Cats aren’t crazy about having new people in their house to begin with. But workers—be they contractors helping with your renovation, window washers, appliance repair workers, or landscapers—can bring on a whole new level of feline stress.
Workers can be stressful for cats for a variety of reasons:
- Unfamiliar people
- Loud noises from equipment
- Strange smells
- Invading the cat’s space
- Changes to the home environment
If you know people are going to be doing work in or around your home, planning ahead can help to keep your cat calm and relaxed.
Tips for Success
Stick to normal routines as much as possible. Feed your cat his regular meals, and try to keep playtime and bedtime on schedule, too.
Consider synthetic pheromones. A diffuser or collar product such as Feliway, Comfort Zone, or Relaxivet can help to keep your cat calm. All these products are designed to mimic the feline facial pheromone, which is soothing to cats. Discuss your choice with your veterinarian.
Keep your cat confined. Let workers know that you have a cat, and consider putting signs on doors or windows that must stay shut to prevent kitty escapes.
Provide a buffer from loud noises. It may be helpful to shut your cat in a room away from the activity that is stocked with everything he needs. Play calming music or leave the television on as background noise to help drown out startling sounds.
Consider crate training. Large dog crates are an excellent—and portable—way to keep your cat safe and secure in a pinch. You can deck out the crate with everything your cat needs, including a litter box, and set it up in a quiet room or even a hotel if you need to make sure your cat stays safe while work around the house is being done.
Know Your Cat
All cats have unique quirks. Some cats enjoy watching landscapers at work from their favorite window perch, while others may act like they are in a home-invasion movie. Some cats play with window washers, chasing the squeegee as it moves across the glass, while other cats may attack the alien in the window.
For routine work, adjust how you manage your cat based on previous experiences. If your cat panics about the lawnmower, plan ahead for mowing days and set him up in a safe spot where he can’t hear the mower ahead of time. Preventing your cat from experiencing the stressor is much easier than calming him down after he is already upset.
For new things, think about your cat’s personality and how he typically reacts to changes. If he typically observes new people or events from a distance but then warms up, he will likely be fine. If he tends to disappear for days, stop eating, and/or urinate throughout the house when something unusual happens, you will want to either try some of the management strategies above or consider boarding him until the work is done.
