What does Separation Anxiety look like in your cat and how can you help?

[@PhanieDaemonia]

Cats know your routine better than yourself: my cat figured out that the alarms clocks ring, I get up. So she figured out how to TURN OFF the alarm clock before I get up. Ended up late to work a couple of time before I finally caught up with her act..... (She would go back to sleep on top of me immediately as if nothing had happened)

[@clairmoreau2553]

Hahahahahaaa!

[@laurenharvey7710]

My cat knows I need to answer my work phone. When the phone rings and we're relaxing on break, she sits on me to try and keep me from getting to the phone before it goes to voicemail 😂

[@jkishhabi]

My cat disliked the loudness of my alarm clock so much he started unplugging the clock every time the alarm started to sound. He would run and jump on the cord close to the wall and unplug it.

[@dickmarx1298]

Mine figured out the alarm too. I don't need the alarm because she wakes me up every morning at that time

[@lizardpoo8524]

Awe that's quite cute

[@wendymuir7818]

The myth of the "aloof, independent cat" needs to end. I've never had a cat that didn't seek to bond with family.

[@MariahRose1]

my boyfriends mom adopted a MEAN cat who would swipe at the other cats and at you for no reason and over the years she got more comfortable and loved company. every time you walk in the door she gets excited and her tail jitters. she likes to sit by people and play with toys. she will still swipe at you if you walk past her and she hates to be pet, but she loves her people. there really is no such thing as an aloof cat.

[@martipattinsonmartiprealto80]

I've got two ferals 7 years old who are aloof! We've tried everything including Jackson's.kitty formula he recommends! All to no avail...

[@soadj28]

@@martipattinsonmartiprealto80 You shouldn't try to adopt feral adults, leave them in their colony, kittens, you may be able to reach.

[@safsren]

I went to bed last night getting cuddles from all three of my cats

[@martipattinsonmartiprealto80]

@@soadj28 I got them at my vet of 30 years office. Someone had rescued and taken in for neutering. Vet didn't know the colony or a colony so they adopted them out. I foolishly thought they were young enough to tame. Spot will come to bed with me. If I stay horizontal he stays and let's me pet him. If I roll over it's all over! 😻😻😻

[@themonalaura6292]

plot twist: i’m the one who gets separation anxiety when i’m away from my cat

[@bab00shka48]

That's soooo me, when I get away to visit my boyfriend I'm always like "i miss my stinky cat"

[@cjlive5182]

I don’t like being gone longer than 2 nights!

[@wombat.6652]

Me too. And I only go out to get the groceries. [ yeah ok i have separation blues for my friends ]

[@sarahp4855]

Sameee. My kitten got really sick and is very sensitive to certain things and every time I’m away I get so worried!

[@titanofgrapes3104]

Omg Same! 😆

[@mandypdx]

I followed Jackson’s advise and got another cat, 10 days ago. I followed all his introduction advise!! They cuddle, sleep together, play together. I’m sooo happy 🙌

[@NegleLir]

Wow in just 10 days!!! That's quick!! We spent 4 months with the separated cats before they accepted each other and could meet without fighting 😻

[@90scarguy]

Man my kitten cried like this all of the time. Think it was six weeks when I threw it out of my back door. Never seen it again, got a new way cooler kitten.

[@Blueberryyymuffin]

@@90scarguy …

[@necordektox879]

@@90scarguy obvious troll is obvious.

[@samseidel1831]

My girl is a only child

[@O-Demi]

My parents' cat has separation anxiety. I was sleeping over at their place and woke up when my parents both went to work and the cat was meowing miserably near the entrance door, but the second he saw me, that someone's in the house with him, he calmed down and got very happy

[@amy6780]

The fact that he has a Woobie in his mouth is heartbreaking but so cute at the same time😭

[@robinmcnamara9200]

What do you do when you go on vacation?

[@ckotcher1]

@@robinmcnamara9200 It’s not right to leave for vacation and leave a cat without supervision ☹️. Unless you are only going on an overnight or weekend trip and leave lots of food and water, it’s best to get a cat sitter.

[@robinmcnamara9200]

@@ckotcher1 I guess my question has been mis construed. I meant when you go on vacation and the supervision is not you. I always have a pet sitter. I would never ever leave my cat without a pet sitter- overnight or over a weekend.

[@nafasag6351]

@@ckotcher1 👏👏👏

[@Cwgrlup]

My cat has a woodbie of a squirrel and makes this exact same cry

[@kenmancini6088]

When I was younger, my family had a cat named Festus that acted like "Mister Independent" when the family was around him but showed his true colors when he thought he had been left alone. For a couple of years, my two sisters and I were all away at college at the same time. When we would come home for holidays and semester breaks he was happy to see us but when it was time to go back to school, he would jump up into the suitcases and make angry sounding meows. When we tried to apologize to him for leaving him, he would turn and only show us his butt. After graduating, I moved back in with my parents for a while and had a job where I worked the night shift. After my parents left for work, I would still be bed. Festus, when he thought he had been left alone, would pick up a little doll of his and walk around the house making the most pitiful sound I've ever heard. All I had to do was open my bedroom door a little and say something to let him know I was there and he would drop the doll and go take a nap in his favorite chair.

[@theflashgirl2057]

Your cat really doesn t want anyone to know his weakness. That cute furry creature. I already love him even tho i never saw him. Bc my cat acts like a tough kitty too

[@poweredbymoonlight9869]

Our cats can't stand for long to be the only one(s) in the house if everyone is going outside only to be on the yard for maybe an hour, or is they *think* they are the only ones left inside..they get so anxious and meowing so desperatly and looks so sad. -It's kind of silly because they should hear everyone's voices anyway, so it's not like we left the yard or anything. Having that pityful face when we come back inside.

[@marzipanmerci1068]

This makes me wanna cry. Our old cat used to be like this. I went oversea for a month. He kept meowing, trying to find me and fell sick for a week or two. My brothers would sooth him down by accompanying him hang out in my bedroom, where he would sleep on his favourite spot or go bird sighting as he always did. He was quite an extroverted cat. We once renovated the floor upstairs and two workers had been coming in and out throughout the day. He grew attached and went searching for them when the work was already finished two weeks after. Though it wasn't hard to distract him with playtime, but oftentimes he would still lingered around in search for the bois.

[@cathyroland6413]

@@theflashgirl2057 That is so cute...... I grew up with dogs and have had six cats since becoming an adult, all my cats act more like dogs needy desire attention meet me at the door. I truly believe they know I was a Dog person converted to Cat person but need but still need the dog behavior not the work.

[@nonyabidness5708]

My cat does this and I thought she was just beimg dramatic because her wubbie is a toy mouse. I thought she was like "look what I just hunted!" But I was confused as to why she always does it when I nap... This makes sense.

[@Wolffeathers21]

I'm thinking we'll need more videos about this once quarantine is over. A lot of us are spending a bunch of time at home and when we start going back to work, it's likely our cats will be confused and develop anxiety.

[@lifewithashchrissycat9327]

yeah my cat and i are around eachother like 24/7 bc she loves being around me, and i am worried about when i have to go back to school or vacations

[@peachpourla]

Hi

[@luistigerfox]

JRRnotTolkien the regular flu really isn’t more lethal. Generally in the US for instance, up to 49,000 people die annually from flu, whereas covid19 caused over 100k in just over 3 months. Also, more telling is there’s generally 25-50 million documented influenza cases that cause the up to 49k deaths. Meanwhile documented COVID cases in the us, in the neighborhood of 1.7 million leading to 100k deaths gives a number nearly 10 times more lethal.

[@misstati-tatianna1627]

Yes this is my cat it’s so annoying because she is breaking my blinds since I’ve went back to work and I’m renting so now I have to buy 5 new blinds all different sizes and he says that they might not feel safe when there’s no humans but my son is home alllllll day wit them

[@LadyOcon]

one of my cats went anxious because we were all in the house for too much time ("why havent you left yet? i cant bother the other cats with all of you here") xD the other cats where happier, and one was cool with it.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

When I was in hospital for five days, recently, it wasn't my cat who had separation anxiety. My goodness, I suffered!

[@christinefilas9392]

I'm glad to get out of the house and away from the pesty cat.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

@@christinefilas9392 Maybe you shouldn't own a cat, then.

[@christinefilas9392]

@@annalieff-saxby568 It is my partner's cat. She works,, I'm retired so I'm saddled with the animal all day. This is not how I envisioned my twilight years being, I certainly had no intention of getting stuck with any responsibility that I didn't choose to have!

[@annalieff-saxby568]

@@christinefilas9392 Poor cat! Living with someone who dislikes you is horrible, whether you're human or not.

[@sarahjagenberg5620]

@@christinefilas9392 Then get out of the situation you are in. Not fair to the poor cat. Not fair to your partner either.

[@grandbean9031]

That poor Odin looked like he was having a freaking panic attack, the poor baby. I legit started tearing up just seeing this. It's like watching a kid find their parent dead in a room and unable to understand what to do so it just goes around crying and yelling.

[@FreakyBo0o]

Me too, I started tearing up every time Jackson played the tape of Oden crying. Utterly heartbreaking.

[@90scarguy]

Man my kitten cried like this all of the time. Think it was six weeks when I threw it out of my back door. Never seen it again, got a new way cooler kitten.

[@SkyGodKazuha]

@@90scarguy what

[@90scarguy]

@@SkyGodKazuha Is reading hard for you?

[@than0shark]

@@90scarguy that happened lmao

[@wintermoon7003]

When I went to college, my parents told me how my cat would meow for me and look for me, even go to my old bedroom. They put her on the phone and when I started talking to her she would just instantly meow like she was talking to me like she was telling me how her time was!

[@haneenasad]

🥺❤️❤️

[@Ennasyl]

Allan ( my cat) has been beaten and abandoned in the streets during cold Canadian winter as a kitten, I adopted him at 11 months old from a shelter, and he suffers from anxiety , especially separation one. I can’t leave the flat for more than 9h before he starts crying so loudly that the whole building can hear him. He also cries when he doesn’t see me when I’m home. He is such a sweet, non-agressive and cuddly cat, he deserves to feel better. Thanks for this vid !

[@Kat-u1d]

one of my boys was, i think, born in the shelter and separated fairly young from his mom. He also yells if he can't find us when we're home, even if we call him, he makes us come to him! Definitely glad this video was posted. we'll have to try some things here and see if that can help him. We've made him a little den in previous apartments and he seemed to love it. sounds like it's time to make him a new little safe space.

[@forestnymphconfessions3596]

Poor Allen! Glad he has a loving person now! ❤😻❤ I hope his anxiety can be relieved.

[@Crissy.7554]

Stress or Anxiety can be serious in cats. Kitties can develop serious health concerns due to stress. My 1 year old former outdoor kitty developed Feline Urinary Tract Disease which is very manageable. A vet visit maybe necessary to help your kitty with behavioral changes or medication to help him.

[@dcwatashi]

9 hours??? Maybe you should also think about adopting another cat like Jackson recommended in this video. Hope you try the routine that he suggested regarding just leaving for a few minutes. However I think it would be great if you could adopt another cat and get it out of a shelter. Try a rescue group instead because they more attention to a cat's personality than an actual Animal shelter

[@Ennasyl]

Thanks to you all ❤️ I will try what Jackson recommends for sure! Also, he has a vet visit planned when quarantine ends. We will beat his anxiety. I can’t adopt a cat right now, but next year I plan on moving with a friend who has a cat. I can’t wait for my baby to feel better.

[@RikoLime]

I had a Siamese who would do this if she couldn't find me. Example: I'm being quiet in my room , maybe watching a video, and she'd do this up and down the hallway. Id call to her "I'm in here! Come here! You're not lost! " she'd come running in AL happy. We call it them being "lost" cus she would act like a kid lost in a grocery store calling out to find mom. She was SUPER attached to me. Independent, social, playful, but this was a cat who came when I called, left when I said "go" and pointed, fetched, etc - incredibly intelligent, she just couldnt take it tho if she couldn't find myself. Or my mom

[@RedRoseSeptember22]

My big girl does this too, and she'll scare herself awake too when she's been asleep for a while, I always have to call her and let her know where I am too. ♥

[@silverbane8065]

mine miaows a lot sometimes at the bottom of the stairs. i'll call her but she sometimes acts like she cant hear me (i know she can lol, i think shes being stubborn and wants me to get out of bed lol) right now, she will sit beside me on my bed and later at night sort of cross between a miaow and an a chitter. she does it on the floor to, its only been this year. yet during sunlight hours shes quiet. im tempted to get an old 4hr vhs and find a way to record 8hrs on longplay of birds garden ect for catTV and just plug it into an old big CRT tv that she can paw and bat at that cant fall on her. good use for older tech hehe, most kids dont even know what at video recorder is, but i still have one someplace lol

[@bethbrodhacker1027]

Mine does the same thing

[@Creator-Kami]

We call it "lost" too!! Our little boy Pinky used to climb up in my parents' closet to hide away someplace cozy, soft, familiar smelling, and dark. But he'd get confused sometimes and would just make these little "Meow? Meow???" sounds that always made us think he had gotten lost. We would call to him and he'd come out to us every time. He also used to do this in places like our foyer in front of the door. Maybe when the house gets super quiet, they assume the family has left the house.

[@rowlandbuck2703]

Same here. Last 2 cats I’ve had have done it sporadically. Especially if Someone leaves the room and they are not aware of it. Our cats will also do it if one is outside and the other is not.

[@maureenseel118]

The woobie got me. Carrying the baby around and crying... 😭

[@lauraferris1608]

It reminds me of that poor Orca that swam around with her dead baby balanced on her nose for weeks a few years ago. Heartbreaking. :(

[@chickadeeacres3864]

We found that leaving a radio on to a all talk station gives him comfort hearing voices.

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Rolande how’s the weather over there

[@angelafarrar2926]

MINE LOVE CAT TV WITH THE BIRDS 🐦 AND THE ONE THAT PLAYS SOFT CALMING MUSIC.. SINCE IM INTEGRATING 2CATS I PUT THE SOFT MUSIC ON AT NIGHT FOR MY FUR BABY THAT CAN'T COME IN MY ROOM YET WITHOUT SUPERVISION. AND THE OTHER ONE LIKES BIRDS IN THE MORNING SO I CAN GIVE BREAKFAST AND THEN GET SOME REST. IM A CANCER PATIENT SO THIS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. BOTH CATS ARE 2. JAXSON IS 14LBS GEMMA IS 9LBS. WE JUST ADOPTED HER FROM A SHELTER AND SHE WAS A STRAY BEFORE THAT SO WE DON'T KNOW ANY HISTORY OR TRAUMA SHE'S BEEN THRU. BUT WE USE JACKSONS PEACEMAKER FOR A WEEK NOW ON EVERYTHING AND THEY GET 6INCHES APART AND GEMMA STARTS HISSING AND GROWLING. JAXSON JUST WANTS TO PLAY AND SMELL HER. HE IS SO GENTLE WITH HER. HE LOOKS AT ME SO SADLY LIKE MOM WHY WON'T SHE BE NICE? HE EVEN WENT AND GOT A TOY AND BROUGHT IT TO HER AND LAYED IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER. HE IS TRYING SO HARD, HE CRIES AT MY DOOR WANTING IN, AND IT KILLS ME. I TRY TO KEEP EQUAL PLAY TIME BUT I HAVE TO REST TOO CAUSE OF CANCER AND MY MEDS MAKE ME SLEEPY. THEY GO INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND WALK AROUND BUT IF HE GETS TOO CLOSE SHE HISSES. HE SOMETIMES CHASES HER OR RAISES UP ON HIS BACK FEET BUT IT'S JUST CAUSE HE WANTS TO PLAY. BUT SHE STILL THINKS THAT BIG LOVING KITTYOF 14LBS IS GONNA GET HER... ANYBODY GOT ANY POINTERS? I'VE DONE EVERYTHING. EVEN PUTTING HER IN HER CRATE IN THE LIVING ROOM AND LETTING HIM SMELL HER THRU THERE. GOT A BIG CRATE COMING TOMORROW THAT HOLDS A BED,LITTER BOX, FOOD AND WATER. SO SHE CAN BE OUT OF MY ROOM AND GET USED TO THE LIVINGROOM MORE. BUT FEEL SAFE THAT HE CAN'T GET HER. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!! IM EXHAUSTED 😩 😪 😻😻😿😿💯🥱🥱

[@Hannagrant123]

I’m so glad you’ve done a video on this, especially during lockdown. My cat follows me everywhere & has gotten very attached to me the last few months, to the point where I went out yesterday for the first time in about 7 weeks (for literally 2 hours) & my boyfriend told me my fur baby was running around the house crying/meowing/calling for me & wouldn’t settle at all. She was really distressed which is concerning & I want to help her. Looking forward to this video, your advice is great! X

[@Madmatt18]

7 weeks without going outside at all? self quarantine doesnt meant you cant get sunlight and fresh air

[@Hannagrant123]

Matty Matt I’ve been in my garden, my cat comes out with me. When I said ‘out’ in my above comment I meant like actually left my house/garden

[@carlyh6913]

@@Hannagrant123 my cats are the same. I'm confused bc I thought they'd be happier I'm home more but I guess new routine is confusing

[@paupey7594]

Same here, I haven't been going out except for shopping nearby, and even then my bf was there, so Octo was never alone. He's always been trying to come with me when I was going to work/school, and he seems to have enjoyed confinement with me a LOT. Plus he's a rescue cat and was in very bad health when found. So I've been worried about him getting depressed when I leave for full days most of the week again. I'm really glad this video came up, it's just what I needed :)

[@amandaf9784]

@@carlyh6913 Yep mine has started crying ALL THE TIME (read my comment above for the full story) when I'm in a different room, working on my computer etc. We have a routine and everything yet he's gotten really clingy which I don't mind other than I'm worried when I'll be gone for a normal workday soon :(

[@TopFurret]

My cat does all of this to a tee. At night sometimes she'll forget we're here and begin vocalizing. When I call her name her pitch will change immediately and she'll come running.

[@GraV21]

TopFurret one of mine (Munchkin) does the same thing. She’s the alpha to her sister but she cries and yowls looking for me whenever she thinks I’m gone. Half the time I’m still there lol. As soon as I call her. I see the door bust open and she will come stare me in my face and blink at me slowly.

[@amberfrank4536]

TopFurret my male cat does that my ex kept our other cat when we broke up that he bassically grew up with , I have another cat at my dads but she’s a girl and he’s a male and hasn’t been fixed yet she has but still I don’t want them to end up fighting

[@nancydrew2020]

Is your cat old? Yowling at the night can be a sign of dementia

[@MsSarab79]

Mine does it around 5am

[@MsSarab79]

@@nancydrew2020 , it's not dementia... my cat has been doing since a kitten. She does it when everyone is asleep.

[@Corixoxoxo]

whenever jackson says woobie i cant help but smile everytime.

[@Linandsimba]

same! lol

[@NickUncommon]

Never heard before, is it a made up term? Non native speaker here.

[@Corixoxoxo]

@@NickUncommon I think is a made up term. A woobie is a stuffed animal or blanket that gives a sense of comfort. Like how children have a special doll they carry everywhere to bring them comfort.

[@cousinwit9552]

@@NickUncommon I am a native speaker, and have never heard this term before! Maybe it's made up. Maybe specific to where Jackson lives?

[@christinefilas9392]

@@NickUncommon Why can't it just be called a " toy " ? That's what they are.

[@AmyProctor]

I've found that leaving my smart TV on KZbin with cat videos really help. There's a whole genre of "for cat" videos featuring 11 hours of birds, squirrels... it's really helped my cat not be as anxious! I also leave a different one up on my computer screen when I'm gone 😇

[@bambinaforever1402]

My cats got bored after watching it twice. Now they ignore it totally

[@miss420mj]

​@@bambinaforever1402 did you switch it up? I play different videos for my cat and dog all the time because of separation anxiety. It helps keep them calm and I normally come home to them cuddling on the couch! 🥰

[@Sabrinaaa36]

same!

[@tienqi140]

wow

[@MrQuiggleify]

I'm a child and youth worker and hearing Jackson describe trauma and the life story of this cat reminds me so much of working with vulnerable children. I recently adopted a stray cat and a lot of principles from my work seem to translate into caring for my new cat friend.

[@Vera----]

exactly! I am very prone to understand animals and when I see children misunderstood, I immediately see the resemblance.

[@Rooted_Locs]

When I'm away from my cat for a day or two... She will sleep in my chest for a week straight before she feels reassured that I won't be leaving again. She also tears up my toilet paper to show me how mad she was

[@hauntedshadowslegacy2826]

rip, that's one expensive commodity to lose

[@CrazyDeeDee]

Yeah I was going to say, nooo not the toilet paper, not now! 🤣

[@krisd6811]

Aww

[@bekahnavarro]

If I visit my parents (though not now that we're all in lockdown) my husband while tell me how much my "son" is acting up. My black long hair has always been a Mama's Boy and he will be super grouchy with my husband if I'm gone more than a night.

[@Em-im1yz]

My cat flossy does that

[@whitemoonwolf13]

this made me cry. dunno why, just something about him wandering around and crying, my heart broke for the poor buddy. there has always kinda been an unspoken rule in my family. never have a solo pet, adopt litter mates if you can, make sure everyone has their own tree. our only pet that had seperation anxiety, or anxiety in general has been our dog. poor boy is a rescue, found as a stray and speculated to have had an abusive home. he's gotten better over the years but he still pants and paces when my father leaves the house.

[@dubya85]

good rule !!

[@blinkie1114]

Great advice, I am hoping to get a cat soon but I’ll make sure I adopt get two siblings :) preferably, grown up or older cats 💕

[@jeanettebunch1]

I wish I could do that. My cat has severe separation anxiety, unfortunately I don’t know her backstory as I adopted her when she was 2 from a shelter. They did tell me she does not like other cats / animals and boy it’s true! She does not tolerate having any other animals in the house I have tried. I just try to give her as much love and attention as I can.

[@retnaningheryuanti6008]

I hope I can get a friend for my cat in the future. As right now I'm too broke and I live in a 2 rooms (bedroom and bathroom) of rental room, so it is pretty cramped. I do feel bad when my cat sulking after being left alone in the room.

[@90scarguy]

Man my kitten cried like this all of the time. Think it was six weeks when I threw it out of my back door. Never seen it again, got a new way cooler kitten.

[@YaniCakes8]

I can’t even go to the restroom without my cat crying for me...

[@puraroldan]

Yanira Reyes me too! As my cat got older (he's 11 now) anytime my husband, daughter or I close the bathroom or bedroom doors, he begins, howling and scratching the corner of the door to plead to let him in. He does this if we come home and quickly go back out to throw out the garbage too; or when my husband takes too long to get from the car to the house once he's aware my husband is parked in the driveway. We laugh and soothe him, and his crying is quick and not annoying but my goodness! He's like a 2 year old around here.

[@saharaamazinglady]

My cat was like that too. Another cat rlly helped her calm down and enjoy her space.

[@YaniCakes8]

Sahara Anne Burns I have 3 cats and he’s still like that. I think because he’s a kitten an not neutered yet. But I already have an appointment for June 1. Hopefully he calms down.

[@gabrielamatejczuk9694]

Same my Mia is 1 year old and even if I’m at home but in the bathroom or another room she’s crying. The worst thing is when my boyfriend is in one room and I’m in another we can’t close the door cause she have to be able to walk from one room to another to check on us.

[@TheDotBot]

My cats (one he, one she, both neutered) also did that, no clue why. Ignore me for hours but the minute I decide it's time for a good old dump? I write it down to one of those weird cat psychology things... it didn't bother me, it seemed existentially important to them so why fight it.

[@voltronsbluelion]

I've had to limit my cat to a single room sometimes when she gets separation anxiety. Somehow, having a smaller environment seems to make her feel like there's fewer possibilities of harm - fewer variables, less stimulation all working together.

[@raymondc9513]

My heart breaking hearing that cat calling for comfort 😭

[@elizabethelliott3175]

This poor cat with his toy! He's so afraid. I hope for all good things for Odin.

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Elizabeth how’s the weather over there

[@debbieexcell5088]

I would like to see the follow up for Maria's cat, Odin.

[@laineybugger]

My cat does this every single night, about 30 minutes after we’ve gone to bed. She will stand in the living room and cry like that as if she’s lost or doesn’t know where we are. She sleeps with as at night, I call her and she comes running and is fine the rest of the night

[@minicat3640]

My cat does the same! After I call to her a couple times she chills out.

[@jennynadershahi4734]

My Alice does aswell, she carries little green fluffy toy whilst crying, bless her this is also in the night?

[@Soupersam09]

Omg same with my cat. I’m like “Kaiya! You saw us go upstairs!”. Then when I call to her she runs up to us and finally stops crying

[@mjc42701]

My late kitty did this also, she would have her favorite toy "Fishy" a rainbow fish in her mouth and carry it until I got up and got her, it would happen if she was asleep in one of her spots when I went to bed, I wouldn't want to wake her but when I did and carried her to bed with me she was fine. I had her for almost 23 years, she was my soul mate in fur, I adopted a brother and sister from a shelter and they are my heart now, all of them have a special personality.

[@thealmightym]

My cat does the exact same thing. I go to bed, Maus grabs a stuff toy, and yowls and paces until I come out and show her where I am.

[@karenlerato357]

When I started getting back to work my cats had the same. I decided to buy a small little radio and they listen to our favourite radio station all day long. You won't believe how much that has calmed them down. 😻❤💃👏

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Karen how’s the weather over there

[@ptanyuh]

KZbin has a bunch of "cat relaxation" music and that has helped my dude as well. He hasn't been feeling well lately but he's on the mend (I hope)--he's 19. Listening to this music at night helps both him AND me relax, which in turn he feeds off of.

[@jcgurl3773]

That video broke my heart, poor cat he is so anxious. I hope he is doing better after Jackson's advice.

[@sm32646]

My cat Idgie of blessed memory was very attached to my father. Idgie was a good traveler, and used to travel with me to visit my parents every year. The first time we visited my mom together after my dad passed away, Idgie cried and paced throughout the house, clearly looking for my dad and calling out in distress while dragging around a washcloth she used as a woobie. She finally deposited the woobie under his desk in his study, where he spent a lot of time. It was the saddest/ sweetest thing. She missed her grandpa.

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Sabina how’s the weather over there

[@ArcadianWizard]

Oh my goodness 🥺🥺

[@lauraferris1608]

Omg. That's breaks my heart. Poor sweet baby. :(

[@rp338]

My cat seems emotionally healthy. He likes that I’m home but he needs “alone” time too. He disappears for a few hours a day while I work at home.

[@rhorizon]

I've been a house and cat sitter several times and have seen this particularly in younger cats. The worst was a 2-year old, Fred, whose people left for 6 weeks. Even with me there, he would howl around the front door like this for about a half hour every eve after eating until I could finally convince him to cuddle or play with me. It slowly died down, week after week, but Fred was devastated even with me there and no matter how much I reassured him. :(

[@singingstars5006]

My husband used to be away quite often on business. I remember our elderly cat would look for my husband around 5pm and watch in the window for him most of the evening. When my husband called me at night, our cat knew his voice through the speakerphone and would come to phone and meow. He can handle us going away on vacations for three days but he's really needy for the next week. And this is a very independent cat with low cuddle needs. I can't imagine being gone six weeks. That's brutal.

[@randybobandy4000]

My Baby was so mad when we brought our boy home, she wouldn't look me in the eyes for a week 😂. But now they're bffs and cuddle together all day 💗.

[@brendaoquin]

Oh my gosh, I think my cat has separation anxiety. She was found as a stray and placed in a shelter where we later adopted her. She howls for half the night after we’ve gone to bed and she will, at times, howl if we leave the room. Vet appt is scheduled to ensure it isn’t physical and we do have another cat of whom she has bonded. This was hugely helpful. Thank you!

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Brenda how’s the weather over there

[@jens8487]

My cat walks around and cries with a stuffed furby in her mouth when she can’t find me. Maybe she does it when I go to work. I sometimes find furby near the front door. It never occurred to me that it might be separation anxiety. When she calls for me at night, I swear it sounds like she’s saying, “Mom? Mom?” ❤️❤️❤️

[@cynthiakukman2724]

I did have a cat that called me mom... my kids thought it was funny.

[@stephanietracey1108]

Good timing! I took in an 18yo cat a few months before quarantine. it took us a while to bond, but he’s grown quite attached in the weeks I’ve been home. If he’s not napping, he spends the work day on my lap, and if he loses sight of me, he will often wander around the house crying until he finds me. I’m so glad we finally bonded, but definitely thinking about how he will handle me going back to the office eventually!

[@JasperisCasper]

My cat was 3 when we got her from the shelter. She had been there for months and was sick. She let me hold her there, but as soon as we got her home she hid under the couch for months. Now, she's incredibly attached to me and has awful separation anxiety.. I've had to be hospitalized several times and EVERY time she has lost weight from not eating when I'm not home. She cries when she thinks she's alone. It's so sad. I'm thrilled to bits she loves me but I worry about her. I'd get another cat but there's a one pet limit here. Gonna try the other tips, though.

[@SprinkledFox]

Aaaww, how precious. Thank you for adopting a senior 💖

[@christinefilas9392]

@@JasperisCasper Nevermind the cat, I hope you're feeling better.

[@xoallison12ox]

My kitty never leaves my side. She cries when I take a shower or if I leave the room. She is a sweetheart, but I want to make sure she is confident to be on her own. Looking forward to this event!

[@dcwatashi]

She needs a friend!! Can you adopt another one? rescue groups are great because they usually have them in their homes and they can tell you exactly what that cats personality is versus an animal shelter

[@angel4animals956]

dcwatashi u r SOOOOO CORRECT...that is the best advice/VERY helpful words of wisdom u could give ANYONE with just 1 pet. Busy people (jobs, school, active social life/hobbies, gym, etc) who aren’t really home long enough to truly cuddle, play, bond, or just properly hang out (& better yet hang out while snuggled right next to)their baby, should not hesitate to work on finding him/her the thing most lonesome cats/dogs/all types of pets want more than anything for ALL their lifetime Xmas & bday gifts combined: a best friend to share their (newly EXTRA EXTRA happy & fun), never-again-lonesome life with!! They love us enough that if the tables were turned, they’d do anything to save us from a lonely, boring, sad life...u know they do, if u are the wonderful, loving pet parent they need & deserve for all of us to be. Good luck & best wishes for lots of health & happiness to all who read this, & of course their fur or feathered babies too!!😽🐶🐣👍😃💕

[@xoallison12ox]

@@dcwatashi We are actually planning to adopt a brother for her, but due to covid, we had to put those plans on hold. Thank you so much for the advice though! It's reassuring to know that plan is a good one

[@Nana-zx7nc]

My cat was like that too when I first adopted her. Now she’s a year old and very independent.

[@vadymvolodko7252]

I think I will be continuing my CBD treatment. I was just given CBD products from Weedborn and I feel so much better these days : D

[@loes3161]

Jackson, I want to thank you for all this free consultation❤

[@jennifermuir1427]

He makes money from KZbin, subscribers, and Animal Planet (It's a Channel on Cable TV. He had a show called, "My Cat From Hell.") He also, designs and makes cat toys and products. He's written two books, too.

[@nerdymiumiu]

It’s so crazy to me how cats can also be affected by past trauma just like humans and it affects them their rest of their life. My two cats are 1 year old sisters and if one gets in trouble and gets Locked the restroom the other one cried until her sister is let out lol

[@cruzcoon]

This is so true..my cats were brother and sister .when he was very young he saw her get killed by a car...(she led and when is was safe enough he would follow...)he watched us bury her,and sat and circled her grave for days...about six yrs later he wont cross a street.afraid of moving cars! Every time hes in a car hes howling loud and panics...so ya so true

[@AtrumNoxProductions]

I am moving out and my roommate's cat has really attached to me. He sleeps with me and usually will sit right by me. I will be so sad to leave him behind. I hope he will be okay too.

[@MonaHerSelfM]

You'll break is little heart. Sorry.

[@bopeepaleep]

Oh no 😢

[@annarehbinder7540]

I would ask if the cat can come with if you can.

[@missbraindamage]

What happened with your roommate's cat?

[@raven123xox]

Curious as well lol

[@abak3948]

Meanwhile my cats like, when is this woman going back to work?

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

😂😄😂😄😂

[@mightymoose1158]

Cat: Did you lose your job? Shocker 🙄 You: buddy?

[@christinefilas9392]

Good to know there are some that aren't neurotic.

[@quanz8670]

My family is generally very busy and don't have time to play with our cat, so we decided to get 2 so they play with each other. Best decision ever, they keep each other company and never get bored or lonely.

[@葵-s8u]

Another idea for the crate training; try putting a blanket over the top but leave enough room on the sides for him to see out and still feel comfortable.

[@carinawoodmansee9699]

I adopted a cat from our local shelter who said she was a stray. When we brought her home she was so afraid of everything and everyone but really loved my teen daughter. At bedtime or school time however, she would cry and cry for my daughter. She never seemed happy so I decided she needed a friend.... Another kitty. Got a little kitten for her, introduced slowly but she just loved that bouncy little kitty that was always coming after her. That was little over a year ago and they're the happiest, sweetest kitties ever. Kitties really are happier with a friend but getting another kitten is the best way to go. Getting a full grown cat for your cat can cause territorial issues.

[@noradennis4361]

I wish I knew this when I had my first cat Snowball. For 11 years she was a loner until we adopted a cat who showed up at our doorstep. I think she would have accepted him when she was younger, but at 11 years old she never accepted him, stopped going to the bathroom in her litter box etc. She never grew to like him. I never got rid of her, just cleaned up after her when she did her business around the house. Nor did I get rid of the other cat because she didn't like him. There was no knock down drag out fights, he just learned to leave her alone. When she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, he missed her and for awhile wouldn't accept the new cat after she was introduced into the house. Eventually he did though. Snowball lived to be 20 when she left us. After all these years, I still miss her. She was a Turkish Angora that someone had left in a box on the side of the road. I took her to a vet, she was very sickly and had a cold in her eyes. That's how we found out what breed she was. I never understood why she was abandoned because she was left just outside of a ritzy neighborhood. Surely the person had the money to have a vet look her over. No matter, she ended being our queen and she knew it. She was also a great traveler. Rode in the car, usually sitting on my shoulders while I was driving, or sitting in my lap with her paws on the steering wheel. She flew to Hawaii with no complaining. 🙂 I really do miss her so much.

[@karengerber8390]

Bless Snowball's memory.

[@splenderella9]

What a sweet story - thank you for sharing! Sounds like you need another kitty soulmate...

[@aliceiscalling]

My cat has a similar story in regards to being left in a neighborhood, but we were able to find her previous "owners". My uncle had seen her wander around the neighborhood, getting attacked by ducks, for a year. He took her in when Hurricane Irma was coming. She's the sweetest cat any of us had ever known. Fast forward, I got to keep her. Take her to the vet, and she has a chip. The vet says we have to call the previous owners or we can't keep her. The owners lived in that _very same_ neighborhood as my uncle this whole time. Everyone there knew about this exact cat, but _somehow_ not them. They say she climbed the fence and they just assumed she was hit by a car. Never even looked for her. TL;DR: My cat's previous owners claimed she climbed the fence and assumed she was hit by a car. She wasn't and suffered as a stray for over a year.

[@jacquelynpowell7964]

I'm sorry for your loss. The more you love, the harder you grieve......

[@helsiclife]

My 6 year old tomcat does that EVERY night before we're going to sleep. He carries his teddies around the house yowling until he places the teddies in our room or next to our bed.

[@parsley59]

My cat too.

[@helsiclife]

@Sara he is fixed.

[@scottgahagan8276]

We had a tuxedo tom which behaved like your cat. After we went to bed, Farli carried a toy mousie around the house, upstairs and down. We called this his "yowing time". It was not especially loud, but seemed content. During the day, however, he took the mouse up to the two other cats and softly growled "My Mousie."

[@kateharmon2402]

My husband and I have a kitty who will meow so loudly like a seal that our neighbors have asked what it is. The puzzle with treats definitely works when we leave, bird feeder outside the window and we play music very softly sometimes if we’re gone longer than usual. Since we’re both musicians, we actually have a playlist of our music so it’s our voices. She’s gotten better, but we’ll see how it goes after quarantine because we barely leave now.

[@ptanyuh]

I was listening to this episode in my headphones with my cat on my lap and he HATED IT and ran away from me, heh. Poor stressed kitty noises----he has as much empathy as I do

[@jamiemyers8560]

Both my cats are crate trained, it’s really a blessing, they don’t mind going in and most of the time they’ll nap in the crates by themselves. People think I’m crazy or abusing them by crate training but it really helps. We get a lot of bad weather so they go in on instinct and we can all get to safety faster than wrangling cats during a tornadoe siren

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Jamie how’s the weather over there

[@lauraferris1608]

GREAT idea for those in tornado alley! Thanks for posting.

[@carlaa8542]

My cat does this too, even when we are home. He loves to bring his toy to us or if we are not home, he brings him to the back door. His toy is a bacon, which we’ve named Kevin bacon

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Carla how’s the weather over there

[@777shromp]

can confirm im very anxious when separated from my cat lmao

[@evensoncindy7628]

LoL. Me too!! But he doesn't talk about how to fix us!! 😂😂😂😂😂

[@MitsukiNeko95]

I never had a cat because everyone in my family except me is allergic to them. I love them and always wanted one. Now that I'm getting ready to move out from home I'm looking in the possibility to get one for the first time, and I want to be super ready when that moment comes, and your videos have help so much, truly I'll never have the words to thank for all the knowledge you share!

[@thepetcloud9120]

Thanks for this video. I just rescued a cat and he’s had lots of anxiety. He’s very loving but his anxiety has been heartbreaking. This video had some good advice, thank you 🙏🏼

[@ptanyuh]

Try some "cat relaxation" music on KZbin, maybe that'll help a bit :) I've also had success with Feliway.

[@jennifermuir1427]

@@ptanyuh What's Feliway?

[@cheetah219]

I'm sure the anxiety has gotten better but what really worked for me was only 5 minutes of playtime every few hours. And then slowly increasing the frequency or length until I either saw my cat get a little too aggressive (claw at my hand) or shy away and go into her hiding spot. Then I give a few treats to get her to warm up again. Then leave her alone for a few hours and just let her get used to alone time right after play time. She seems to have done well with this

[@DasNagi]

We got a new cat back in November and our older cat gets annoyed with her, but they are always together and following eachother around and our kitten is learning from our older girl, its a really sweet dinamic to see. Our older cat also seems so much more relaxed with the kitten around

[@danillerobertson9790]

My kitty cat loves his carrier. We don’t keep the door latched so he can get in and out as he pleases. It’s his favorite hideout.

[@andalouchien]

It also makes it easier to get them in when you need to take them to the vet

[@danillerobertson9790]

@Victoria Cornejo, heck yeah it does! 😆

[@hitsujiyume]

@@andalouchien took mine to the vet for her first annual checkup (she's only 15 months old) recently and, when we were through and i was just talking with the vet, she climbed up on the bench where her carrier was, climbed on top (it has a top door too and that was open in prep for me putting her in there), and put herself right back in (she put herself in there before we left the house too lol). i've had her since she was 5 weeks old and fed her in there for a good few months, plus she slept in there for a few weeks at first since she was so tiny, i didn't want to risk rolling over in my sleep and squishing her. she sees the carrier as a safe space and it makes scary situations a bit easier for her.

[@crystalheart9]

@@hitsujiyume You sound like a great kitty mom.

[@spooniejusticewarrior]

Same. In fact, when he scuffles with the other cats, i put him in the carrier and spray some pheromone spray in it and it calms him down. He sleeps in it sometimes on his own.

[@rickjohnson5532]

My three cats have definitely attached to me a few months ago I was moving so I took them to my local pet resort..... they were fine till I started to leave my AJ started howling and crying so I go back in to calm him down that's when my little girl Ally and Tomoe the youngster of the bunch started acting out I gotta tell you it was the hardest thing I've had to do, and they calmed down even though I was back to visit the very next day. they understood I wasn't leaving them there forever and they calmed down. but it was very traumatic for them and me.

[@KendaraDark]

My family got a kitten about two years ago from someone who had clearly not taken care of her litter. We ended up finding out he had Ringworm and had to keep him isolated for two months as a baby. My mom is the one who took the most care of him (I was working) but ever since then, Niko has been almost desterbingly attached to me. No matter what I do, play, feed, cuddle, he always comes back demanding my attention. Repeated jumping on my lap and climbing all over me crying. He won't lay down, he just stands there making it impossible to do much of anything. I pet him and love him and set him down on the ground, and he turns right back around and jumps back up. When I stand up and walk around my house he tails me, often almost tripping me in the process with how close he stays. I've tried putting a chair next to mine at my desk, but it's very seldom he's satisfied with it. It's really worrisome as I've own many, many cats and never seen this before. I keep feeling like something has to be wrong, but I don't know what.

[@alethabell3896]

Thank you Jackson for this video. I had to watch this because I guessed my cat's anxiety was due to some recent tramas in his life. He's a five year old neutered male and had been with the same owner (my boyfriend) since kittenhood. He also had a younger cat as his companion about 2 years old. Another neutered male. However, the companion cat was tragically hit by a truck. Very sad. My boyfriend and I had a little funeral and buried him. Unfortunately, my boyfriend and I broke up for reasons totally unrelated. And, to my surprise, my x boyfriend just abandoned his older cat. Left him. He went on and on about how sad he was about the other cats death. This favoritism broke my heart. It wasn't fair! Rowdy was alone and certainly grieving for his cat friend and now vacant human companion. I couldn't leave him there and when he ran up to me meowing desperately for help, I picked him up and took him home. Rowdy knew me. My smell. My voice. My routine, and my kindness. Now, several months later, Rowdy will "stalk me" if I leave the house. I live in the country. He goes outside at times. I will see him watching me room to room from the windows inside meowing. His stare intent on me and where I am. If let out he can be seen running up to where I am. If I go into the nearby house (my mom's), he can be seen looking into her windows meowing for me. If I go outside, he's meowing to be let out. If I go back inside, he is meowing to be let back in. When I sit in a different location of the house, he follows me to that location and sits there. When I sleep or lay down, he wants to sit or sleep on my chest or near my head. It breaks my heart, because I know why he is like this and now after watching your video, my guess to his behavior is confirmed. Rowdy liked me before these tramas occurred but he wasn't "cat stalking me". He enjoyed my company before but he didn't follow me room to room. His behavior is a direct response to what happened to him. I have become his mother now. That's ok. I will be his mother and it will be fine. I try to tell him that in every way I can. With love, care, safety, and constant reassurance. I love him and he's my friend. 🐈

[@metrometro5265]

Cats need a little friend God bless you for the good job you do

[@Technostuck]

My cat Freyja used to have really bad separation anxiety when I first got her as a kitten in 2018. I tried everything to alleviate it and eventually last year I decided to get another kitten. Since then she's been much happier. They are best buds. It warms my heart.

[@budgetingwithkate]

I love cat psychology! I learn something new and every time I watch your channel. Thanks Jackson your videos are so much fun!

[@damedeviant1388]

I got two boys from the same litter and they are such buds! Great company for each other. I recommend to anyone getting cats to take home at least two at a time x

[@janekolyer1970]

I was so happy to hear you say you've had success with crate training. I work with many rescues and I've always believed it was a great way to establish a safe place for them and allow them to explore when they were ready. It always worked for me!

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Jane how’s the weather over there

[@slashedbeauty]

Hey jane, have you ever successfully crate trained an adult cat?

[@A.Vampir]

@Slashed Beauty try using soft treats to lure in the crate and reward- theoretically overtime the routine will form and theyll become crate comfortable! Best wishes😺💚

[@jennifermuir1427]

I never realized how important "crate training" was, or could be. I didn't even know WHAT it did for the cats!🐈‍⬛ I LOVE learning new things! I, especially, love to learn things that make my cat's life better! I LOVE him!

[@jennifermuir1427]

@@A.Vampir Thanks for explaining HOW to crate train, with the soft treats!🙏

[@orphicqueen]

Thank you for this SO MUCH!!! I love my fur baby so dearly, and she suffers greatly from separation anxiety. I would do anything to make her happy, and now I have the tools! ⚜️🥰🖤😻⚜️

[@samuraiIV]

My british shorthair follows me everywhere. And cries when ever he cannot see me. He didn't before quarantine. My house cat, on the other hand, has become increasingly anti-social. He has always been a bit introverted but usually always wanted snuggles in the morning and evening. Now he just lives in the bathroom by himself and leaves if you come in to talk to him...

[@MonaHerSelfM]

The house cat doesn't feel safe anymore... Bonding time it is..

[@iamperfectingodseyes5903]

Yeah maybe make him stay in a room with you. Shut the door and trap him in with you . Play with him sit with him on his level. Make him accept your company. He needs to get to know u again.

[@samuraiIV]

@Yogini No, I just refer to cat no. 2 as "house cat" since he is no particular breed.

[@christinefilas9392]

That's the kind of cat that I would like to have. Independent.

[@cinnamonstringer831]

I think a hard core play session in the morning will help a lot! My cat will cry like this, drag his feather toy, and wander around the house at night sometimes. Usually when I am busy/stressed and not playing/keeping him active during the day. When he gets a good workout session he sleeps better and doesn’t show these behaviors. Being bored/lonely might increase this as well. Plus, being so active in the morning will likely tire him out and he may sleep better/more when ur gone. Then it’s closer to time when u are home!

[@ScottRedstone]

Our little guy doesn’t seem to be anxious when we leave. And he welcomes us when we come home - he’s happy but not manic BUT we don’t know for sure. So camera is now in the budget. Your empathy is heartwarming. Going to give Koji a hug.

[@camrnjurena]

This video makes me so happy that I adopted kitten siblings. They're always together.

[@judienevius443]

Thank goodness we have Jackson to help us be better cat parents😁

[@alexccs]

my cat cried like odin whenever she caught her toy mouse "prey" in her mouth, until she dropped that near our bed as a gift.

[@kelseycramer7880]

one of my cats makes that same noise when she has a glitter ball and is in hunt mode.

[@lewisgrey7051]

One of mine does this with his catnip toy. The moment he sees someone he drops the mouse and just stares until the person leaves. Then he goes back to playing and kicking his toy.

[@DorothyDollLee]

Lol oh gosh my Panic used to do that. Bring me bloody mice in the middle of the night

[@thebeautyoflife327]

Both of mine do it too!

[@donnaq3711]

mine did that too; she said like; I GOT IT, I GOT IT !

[@CynthiaSchoenbauer]

I really feel this whole video. To see that cat wondering around and howling breaks my heart. I like all the suggestions, but my favorite is to get a cat friend, inside or outside the house. Sometimes no one can love a cat quite the same as another cat. Thank you, Jackson, love you!

[@stevenhenry4227]

Hello Kitty how’s the weather over there

[@laurenhightower2776]

My kitty had terrible separation anxiety after I got diagnosed with cancer and started needing to be out of the house and at the hospital a lot. Once I was in recovery we started leaving our room door open and letting her come and go during the night. This helped. As well as having our daughter (she’s 1) help with feedings. For some reason these two things helped a lot. Not sure why or if it was maybe just a coincidence.

[@galinaromanova6147]

You are such a fantastic person! God bless you for everything you do for the cats ❤🙏🏼

[@jennifermuir1427]

Yes, Goddess, Buddha, Allah, Yaweh, et al. ALL OF THEM, "Bless Jackson Galaxy"❤️⭐✨

[@AlexisLove81]

Thank you for this. I worry because now I am workings at home due to COVID 19. I worry about my cat's well-being when I return to work. She already has anxiety from her feral days. She was orphaned as a small kitten too. I adopted her from a family who took her in as a starving, small kitten. She is calm most days with me now, she just doesn't like the vet or other people. When I go back to work, I am worried that things will get bad.

[@FelineJungle]

My cats are definitely going to have separation anxiety after COVID 19

[@batbratsdesigns]

My cat loves me, he follows me around and hangs out with me. He does cry for a minute when I leave but I have things to keep him busy so he figures it out. He ends up greeting me when I come home. He's very talkative too. The furrydude talks about going potty and when he's eating he makes a meow before starting. He also lay's in my lap and gets upset when I am upset. ❤️

[@fragrancedeparadis1275]

This man seems to be an expert on these cute creatures. Praise God for such gifts

[@ziblot1235]

I am too. Thats heartbreaking. I am cat sitting for my son. He has a job setting up rock stages and stuff. Like a roadie. I live in Va. He has gone from Ark to Texas, to Vegas. His kitty is afraid of mine and just sits in her bed. People have a lotta wrong ideas about kittys. I used to have a cat that would make confetti everyday when we left. Piles of chewed up newsprint. Hes diednow. I miss that character. He lived a full life.

[@monicacollins8289]

Covering the crate on three sides and half the top by throwing a blanket over it will create a secure, den-like space.

[@20114077h8883]

I just discovered today that my 4 months old kitten has separation anxiety and this video was extremely helpful so thanks for the video 💙

[@cherylv.8953]

Our cat, Montana, has struggled with anxiety, behaving a lot like Odin, but all of Jackson’s recommendations have helped. Here are a couple more ideas to consider that have worked well for us involving food security, clicker training, dietary wellness, and brushing. Food security - Jackson explains that past hardships can affect cats psychologically for years afterward. If a cat has gone hungry in its past, it might be anxious about having enough to eat, and if it has had to compete for food, it might be stressed by another pet around that could steal. We eventually addressed both of these possibilities with Montana by having a microchip feeder that opens only for her. Although this kind of feeder was rather expensive, it has been worth it. Poor Montana was severely underweight when we adopted her. She also has had a digestive problem, causing her to throw up on an empty stomach. We have found that having a small measured amount of dry food available to her between meals has helped eliminate the vomiting, allow her to feel better, and decrease her crying. The problem then was what to do when we adopted a second cat who eats like a shark. When we finally bought the microchip feeder, Montana could again take her time and graze even when no one was around or awake. Our greedy cat knows she can’t get anything from the feeder and doesn’t try or bother Montana when Montana needs a snack. Clicker training - As Jackson says, stimulating your cat’s mind helps reduce anxiety, and clicker training is great for that. It can also reduce stress between cats. We have been working with our two cats to learn to politely sit apart and do tricks for individual treats. (Montana’s sister had to start separately with “sit.”) We call it “charm school.” The cats love it, and it is helping Montana develop more trust in her sister’s respect for her space. She also seems very proud of herself that she can go into a box and then another box and then another box for a bite of yummy freeze dried turkey. Dietary wellness - As Jackson advises, working with your vet is important, as many behavioral issues are health related. We have had to do this a lot. Jackson also stresses the importance of a healthy diet. We believe that getting Montana onto a healthy diet, predominantly wet food, high in meat protein, low in carbs, free of allergens (like chicken) and by-products (that can contain allergens/who knows what else), and almost free of fillers, has been very beneficial to her emotionally. Montana was troubled by itching and was compulsively over grooming to the point of baldness on her belly and legs, but this stopped with the change to a healthier diet. She has also had some tummy troubles giving her soft stinky poops. We came to realize this started after some dental procedures requiring antibiotic meds, and it cleared up with probiotics. I suspect that many cats don’t feel well much of the time because of diet that is not appropriate for obligate carnivores, allergies, and use of antibiotics that kill off their bodies’ friendly digestive bacteria. Many of us may know from experience, lack of protein or too many carbs can make you hungry and irritable, allergies can make you sick and uncomfortable, and after-effects of antibiotics can make you feel weak and unwell and lead to worse things. Brushing - Jackson talks about a natural cat’s routine involving catch, kill, eat, groom, and sleep. He also points out that if your cat likes or learns to like being brushed, it can be a great bonding time. We try to give Montana a little bit of brushing every day after a meal. She seems less clingy and more relaxed to go off and sleep when she has had that attention. We have often wondered if she was separated from her mama at a very young age. I have read that it is now believed that kittens should remain with their mothers weeks longer than once thought, and that many kittens are taken away before they are ready. If separating from their moms too soon can lead to insecurity in cats, then grooming them after feeding, as a mother would do, could be another good way to help some cats who suffer from that kind of history to heal and gain self-assurance. As a final word, all of these things we have tried have been positive, some more dramatically, some less so, and all have enriched the lives of us humans because they have enriched the life of our sweet feline family member.

[@SB-hw2eo]

Thank you Cat Daddy! These tipa will assist me relax my new 3, now 4 month old kitten "Kayleigh", has had separation anxiety-she will not touch her food and stays in her favorite hiding spot until I came home. I have tried leaving cat games on my PC (watching goldfish is her favorite). When I come home, the PC is off and Ive been calling the cable company since our tv has been out from a monsoon. That usually helps. Ive been able to train Kayleigh to use scratching posts instead of furniture and walls in a short month! What a smarty cat, yes?

[@kayday93]

VIDEO IDEA: Cat-sitting, but at the cat sitter’s home. Twice this summer my partner and I cared for friends’ cats for 2-3 weeks at our own home rather than at their home (per request) while they were on vacation. They were concerned their cat would be lonely and bored with only once or twice a day visits, but the stress the cats experienced for the first 5-7 days while adapting to the new environment seemed almost cruel. We also have two cats (both extremely cat-friendly) as well who were bullied by one cat and downright stalked and harassed by the other once they were introduced. So not only was it stressful for the visiting cat, but for us and our fur boys as well. I would LOVE to know your opinion on this sort of cat-sitting arrangement, as we are considering not offering to take cats in like this anymore because of how incredibly stressful it was for all involved. Thanks for all you do Jackson! 💕

[@alam5055]

I so need it. I got my kitties at the beginning of April, when I was already working from home because of lockdown. And I'm worried how they will feel when it'll finally be time to go back to the office.

[@berryhij1]

It's great that you adopted more than one. I think that will help a lot.

[@alam5055]

@@berryhij1 yes, I took 2 so they can be playmates when I'm at work :) They bonded great so at least they won't be alone through this

[@jul4173]

Ala M I begged my husband for a cat for a couple of years, so I was not even thinking about adopting two. Few months later my husband tells me, why didn’t we get two cats. 🤦‍♀️ You did very good by taking two, I wish I did the same...

[@heatherfeather1293]

Thank you Jackson!! I'll be ending my quarantine soon AND starting a job where I'll be working long hours. I'm going to use these, as well as adopting a buddy for my kitty

[@ccburro1]

Thank goodness for Jackson Galaxy’s advice, perceptiveness, and love re cats.

[@24flyingcats84]

So hard to see Odin like that. Hope he's doing much better now. After such a scary start in life he much really love his human.

[@nnnacy1159]

All these comments made me so softtt 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺bless all your kitties ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@LailaAbdulrahim]

after seeing two bonded cats grooming each other and cuddling I just can't understand people who think cats should not have another kitty companion i would hate to deprive a cat of that relationship

[@LailaAbdulrahim]

Yogini true if they didn’t grow up used to that i was mostly thinking about kittens being bought/ adopted alone

[@LuckyLuch1]

@Yogini I have 2 cats and they have not bonded at all. They tolerate each other but never play or cuddle. I had one for a year before getting the second, having both together for around 6 months. my first cat has been less affectionate with me as well since bringing in the new cat, like I betrayed her.

[@christinefilas9392]

Not everyone can afford a bunch of animals. The upkeep is expensive. Besides, what do they do in the wild?

[@madcatladyshirl6899]

I'm very fortunate that I haven't had to 'change gear'. My moos have everything they need before I exit. My motto is simple. Play, catch then with the last bit of energy eat because now they're chilled and before I leave they're sleeping

[@gunmunz]

When Ashes first came to our home he had sparation anxiety baad, to the point where I couldn't leave the room we were keeping him (to introduce him to an elderly cat as well as to keep him out of the other cat's special food) to use the bathroom without him meowing up a storm.

[@rebecca8866]

I'm crying seeing the video of the cat having separation anxiety. It breaks my heart.

[@Charlie-nr6vd]

Thank you for this! My cat was a stray, picked her up at about 9 months old from her little home under a bush. She has a ton of anxiety and I'm hoping to implement some of these things to help her!

[@asiyakoya1275]

Ohh my so glad u made a video on this will be very helpful for me..... I find ur videos to be very helpful and informative 😸👍

[@CheshAmeoba]

One of my cats makes similar noises when everyone in the house goes to bed - he gets so upset when nobody is awake with him! I think our other cat has taught him he is not allowed in bedrooms unless he’s sneaky (she’s older and tolerates him but gets annoyed when he comes in my room) so he cries for a bit before “sneaking” into a bedroom to sleep with someone.

[@johannecastro7457]

Thanks for the video Jackson! My cat has separation anxiety when I go to bed at night. He’ll meow loudly almost every night and sometimes does it during the day when I’m in another room. He will also carry around his favorite toy 🧸 during his separation anxiety. I have two other cats so having them around doesn’t seem to make a difference. Sometimes he’ll come into the bedroom with his toy and sleep on the bed with me after a couple minutes of being vocal. At least now I understand why its happening. Thanks again ❤️🐾🐈

[@joyseekerarpit]

Same used to happen with my cat, then we got him another cat. He is so happy now with the new kitten that we got for him. They are really happy together.

[@Safikei]

One of my cats has awful separation anxiety up to a point where he won't stop crying after me. I've tried to help him but he just misses me so much whenever I leave the house. When we were visiting my parents for a longer period of time, dad told me that my cat carried his favorite toy around everywhere he went while constantly crying for me. It broke my heart.