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Home: It’s one word that can stir up some really heavy-duty emotions. If you immediately feel at peace thinking about your home, you’re not alone. But what happens when your home is a construction zone and changes are happening all around? Peace can be hard to find – for us and for our furry family members. Knowing how to keep your cats calm during home improvements can save everyone a whole lot of unwanted pain!
This particular subject is one we are mastering around here at the moment. Our home is in disarray! Nearly every space in the house has been impacted in one way or another. A long overdue ‘refresh’ is underway…
On that note: Please forgive me for my absence in the blogging world, both here on Cat Care Solutions and in visiting your amazing blogs! I miss you all and hope to return to normal in the very near future! If you are interested in guest blogging here, let me know and perhaps we can work something out! 💕 Contact Me Here
If you are a survivor of past home renovations, or are currently enduring the chaos like we are, you know the upheaval it creates.
It’s stressful enough for us. For cats though, this world of home construction is far worse. Every smell, every noise and every change is amplified many times.
A feline’s sense of smell is 14 times stronger than ours. Their hearing surpasses even dogs by 1 whole octave on high pitches. On the low end, they hear very similar to us. Our cat’s vision and how they see the colors or shapes in their world can leave them feeling vulnerable in times of significant change.
Cats are also ‘energetic beings’ which means they easily pick up on your own state of mind. The more stressed you feel, the more stress they will experience themselves.
Proven Methods To Keep Your Cat Calm in Construction
So how then can we make our homes safe for our cats during times of redecoration? Below are some “Dizzy tested & approved” methods for kitty calming during construction.
When It’s Safe – Let Their Curiosity Explore
Each feline personality is different. Some cats are the brave, curious types. While others prefer to hide away from all the noise and unfamiliar mess lying around the floor.
If your cat is the “I wants to help,” curious, exploring type, let them! This goes without saying – you should only allow your cat in the area if clear dangers aren’t present. Much like children, they will get in to places & spaces you didn’t even know existed!
They also don’t really comprehend the concept of wet paint. So if you’d rather not have your home flooring redecorated in lovely paw prints, (in the color of your choice of course), you might want to close that room off until dry! 😉
Something Dizzy loves (and your cat may too?), is when we pick her up and walk her around the house in our arms. She is able to view the changes in her home while enjoying the safety of her parents watching over her.
This alone has really helped her be more calm and feel more self-assured in her home. They are curious. If you can help them explore the changes happening, while being completely protected, you will see a much happier, calmer kitty.
Do Take Advantage of All Natural Calming Aids
In our home, we have had amazing results with Jackson Galaxy products! Honest to goodness, we have seen such a transformation in our Dizzy. She has always suffered from severe anxiety and we had always been on the lookout for ways to help her. When we found Jackson Galaxy drops, it was a Godsend for her and for us!
Stress Stopper and especially Safe Space for Cats has been our go-to remedy. As a matter of fact, Bill and I were just discussing how it is time to reorder. Dizzy’s behavior dramatically changes when we add 3 to 4 drops in her canned food. She becomes a calmer, less aggressive and affectionate feline that is more at ease with herself.
Another of our go-to natural remedies? Cat pheromones! Gone are the days when the options are limited or the effectiveness not so noticeable. Feliway spray has worked very well for us. Some cats however respond best to a calming collar.
I can honestly 100% stand behind any of the above mentioned calming agents. We have used them for well over a year now and stand amazed at the miracles they work!
Do keep in mind: If you know that you will be starting a home project soon – begin using calming agents now. Giving these natural remedies a chance to work (at least 2 weeks) before creating chaos in the home will yield the best results.
Even if you aren’t planning a home renovation but struggle with unwanted cat behavior, I still recommend trying the above mentioned calming products. You just might be amazed, as we have been, how much peace is restored to your home!
Give Them Their Own “Safe Space”
Do you have that place in your home where you feel like all is well in the world? Where even after a long, stressful day, entering that space melts it all away?
Your feline family member needs that too. Especially in times where everything else around them is unfamiliar.
So how can you create a space like this?
Take notice of their favorite things. Do they have a favorite scratching post, toy, blanket or bed? Making sure these items are found in their ‘safe room’ will give them a sense of normalcy and familiarity, naturally calming their anxiety levels.
Something else that will help? Having an area where your cat can climb up high and observe their world. In the wild, a cat’s instinct is to hide away as high as possible to escape much of the prey that would seek to harm them. Providing them a place in your home where their climbing is welcomed makes for one happy kitty!
If you’re not really the handy type, you could consider purchasing something like cat shelving for the walls. Cats absolutely love these! I must admit, it’s pretty fun to sit back & watch them show off their expertise in kitty acrobatics.
Adding all of their necessities like a litter box, water fountain, food bowls and toys in their ‘safe space’ gives them the option to stay put if they’d like to.
Cardboard boxes are another free way to offer your feline a space they can hide away in. Many cats will take a cardboard box to expensive bedding any day of the week! Maybe consider placing their favorite blanket inside the cardboard box?
Cat caves are another great option for ultimate safety and comfort.
Calming Cat Music
Yes, there really is such a thing! Best of all, it really works! You have music that soothes you every time you hear it and so do our cats! Certain tones and frequencies instantly soothe the savage beast! 😀
Here are some excellent resources for where to find the most popular albums.
- Calming Music for Pets
- Spotify calming kitty playlist
- Relax My Cat on YouTube
- 8 hours of relaxation music
If you do a search on Google for calming cat music, you will find a nearly endless supply of music available that naturally calms anxiety and troublesome behavior. I highly recommend trying this option.
Lots Of Love!
One of the most important things you can do during this time of high-stress for your cat is to provide lots of love. For each cat, this will mean different things.
If your furbaby is more likely to attack during periods of stress, respect their boundaries. Never try to force them to come out or interact with you if they’re not ready.
However, if they are feeling receptive to your affection, be sure to give lots of it! Take time throughout your day to go and sit down with your cat. Talk with them. Play with them using their favorite toys. Just simply reassure them with your presence and your love.
The more of their normal routine you can keep intact, the safer they will feel during the whole renovation process. Cats are not big fans of change in their environment. Anything you can do to avoid too much change at once will help them adjust to your new home together.
It’s Easier Than You Think To Keep Your Cats Calm During Home Improvements
Really, it’s all about respect and consideration. What’s the golden rule? Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you 🙂 Cats, much like kids, are looking for that same thoughtfulness.
Keep them in mind. Be aware of how they seem. Do they seem to be acting oddly to you? If so, take some time to spend with them and pay attention to their needs.
Even though our [us humans & cats] needs are different – we have a whole lot in common too. Your home is their home too.
Trying to prevent too many changes at once, too much noise or too strong of smells – all of these small considerations add up to a big difference in your cat.
Some things are unavoidable. Renovation is messy. Lots of noise is a reality and change is too. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take some precautions to make it as little of a trauma as possible.
Have you been through home renovation with your cats? What worked best for you and your family? I’d love to hear from you!
Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing this article. I love each of you! Thank you for your support! 😻
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