Anxiety disorders are common in domestic cats, causing chronic suffering that is frequently unrecognised by owners and underdiagnosed and undertreated by veterinarians.
Feline anxiety is a substantial welfare issue that operates largely below owner and sometimes veterinary awareness. Cats are stoic and their anxiety expressions are often subtle compared to dogs; a cat that spends most of its time hiding may simply be labelled shy rather than recognised as experiencing chronic anxiety. The welfare cost of untreated chronic anxiety is significant; it affects physical health through immune suppression, urinary health, and dermatological manifestations, as well as quality of life measured behaviourally. The treatment framework combines environmental modification to provide security and adequate resources, behaviour modification techniques, and pharmacological support when needed. Environmental modification is foundational because medication does not compensate for a structurally inadequate environment. The good news is that feline anxiety is highly treatable with appropriate intervention.