Expert: Jessica - 11/18/2010

Question
i I have a beautiful tortiseshell female. She's about four or five years old. She had an UTI which the vet said was causeed by stress and her diet. I have since changed ALL my cats over to canned food with dry food as a treat, and haven't had any further problems with urination. The vet said it wasnt unusual for torteishells to have a great deal of nervous behaviour. But lately this kitty's been driving me up the wall, meowing for no apparent reason, whinging and when I follow her she doesn't lead me anywhere in particular. She doesnt let me pick her up and cuddles with me for a few minutes before a dog barks outside and she runs off terrified. She's an indoor cat amd does have contact with my other pushy kitten, but I monitor their interactions closely and break it up if they fight. She will chase my other older cat out of her house, and scents me alot. Is there anything I can do to help her stop being so nervous and whinging? Am I doing something wrong or is she just bored? Any tips if she is?

Answer
Hi Natalie,

Some cats are just prone to anxiety.  And it's true that torties are known to be a bit high-strung.  In fact, some studies expect to link a genetic factor between behavior and color patterns in cats.  However, your kitty's behavior is a little excessive.

I would encourage you to try a pheromone product to attempt to calm her nerves.  Pheromones are chemicals that cats release through their cheeks and paw pads.  These chemicals have a calming effect when cats sense them in the environment.  It makes sense that she marks you a lot, as nervous cats will obsessively scratch or rub their cheeks along items to release those pheromones and benefit from the relaxation they help provide.  There are some products on the market now that mimick these pheromones, such as Feliway.  They make a plug-in diffuser that will fill the room with odorless pheromones, to calm your cat.  See www.feliway.com to learn more.

If the behavior continues, she may need a more serious treatment such as an antidepressant to control her anxiety.  Fortunately, these are typically needed for only a few months.  Because your cat has had a urinary episode related to anxiety, it might be best to try amitriptyline with her.  This antidepressant has the added benefit of relieving urinary tract pain associated with interstitial cystitis, a bladder condition which causes inflammation and bleeding of the bladder lining due to stress.

Good luck!

Jessica