Separation anxiety in cats is underdiagnosed compared to dogs but affects a significant proportion of companion cats, causing distress during owner absence.
Cat separation anxiety is frequently overlooked because cats lack the dramatic, visible distress responses common in dogs. Yet research using video monitoring has revealed that many cats show significant behavioral changes when left alone — including pacing, excessive vocalization, and failure to eat or drink. Cats with separation anxiety often eliminate outside the litter box specifically when alone, which is frequently misattributed to litter box aversion or spite. Treatment approaches include environmental enrichment to provide stimulation during absence (puzzle feeders, window perches, media), providing a companion cat where feasible, and veterinary-prescribed anxiolytics in severe cases. Owner education about feline social bonds is the first step — acknowledging that cats can genuinely miss people is key to treatment.