Cat Psychology - Is My Cat Frightened?

Fear in cats and anger have a few elements in common and both come from the same set of instincts - the ones that tell them to fight, flee or freeze. These instincts are used by most animals to judge a situation and their reaction to it. But what other signs are there that a cat is frightened and what can be done to calm them down?

Signs of fear

A frightened cat will often show signs associated with anger because this is better than showing fear. They will hiss, spit and growl at the cause of their fear while making themselves look big and fearsome by standing their fur on end, called piloerection. If the cause of the fear comes closer to them, they will scratch, swipe or bite the object to try to get it to leave them alone and this can be nasty if your hand is the object in question.

A frightened cat is most likely to retreat to a hiding spot, often behind a sofa, under a bed or other dark and sheltered spot. This is where they feel safe and that they defend the position against an attacker. Alternatively, if the cat is caught out in the open it is likely to freeze as many predators work by motion and cannot detect prey that stays perfectly still as easily as moving prey.

Another sign of fear is losing control of their bladder or bowels outside the litter box. This is particularly common in younger cats who have less control of their waterworks and in older cats for the same reason. This may accompany freezing in one place as the fear causes the reaction and their instinct tells them to stay perfectly still.

Causes of fear

Lots of things can cause a fear reaction in a cat, some seem natural and other completely irrational. Cats can even suffer from phobias, often beginning when they are young and have negative experiences that form into a phobia of the stimulus involved.

Cats can be afraid of another animal, especially one seen as a predator such as a dog. They can also be frightened by people they don't know or even a specific person they do know if they have negative connections in their mind. Kids often frightened cats because they move quickly and make loud, random noises that the cats can't understand. Loud noises also cause fear, which is why if you drop something, the cat will often flee even if the falling item doesn't touch them. This is why fireworks are particularly stressful for cats even without seeing the lights - the loud bang makes them jump and they cannot see anything causing it.

Dealing with a frightened cat

The most important thing to remember when dealing with a frightened cat is that you can't talk them down, calm them down or force them to stop being frightened. If you approach them in this state, you are likely to receive an injury. Give them space, try to keep everything relatively calm and quiet and leave them in their hiding place until they have calmed down.

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