What Are Cats Afraid Of? 10 Common Cat Fears and Anxieties

Cats are known to be mysterious creatures when it comes to understanding their behaviors. They can be friendly, snuggly, loving, and sweet, but they can also display behaviors that are not so desirable.

When these unwanted behaviors arise, such as aggression or hiding, it’s important to understand how to help your cat.

When dealing with unwanted cat behaviors, it’s best to have any medical reasons ruled out by your veterinarian before assuming it’s a behavioral issue.

What Causes Fear and Anxiety in Cats?

Fear and anxiety in cats can stem from various factors—genetics, the behavior and health of the mother cat, and the experiences they have from the time of birth until they come into your life.

Sometimes we may never know their previous life experiences, which makes it hard to understand their fear and anxiety.

Proper socialization plays a crucial role in reducing fear and anxiety in cats.

Cats who are well-socialized—meaning they have spent time around other cats, people, and dogs, starting from a young age—tend to be less fearful. This social and environmental exposure should be positive, with rewards for good behavior, such as a treat.

The critical period for socialization in young cats is between 2 and 12 weeks of age. Cats who are not properly socialized at this time may have an increased likelihood of developing fear and anxiety-related behaviors.

Problematic behavior in cats is the primary reason cats are relinquished to animal shelters, often making those unwanted behaviors worse.

Fear in cats is often displayed as avoidance and hiding, but it can also be seen in aggressive behaviors such as biting, scratching, hissing, or growling.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is characterized by nervousness or worry triggered when a cat anticipates danger or a threat. Anxiety and fear often coexist in cats and can result in the same unwanted behaviors.

Long-term fear and anxiety can also lead to repetitive behaviors such as overgrooming, which may cause skin infections and self-mutilation wounds.

The Most Common Fears and Anxieties in Cats

1. Loud Noises

Loud noises that are common triggers for fear and anxiety in cats include:

• Fireworks

• Thunder

• Vacuum cleaners

• Lawn mowers

• Hair dryers

Cats have a heightened sense of hearing, possibly due to multiple folds in their ears that enhance their sensitivity to high-frequency noises. Because of this heightened sense, loud noises often trigger unwanted fear and anxious behaviors, primarily because cats may not understand what the source of the noise is.

Noise phobias can be overcome by gradually, at low volumes, introducing the sounds that produce a fearful response, then increasing both volume and exposure time.

2. Strangers

Cats are known for their heightened sense of smell, which they use to remember people, places, and things.

A new person or stranger in the home introduces unfamiliar smells and sights, which can instinctually trigger caution in cats.

Past negative experiences with people, such as abuse or neglect, can also bring about fear and anxiety in cats.

Overcoming this fear requires patience and positive reinforcement. For instance, having guests sit quietly on the floor with some cat treats can help cats understand that people can be friends rather than foes.

3. Water

Cats and water have long been perceived as enemies, but why?

Looking back into the ancestry of cats, they were often inhabitants of the desert, so water was never really something on their radar.

Cats are also impeccable self-groomers, with little time needed in the bath, thus minimizing exposure to water when they are young.

Wet fur can also be uncomfortable for most cats and add extra weight, making it more difficult for them to run from predators in the wild. This lack of water exposure contributes to many cats’ fear and anxiety around water.

4. Changes in Their Environment

Cats are creatures of habit and are known for being very resistant to change.

Any change in their environment can induce fear and anxiety in them. This includes changes such as:

• New cat litter

• A new litter box or its location

• New furniture

• Moving to a new home

• The arrival of a new baby

• Changes in feeding time or location

• Travel

• Exposure to new smells like cleansers, perfume, or fragrant candles

Such changes can become major stressors for cats, which can lead to unwanted behaviors.

5. Other Animals

Adding a new pet to the home is a common cause of anxiety and fear in cats.

Proper introduction of your new pet should be done slowly.

Cats who have lived without other cats tend to be protective of their territory and may find introductions challenging, especially if they have been an only pet for a long time.

To ease the introduction process, provide your cat with items that carry the scent of their new housemate before introducing them face-to-face.

6. Humans

Introducing new family members can be very stressful for cats. Studies have shown that adding a new person to the home induces more fear and anxiety in cats than adding another pet.

Female cats tend to exhibit more aggressive behaviors than male cats from fear and anxiety. Interestingly, the age of the new person in the home does not seem to correlate with how much stress or anxiety a cat may experience toward them.

7. Veterinary Office Visits

Fear and anxiety in cats are commonly associated with visits to the veterinarian, whether for a routine checkup or when they are sick. Studies have shown that cats who have regular yearly checkups with their vet tend to experience less fear and anxiety during vet visits.

On the other hand, cats who have not seen the vet in the past two years are more likely to exhibit aggression due to fear and anxiety.

Regular veterinary visits don’t just help monitor your cat’s health. The visits also familiarize them with the clinic environment, reducing stress during future visits.

8. Confined Spaces

Cats, like some people, can be fearful of confined spaces. While most cats enjoy having a small, cozy place to hide, being confined and unable to leave can create fear and anxiety in them.

The most anxiety-inducing confined space for a cat is their cat carrier. While some cats may tolerate their carrier, many loathe its existence.

A carrier itself can be feared, and it also becomes associated with unpleasant experiences such as infrequent vet visits, travel, loud noises, and unfamiliar smells and sounds.

These factors can contribute to unwanted behaviors driven by fear and anxiety when your cat is in a carrier.

Keeping the carrier in plain sight and open for your cat to visit can help them get used to its presence. You can even start to feed them meals in the crate, offer them a yummy treat, or give them a toy, all to associate the crate with positive behaviors and things your cat would enjoy.

Giving them a blanket or a t-shirt that smells like their favorite person can also help relax a cat in their crate. Feliway® also makes a pheromone spray which can help to aid a cat and make them less stressed or anxious.

9. Cucumbers

A viral internet video from years ago popularized the idea that cats are afraid of cucumbers.

Videos like these showed cats being introduced to cucumbers and jumping high into the air out of fear. There are various theories as to why cats react fearfully to cucumbers, such as the vegetable resembling a snake, which is a natural predator to cats.

However, a feline veterinary behaviorist at Cornell University’s Feline Health Center suggests that a cat’s fear of cucumbers is likely just a reaction to any new object.

It’s more probable that the fear stems from the unknown nature of the object rather than the cucumber itself.

10. Lack of Hiding Places

Having a safe space to hide is crucial for a cat’s well-being and happiness. Cats use these hiding spots to help prevent fear or anxiety responses, providing them with a special place that offers both comfort and safety.

Often, cats seek out small, secluded spaces or high-up locations within the home to retreat to. Without these havens, unwanted behaviors can arise.

Providing your cat with a designated hiding place, ideally with two entrance/exit points, can allow them to feel more secure and less vulnerable, significantly reducing their anxiety and fear.

How To Prevent Fear and Anxiety in Cats

Fear and anxiety in cats can be prevented in many ways. Some effective strategies include:

1. Early exposure and desensitization: Introduce kittens to various sounds and situations early in life to help prevent them from developing fears in the future. This process, known as desensitization, involves gradually exposing them to potentially frightening stimuli such as vacuum cleaners, new people, or rearranged or new furniture.

2. Counterconditioning: Help cats develop a positive association with things that once caused fear or anxiety. Gradually expose them to these triggers while providing comfort and treats to create positive experiences.

3. Safe spaces: Make sure your cat has several safe places to hide or retreat to when feeling anxious or fearful. These spaces should be quiet and inaccessible to other pets or household members.

4. Consistency in environment: Maintain consistency in your cat’s environment, including using the same brand and scent of litter and keeping the location of the litter box unchanged. Predictability can reduce stress and anxiety in cats.

5. Supplements: Consider using supplements designed to reduce fear and anxiety in cats. Examples include Feliway®, Solliquin®, an oral supplement; and Calming Care®, a probiotic. These supplements can help alleviate mild anxiety.

6. Prescription medications: As a last resort—if all training methods and supplements have been tried but have not helped—prescription medications may be used to reduce severe anxiety and fear in cats. These medications should be used under veterinary guidance because they may cause sedation and personality changes in some cats.

7. Consulting a veterinarian: Always consult your veterinarian if your cat shows signs of fear or anxiety—medical issues should be ruled out first. Your veterinarian may recommend behavioral therapy or refer you to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or certified trainer to help.