I think we can all agree that 2020 has not been easy. Routines are upended, social events have been cancelled, and we are seeing a LOT more of the same four walls on a regular basis.
Many people are working from home and for those that still go into work, most of our "free" time is spent in our houses. And with the season changing, outdoor reprieve will be put on hold for the next few months.
Our cat tent has been packed up for the winter, which Owen was very sad about, and Fifi hasn't gone on a walk in her stroller in well over a month. I will admit that I did buy Fiona a beautiful knit sweater to wear if there is a nice day that we can go out. Wish me luck trying to get it on her, though ...
The stress and countless changes in this past year have affected more than just the two-legged members of the household; anxiety and unrest have increased with our furry family members as well. And cats are certainly no exception. Unlike most dogs, cats can be very secretive with their emotions and we don't always notice the subtle changes at first. As the discrepancies in routine become the new "norm," some kitties are having trouble coping and their stress is becoming more evident.
A few of the more obvious signs of feline stress we can see include changes in eating behaviors, litter box use, and attitude. But sometimes signs aren't so obvious, or at least not initially. I think a lot more people are recently starting to notice that their cats may be feeling the effects of 2020. Of course not every cat is struggling and I'm sure there are many that are LOVING the extra attention. But in general, change is very difficult for cats. And my kitties are no exception.
I was home for about 3 months when COVID-19 first "hit" our area. Due to the nature of my profession, working from home was not a feasible option. So I suddenly had a LOT of free time and nowhere to go. Which translates to CONSTANTLY being home with seemingly endless hours to spend with my cats. And with that, came a complete upheaval of our daily routine.
I began this blog during that time as a way to engage my cats and try to help them cope with the transition of me being home literally 24/7. And to help others in a similar situation. ANDDD it was a great excuse to buy things for the cats (maybe not the smartest financial decision, but totally worth it), which made everyone happy.
The cats certainly enjoyed their new presents. Owen would sometimes surround himself in all of his new toys and just take a solid snooze. What a life.
And of course he would investigate the boxes that came in the mail. That part was just as fun.
The first thing I did to relieve stress for everyone was try to mirror our normal sleeping and eating habits as closely as possible. Routine is everything for a cat. We got up around the same time each day and went to bed at our normal bed time. I will admit that I may have slept in a few times here and there, but no one complained.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight snack (aka pre-bedtime meal) were prepared and served when expected. Everyone ate at the same time and in the same location.
So the biggest events in my cats' daily lives were almost the same. It was the daytime schedule that I had no control over. Instead of being away from the house for a majority of the day, allowing for hours of luxurious quiet and kitty nap time, I was home. And I tried to stay busy, so the house was definitely not always quiet.
At first, the cats were all glued to my hip. They were loving the attention. I took a lot of time to really go through every room and clean and organize everything. Fiona was in every box and bin I went through and Orange would watch from the nearest cat bed or comfy perch.
Owen would get his zoomies and run back and forth between the rooms and find forgotten toys as I cleaned. Oliver would alternate between napping and monitoring my progress, making sure I stayed on task. If I did get distracted (which I will admit happened frequently), he would find a way to get my attention (like sticking his head in the yogurt tub when I turned around to get a spoon).
And then we would all meet again for a solid afternoon nap. Or I would do another webinar while everyone else took a cat nap. When Owen was really relaxed, you could hear him snoring from a mile away. He's so beautiful and dainty. Make sure to turn the sound on in the video for the full experience!
After the first few weeks of being home, I started to notice Orange and Fiona getting into skirmishes more often. Fiona was usually the aggressor and would sneak up on Orange and pounce. I was able to start predicting when Fiona was looking for trouble because she would fixate on Orange's movements and stalk her before the "attack."
This would upset Oliver, who would then confront Fiona and they would make horrible demon growling noises at each other until I came over to break it up.
Owen, hating any sort of conflict, would run in the opposite direction and hide until peace was once again restored.
Needless to say, every time this happened it would break my heart. These cats have been together their entire lives and never exhibited these types of behaviors. An occasional bout of sibling rivalry isn't unheard of, but not to this level. They love each other. They are four peas in the most perfect little pod.
Granted Fiona doesn't usually cuddle with everyone, but she's always nearby. She's found her favorite spots in each room where she can be close to everyone and watch all of the excitement. Her new favorite spots are on top of the fridge and the ledge in the kitchen.
As I thought about this new behavior more, I realized that Fiona was redirecting her anxiety onto Orange as an outlet, which would then send a wave of anxiety through everyone else. That was a huge tip off that the kitties were starting to struggle with the tension and stress of 2020. Fiona has always been an independent lady. It makes sense that she was feeling the stress of me being home during the day. She requires serious alone time without constant interruptions, even if I wasn't intentionally impeding on her natural routine. I also noticed that Fiona began kneading her blankets on the couch and on the end of my bed more frequently.
Fun fact: This kneading behavior (sometimes unofficially referred to as "making biscuits") can occur for several different reasons. Most of the time, it is seen as a calming activity exhibited by many cats throughout their lives. Baby kittens will knead their mom's belly to help stimulate milk release and as they grow up and are weaned, they will continue to simulate the activity when they are content and feeling safe. Some cats will actually suckle on their blanket or salivate and drool during this activity in anticipation of their milk meal, even years after weaning! Here is a video of Orange's brother and sister (Walter and Peace) showing off their impressive kneading abilities. If you listen closely, you can even hear Peace suckling! Also, on a side note, I promise you I'm wearing shorts in this video.
Another possible reason for this kneading behavior, especially if your cat exhibits this prior to a cat nap, is that your cat is actually "nesting" and creating a comfy space before they settle down. In the wild, it is thought that cats would use this motion to pat down tall grass and check for any dangers underneath prior to taking a snooze. Now that our kitties are living the cushy life indoors, they nest with fuzzy blankets and fluffy pillows instead of grass and leaves.
In Fiona's case, I think the increase in this kneading behavior was actually a display of territorial marking rather than true nesting or a display of contentment. Cats have scent glands in their paws, which release "marking" pheromones when they knead. Since she was targeting the couch and bed more commonly, she was telling the other kitties that these are "her" spaces.
Fiona was redirecting her anxiety onto Orange as an outlet, which would then send a wave of anxiety through everyone else. That was how the more frequent stroller walks, backpack adventures, and the cat tent came to be.
Now that the kitties are more comfortable in their backpacks, they've even ventured to the vet clinic in them! Fiona and Orange visited the vet clinic together for their annual exams, bloodwork, and vaccines and they arrived in style! Everyone was so impressed that someone had to take a photo of the three of us!
As I mentioned earlier, Orange has always been my shadow. She is either lying on me, sitting near me, or propped up on my shoulder like a parrot. Once I was home more, it's like she COULDN'T leave my side. If I was outside on the deck, she had to be out there with me. If I was sitting on the front steps, she was waiting on the other side of the door for me to come back in. I even started harness training her to see how she would do out in the world with me.
As much as I loved the affection, I knew it wasn't good for her in the long run. I didn't want her to develop separation anxiety when I was able to go back to work. So we looked into interactive toys. This gave us quality time together, but her focus wasn't centered solely on me. We were able to try out quite a few different interactive toys. Orange definitely likes her lasers.
Oliver is one of those kitties who is more subtle when exhibiting stress. The first change I noticed was an increase in vocalization. Oliver will meow and get all excited when he knows it is meal time, but otherwise he is a fairly quiet, low key cat. He began meowing loudly very early in the morning, every single morning. Usually around 5am. He would climb up on me and nuzzle my arm or nibble on my chin and demand pets. I would get up and feed everyone and go back to bed. Of course that wasn't the smartest idea because I was encouraging the behavior. But I felt so guilty that he was upset. And I can't say no to that handsome face.
Owen I think is a sensitive kitty in general. He hates loud noises and will hide from visitors until things have quieted down. But he seems to be the least phased by all of the changes at home. He loved the freedom of going in and out of the cat tent at his leisure and was getting used to hikes in the backpack. But when he wanted alone time, he'd go upstairs to his favorite bed in the sun and just sleep. He would ignore me for hours and then come find me when he was ready for more attention. I don't this he's phased one bit by 2020.
Now fast forward to the present. I've been back at work for 6 months, but our routine is still not what it was. If I'm not at work, I'm at home (as opposed to out shopping or with friends). And when I'm home, I'm EXHAUSTED. I will admit that sometimes it is difficult to find the energy to play with everyone and give them the attention they request. Cat TV has been a huge help along with the automated laser toys. But we spend a lot of time lounging.
I do think the cats are enjoying their alone time when I'm at work. I decided to set up some security cameras near their favorite lounging spots so I can check up on them throughout the day. I can't watch them the entire time, obviously, but I haven't seen any skirmishes. They are predictably in their favorite spots when I look in on them. So that has been a relief. Orange isn't exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety, which I was worried about. She will still have some arguments with Fiona, but it is improving.
Despite these positive observations, not everything is back to normal. I recently noticed a bald patch on the inside of Oliver's back leg. I don't see him licking the area, but cats are what I like to call "closet groomers." You don't see them overgrooming because they do it in private. But overgrooming (licking a designated area to the point of losing hair) is one of those more subtle signs of stress. Oliver had done this several years ago when we were going through a chaotic transition and I know it is one of his indicators that things are not as okay as he's letting on. Overgrooming is commonly seen on the belly or insides of the back legs, but some medical conditions can cause similar symptoms, so it is always good to have your cat checked by your veterinarian if you notice one of these areas of fur loss. Oliver will be getting some bloodwork done to make sure everything else is okay to put my mind at ease and we will continue to work on his stress.
So what can we do for the stressed kitties in our lives? It breaks our hearts to see our pets upset, especially when we feel powerless to change the inciting cause. We are stressed, too, in an ever-changing world. And with winter here, our opportunities to "escape" and give our furry friends some alone time are dwindling.
Well I can't technically help with the mental toll that 2020 has taken on my fellow humans, other than reminding everyone that happy cats = happy cat parents. Bringing a little joy to our furry family can help add a little brightness to our days. And we can all use an extra boost of happy.
In my next blog entry, I will be compiling a list of a few activities I've set up for my cats to help both when I'm at work and when I come home. I'll also review the super awesome kitty cams I've set up so I can check on everyone while I'm away.
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