Fear and anxiety lie behind many of the problems cat owners bring to a veterinarian: hiding, aggression, house-soiling, overgrooming and vocalising. Cats also show stress through physical disease, most clearly in feline idiopathic cystitis. Recognising the signs early and changing the cat's environment is usually more effective than medication alone.
Key facts
Anxiety disorders at a glance- Species and system: cat; behaviour, with links to urinary, skin and gastrointestinal disease.
- Definitions: fear is a normal response to a perceived threat; anxiety is apprehension about a future threat (Merck 2025).
- Common presentations: generalised fearfulness, separation-related problems, and intercat tension, which affects 62-88% of multi-cat homes (AAFP 2024).
- Classic exam sign: urination on the owner's bed in a cat that is distressed when left alone (Schwartz 2002).
- Treatment base: the five pillars of a healthy feline environment, behaviour modification, then medication if needed.
- Not zoonotic and not reportable.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 1 figure, 3 self-test questions and 13 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.