There are strangers in their house; the outdoors has come indoors with trees and wreaths, and their caregivers are acting weird.

Stressed cats may show their feelings by increasing activities which make them feel more secure. A cat may become clingy, rubbing the furniture or their owners more frequently. They may increase their marking behavior. Or, they may spend more time outside away from the chaos. A stressed cat may even show signs of depression by becoming listless and refusing to eat.

How can you help your pet feel more comfortable during this stressful time? Here are three steps you can take to reduce holiday stress for your cat.

First, try to maintain the familiar routine, as much as possible. Feeding time, play time, and sleep time should be predictable. Second, when placing the holiday decorations, especially a Christmas tree, be sure not to invade space that your cat thinks is his. Give the cat a safe space for retreating from the festivities such as a room, with a door that can be closed, some of his toys, food and water, and a litter box.

Finally, you can purchase a plug-in room diffuser, such as Comfort Zone® from Feliway® (widely available) that produces a non-toxic spray of synthetic feline facial pheromones to comfort cats in stressful situations.
 
Posted by Julie.