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My cat is suddenly scared of everything after a fright. What can I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 1 year old | 2.2 lbs

Hi, Yesterday my 1 year old cat got scared of an old rag and it scared her pretty bad, tail fluffed up and my partner got scratched pretty bad trying to calm her down but now she is scared of everything and his sitting in the hallway making very small and quiet meows and im getting worried. What is causing this and how can I help?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on December 7th, 2019

When cats get spooked or frightened by something, it often takes them a few days to completely calm down again - so this is not unusual. The best thing to do is leave her alone and give her space. You can try using a Feliway pheromone diffuser and/or a daily calming supplement like Anxitane to help reduce her anxiety, if you want to.

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