Secret About Stress

You are driving like mad just to get to your appointment on time. Lucky you-the roads are clear despite it being rush hour. Wait, what’s that over there? Sirens, people milling about… great, an accident. And the result? Traffic. You delegated a task to one of your assistants, and she cheerfully said that she would have it ready by tomorrow, just in time for the 2 pm deadline. 4 pm the next day and she is still working on it; all you can do is steel yourself for your boss’s wrath. You are taking deep breaths, mentally psyching yourself as you are the next lecturer. You slip your hand into your breast pocket for the reassuring feel of your index cards. All your fingers encountered was the cottony fabric of your handkerchief-and it’s your turn to go up on the stage. Nervousness, panic, anxiety… all these belong right under the umbrella of stress.

Stress is the condition wherein the body is put under (conscious or subconscious) emotional, mental, or physical strain as inflicted by pressure. We humans have so many stressors in life, we have ceased keeping count of them. The least bit of a smirk may place a severely sensitive individual under stress without him knowing it. A malfunctioning brand new gadget would definitely subject its owner to stress in his attempts of making it work. All these are stressors that, wittingly or otherwise, trigger a response from us.

Do animals ever feel stress? How about horses? How do they react to stress?

Of course they do! With horses, they resort to cribbing, weaving, head bobbing, wall kicking, blanket chewing, wood chewing, and other sorts of repetitive motions. Understandably, these negative reactions are bound to damage your property. As for the horse, all these would definitely affect his physical and psychological composition.

What are the causes of stress to horses?

1. Minimal grazing time. Horses that are cooped up in their stalls and only allowed minimal grazing periods are prone to stress. Horses by nature are very restless, so they need to be let out more often.
2. Loss of a companion. Horses mourn too. If their companion-it doesn’t matter if it’s also a horse or not-is taken away from him, the horse is put under stress.
3. Erratic feeding time. Horses are habitual creatures, and not having a fixed schedule for feeding them would subject them to anxiety.

This is just a few of the most common factors that cause stress to horses. I am sure that as you get to know your horse better, you yourself would be able to pinpoint things or situations that would get your horse all stressed out. Stress is never good, and it would be best to try your utmost to lessen the stressors in your horse’s life.

Cats can seem to be very relaxed and calm animals on the surface. Their natural, graceful motions would not indicate an animal on edge. But the truth is that cats are very sensitive animals and can develop harmful stress. If a cat changes locations or there is another significant change in its environment, like the introduction of a new family member or another cat, they may show signs of feline stress.

This disposition can be very harmful to your pet’s health if it is not properly recognized and relieved. If you notice that your cat is being more reclusive or nervous than normal, this may be a sign of stress. Also, cats will often lose their appetite and enjoyment of people during this period. If you notice high volumes of cat hair or see you your cat pulling out its own hair, this is an indication that your pet may be suffering from stress.

This health issue can be destabilizing for your pet. It is important to try to assuage your cat by either restoring its environment as much as possible or by slowly introducing it into the new or changed environment. Comfort and familiarity is important to a cat’s sense of emotional equilibrium, so changes in this environment must be gradual. Too much change at any one time can cause a great deal of stress in a cat.

Also, the introduction of a new cat or other pet can cause serious stress in your pet. If you are looking to add a new pet to your family, it may be helpful to expose your cat to the new animals first to gauge its response.

If you feel that your cat is suffering from stress, please visit the website of your Austin veterinarian clinic for more information on treatment options.