How to minimize stress reactions in cats and prevent feline infectious peritonitis

Stress reactions are an important inducement for cats to contract infectious peritonitis, but they are not absolute. This is because cats carry coronaviruses, and stress stimulation can cause the coronavirus to mutate and lead to feline infectious peritonitis. Therefore, to prevent cats from becoming ill, owners can take their cats to the pet hospital for testing to see if they have coronavirus in their bodies. If so, efforts should be made to avoid causing stress to the cats.

Stress Reaction Causes

First, eliminate the causes of stress, such as a cat receiving a vaccine at the hospital, a cat newly arriving at a new home, or strangers coming to the house, which can all cause the cat to feel tense and afraid. At this time, the cat's most familiar person can calm it down by giving it extra attention, preferably holding it, or putting it in its own cage and covering it with a towel to block its view of the outside environment, allowing it to stay in a familiar environment. Once the cat's mood has stabilized, you can give it a small treat.

Stress Reaction Symptoms

All animals have stress reactions. Stress refers to the non-specific response of animals to external harmful stimuli, mainly manifested as increased adrenaline secretion, increased blood pressure, accelerated heart rate, and increased metabolism. Cats will have stress reactions to unfamiliar environments or changes in environment, with severe reactions including jumping around or becoming depressed, hiding alone in a corner and not daring to come out. In most cases, stress reactions can be relieved spontaneously, but in some cases, cats may develop stress syndrome, leading to liver and kidney failure.

What to Do About Stress Reactions

Give the cat a separate, quiet room, the smaller the better. A large room can give the cat a sense of pressure. Talk to it even though it doesn't understand the content of your words. Your gentle tone, pitch, and emotion can weaken its tension and help it relax. If the cat seems very tense, accompany or stroke it more often. Use catnip to help calm it down quickly. You can also use the cat's usual playing toys to distract it and alleviate its stress. Avoid excessive playtime to prevent exacerbating the stress reaction due to fatigue.

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