My cat cries when I leave. How to help with separation anxiety?

Question

I just adopted a cat who either got lost or was abandoned by his previous owner. It seems that he has some separation anxiety because he cries within five minutes of me leaving, even if I’m just taking out the trash. He also meows excessively when I come back. Will this behavior subside as he learns that I always come back/that he is not being abandoned? Also, what can I do to lessen his anxiety while I am gone? Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Male | neutered | 15 lbs

Megan, DVM, CVA · Accepted Answer

Poor Wally! He may just be a very talkative cat. This will likely improve with time. In the mentine, you may want to try some feliway diffusers and spray in his favorite areas. Feliway is a cat pheromone that helps to calm some cats. It doesn't work on all cats though. You could also try some catnip as this may make him happy while you are away. Again, not all cats react the same to this. Finally, you can look into calming essential oil diffusers but you want to make sure you get one that is safe for cats. You can look into doterra or www.oilyvet.com for safe choices. If the anxiety gets really bad, I would have your vet prescribe an anti-anxiety medicine. I hope this helps!

My cat cries when I leave. How to help with separation anxiety?

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