eating too much food won’t have as much of an immediate effect as starvation. However, over time, this behavior can lead to obesity, which significantly lowers your cat’s quality of life and average lifespan. Being overweight subjects your cat to elevated risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease—all of which are among the most common causes of death in cats.

Stress lowers the immune system, making your cat more susceptible to infectious diseases. It also stresses your cat’s cardiovascular system. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in cats, and unfortunately, it’s one of the most silent killers. Stress can trigger hypertension, which could be detrimental for a cat with pre-existing heart issues. Chronic stress can also negatively affect a cat’s digestive system, possibly triggering gastric ulcers, IBD, diarrhea, or constipation.

Therefore, albeit indirectly, stress can lead to a disease’s development or a life-threatening condition. At the very least, it steals from your cat’s quality of life, which can then negatively impact their health.

Stress Can Trigger Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Anxiety can wreak havoc on your cat’s internal organs. Did you know that stress even negatively impacts your cat’s ability to pee? Chronically anxious cats are at a high risk of developing feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). This disorder is a blanket term for multiple urinary conditions, including feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC), which is one of the most common conditions in the group.

When your cat stresses out, it can trigger an inflammatory response in their body. FIC is inflammation that affects the lining of the bladder, causing it to swell. When this happens, your cat may struggle to urinate and may relieve themselves outside of their litter box, often accompanied by loud yowling. You should always immediately take your cat to the vet if they fail to urinate, as FIC can cause a life-threatening urinary obstruction.

The 6 Ways to Tell If Your Cat Is Stressed

While we wish cats could tell us all of their problems in human words, thankfully, it isn’t too difficult to sense when your cat is stressed. Chances are, they’ll try to tell you in their own way.

1. Yowling

Some cats are more prone to vocalizing than others. However, if your cat has recently begun singing a different tune—or your quiet kitty suddenly speaks up—they’re probably trying to tell you something is wrong.

2. Urinating or Defecating Outside of the Litter Box

If your cat is completely litter box trained, it should be unusual for you to spot soiling in other places in the house. A dirty or inadequate litter box might be the reason, as well as adopting a new cat that now shares the box. Ideally, each cat should have their own litter box, with one spare, to prevent territorial issues from arising.

3. Excessive Grooming

Cats do spend several hours a day licking themselves, so this one might be difficult to notice. However, you shouldn’t see your cat excessively grooming for hours on end or engaging in destructive behaviors, such as picking at their nails or biting their tail.

4. Not Eating or Drinking

Appetites fluctuate, but it’s definitely not a good sign if your cat hasn’t eaten for 24 hours or more. If your cat hasn’t drank any water in the last 12 hours or shows other signs of illness, you should take them to the vet so they don’t dehydrate.

5. Binge Eating

Cats that feel like they must compete for attention and resources may resort to gorging themselves when they do find food. If they’re depleting their meals much faster than usual, consider investing in a slow feeder and serving your cats separately if you have more than one. If the behavior continues for longer than a few days, you might want to take your cat to the vet. Overeating can be a sign of purely physical problems that will need to be medically addressed, such as hyperthyroidism.

6. Hiding

When cats don’t feel their best, they like to find a secluded place to recover. You should provide a safe and stable place for your cat to rest where they won’t be bothered by other animals. It may significantly increase their mental well-being to simply take a break.

When Should You Take Your Cat to the Vet

Unfortunately, stress can cause and exacerbate physical issues. Anxiety can also masquerade as a purely physical issue. For example, if your cat suddenly yowls and strains to urinate, they could have an obstruction, UTI, or bladder stone, especially if they are an older feline. Since the physical and mental attributes of your cat are so closely intertwined, you should always take your cat to see the vet if you notice any of these signs:

Even if you don’t notice any of these more serious signs, you should still consider taking your kitty to the clinic if you know that they are anxious and the issue persists for more than a couple of days. Untreated anxiety can lead to worse problems, such as FLUTD.

Top 3 Tips to Help Alleviate Cat Stress

Figuring out what’s ailing your cat should be the first step you take, unless you feel compelled to take your cat to the vet immediately. Timing can be crucial, as it can lead you to the cause. For example, did it start when new neighbors moved in next door with their barking Beagle and screeching children? Was your cat acting anxious when your best friend came to visit last weekend? Once you can pinpoint where the problem started, you can begin implementing changes like these to your cat’s lifestyle to compensate for the stress.

1. Give Them a Place to Rest

Creating a quiet, sunny oasis with some hiding holes for your cat can essentially act as therapy for them, especially if they share a house with other animals or children. Your cat should have a spot that’s completely theirs, even if it’s only a corner of a room or the top shelf of a closet.

2. Switch Their Food, If Necessary

You may want to discuss this option with your vet before making your decision. If your vet determines that your cat has FLUTD, they may recommend that you change their formula to a recipe that better supports their condition. This is usually in the form of a prescription diet that’s pH balanced for urinary complications, or you will simply switch to a wet food since dry kibble is more difficult to process and has a slightly dehydrating effect.

3. Ensure That There Are Enough Resources

If you keep more than one cat, remember that felines are territorial creatures. Help them live without stress by ensuring that there are enough resources for all of them, from litter boxes and food plates to safe resting and hiding places. Never assume that your cats are happily sharing a plate or a box; you could be missing the subtle signs of displacement and resource competition stress.

4. Take Your Time With Them

Most cats crave your attention. It’s important to carve time out of your day to simply be with them, especially if you’ve just experienced a big life change, such as moving houses. Fun fact: Science shows that petting your cat reduces your stress too. A mere 10-minute petting session decreases cortisol, a hormone that’s responsible for expressing stress. Even if you have a busy day ahead, you can incorporate mini-sessions with your cat. Consider your pet’s preferences, of course, since some cats prefer not to be touched, but they may still appreciate playtime. Others greatly enjoy physical contact, and if that’s the case, petting them while your coffee’s brewing can go a long way toward bettering their mood and yours.

Conclusion

Stress isn’t a definable illness like diabetes. However, it is indirectly responsible for pet deaths because of its negative impact on the body as a whole. You should always seek to alleviate stressors as soon as you notice your cat acting anxious. Stress can be the cause of problems with your cat’s urinary tract and give aid to the most common enemies waging war against your cat’s health, including infections, behavioral problems, and digestive issues.

Making sure your cat lives a happy and healthy life is your responsibility as an owner. You can promote animal welfare by ensuring that your pet has what they need to live free from hunger, thirst, fear, discomfort, injury, disease, or distress while still allowing them to express the natural behaviors of their species. Maintaining beneficial habits, such as extra quality time, can make both of you less stressed and improve your health overall.

Featured Image Credit: Lia Koltyrina, ShutterstockLia Koltyrina, Shutterstock