Taken from a newsletter from James wellbeloved (
http://www.wellbeloved.com )
STRESS BUSTERS FOR CATS THE NATURAL WAY
Do you have an anxious Abyssinian? A nervous Norwegian Forest? A panicky Persian? Or a mixed-up moggie?
Vet Richard Allport offers a few ideas on homeopathic help for stressed cats.
Cats live fairly solitary lives in the wild, with defined territories that have plenty of hiding places. This means that domestic cats often have problem living with other cats in a household, can suffer trauma from other cats 'invading' their territory and become aggravated by a lack of safe areas in their home when they feet threatened.
Most stress in cats can be decreased by practical measures„ such as providing more hiding places, separate feeding stations, more private litter trays, and so on.
A behaviour counsellor may be appropriate for major stress Situations, and homeopathy can certainly help in conjunction with these measures.
Of the hundreds of homeopathic medicines that can help with stress and anxiety, here are a few:-
Staphisagria
This is particularly good at helping with feelings of resentment that may arise with the arrival of fl new cat (or puppy, or baby) in the home, or an ongoing dispute with an existing cat in the household. Any problems where there is an obvious resentment towards another animal (or human) is likely to be responsive to Staphisagria. I once had great success with Staphlsagria in treating a young male cat with severe eczema. No conventional drugs had worked, but when I found that the skin disease started soon after castration, I gave Staphisagria on the hunch that if I'd been castrated, 1'd be pretty resentful! The skin problem was cured in a week.
Phosphros
This is useful for fears and phobias in cats that are by nature excitable and over reactive, especially where noise is concerned. Cats that are scared of thunder or fireworks, cats that jump at any unexpected noise and cats that disappear at any sudden movement may all benefit from Phosphorus.
Arsenicum Album
Or Arsen. alb. for short, is another good anxiety medicine. Cats that show `anticipatory anxiety', in other words become worried and anxious before an event, can be helped by a little Arsen. alb. (as long as it's homeopathic!) Cats that suit Arsen, alb. tend to be quite thin and restless, and love warmth and comfort.
Passiflora
This is a general calming medicine for cats that tend to be anxious and fearful. I think of it as the lavender oil of the homeopathic medicine chest - calming and soothing for the fevered feline brow.
Ignatia
For a cat that's experiencing the stress associated with loss and bereavement, Ignatia is ideal. I remember treating a 16-year¬old Siamese cat that developed mouth ulcers after losing her brother. They had shared their lives for all that time and she was undoubtedly grieving for him. No drugs for the ulcers worked, but Ignatia given for grief cured them within a month.
These medicines and many more can help solve stress problems in cats. If you think your pet could benefit from homeopathy, speak to your vet.
It's important to get the guidance of a vet with experience of homeopathy before starting such treatment, and you should always discuss the issue with your vet and keep them informed.
I have had some good successes using homeopathy but agree you must consult a homeopathic vet who has the knowledge and experience to be able to supply you with the right remedy/remedies for your specific problem.
