Separation Anxiety is one of the most common pet behavioral issues. As your local North Wales pet sitter, I have seen a lot of examples of separation anxiety in the pets we care for. However, I have become the most familiar with this behavioral issue with my own cat, Mimi.
Common symptoms of separation anxiety often include:
1. Destructive behaviors! This can be a big indicator if your pet is being very destructive while you are away from home. My cat Mimi would claw at the carpet around my bedroom door frame until all carpet fibers had been pulled out. I once came home from a long day of work to find that a basketball-sized area of carpet was completely torn up in front of the bedroom door.
2. Accidents! If your pet begins having accident (poop or pee) around the house and it isn’t potty-training related, it may be an indication of separation anxiety. My cat still used the litter box primarily but once a day or every other day (if I was away from home a lot) she would pee or poop somewhere in the house.
3. Pacing! Pacing back and forth or in a circular pattern may also indicate anxiety. Due to my allergies, I could no longer let Mimi sleep with me at night. She would spend all night pacing back and forth outside my bedroom door.
These are just a few of the prominent symptoms of separation anxiety. Both dogs and cats can exhibit these symptoms. As with any new issues, always take your furbaby to the Vet immediately! Remember that some of these behaviors can be caused by other factors too, so try to rule out other causes first!
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