Adding a cat to your family is one of life’s most enjoyable and rewarding experiences. Your new feline family member is a fun and fluffy addition to your home and will surely prove to be just as loyal as a canine companion. Unfortunately, though, cat ownership is not without its challenges. From the occasional hairball to their tendency to wake their owners up at the crack of dawn for breakfast, there are a few occasional hiccups that accompany the joys of having a cat.

As a cat lover, you might choose to keep your feline friend indoors for many reasons. In most households, though, the primary reason is safety.

Cats seem so chill and even have a reputation for being a bit apathetic, but the phrase “scaredy cat” was coined for a reason. Would you know if your cat was experiencing stress? Where does feline stress come from, and how can you recognize the symptoms? Most importantly, what can you do to help? As veterinarians, we see this fairly often. That's why we wanted to share a bit about cat behavior, including the signs and how to help reduce cat anxiety below.

“Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies… Rivers and seas boiling… Dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!” The Ghostbusters may have had the right idea with many of these signs of calamity, but cats and dogs living together doesn’t have to be a disaster.