Causes And Treatment Of Feline Fears

Having fears is natures way of making sure humans and animals are able to deal with danger. But when fear becomes obsessive and starts to hamper the quality of life, it turns into a phobia. As with all humans and animals, cats have fears too.

Cats Fear Too!

Cat fears can be triggered by other animals or humans, loud noises or unfamiliar places. Kittens are usually very adventurous and like to explore their environment. It is through this exploration that they learn what to fear and what not to fear. The most important period of a kittens life is its first few weeks. If a kitten is raised in a secure environment and is relatively protected from bad experiences, it will grow into a healthy cat. If the kitten is deprived of a secure environment or has bad experiences with other humans or animals, it will have fears in later life that will be difficult to get rid of.

There are some common demonstrations of fear when cats face situations they are not comfortable with. If a cat is scared of humans or other cats, when it is faced with one or both its fears, it will run, hide or become aggressive. The physical symptoms of the fear are raised body hair, bushy tail and enlarged pupils. It could also defecate or urinate.