Stress, worry, and anxiety are now part of the “new normal” as we all weather the current Covid-19 pandemic. 

If you are feeling worried and concerned, then there is a good likelihood your pet will take on your stressful feelings. Why? Pets are incredibly sensitive to the energy in their environment, whether it’s joy, peace, anger, anxiety, or stress. Plus, they don’t like it when their humans suffer and want to help us feel better.

Your animal family can experience stress and anxiety more often than you may realize. Stress, if left unchecked, can negatively impact your pet’s behavior, health, and overall quality of life.

As a pet parent, it’s essential to recognize when your pet feels stressed-out. Animals offer clear signals when they’re feeling anxious and worried. Then it’s up to you to provide your animal family with balanced and peaceful solutions like daily exercise, play, and Reiki.

Yawning can be a sign of stress in your pet.

Animals use a variety of physical gestures and body language to communicate stress and anxiety. 

Bodhi demonstrates 2 signs of stress: lip licking and yawning.

11 Signs of Stress in Pets:

1. Excessive panting, even when it’s not hot;
2. Tail between hind legs;
3. Excessive whining or other types of vocalization;
4. Constant lip licking and/or excessive yawning;
5. Excessive scratching, paw licking/sucking, and over-grooming;
6. Restless pacing and can’t settle down;
7. Hiding behind and under furniture or in closets;
8. Decreased appetite, or refusal to eat their food especially special treats;
9. Peeing/pooping in irregular locations like in the house or out of the litter box;
10. Clingy and not wanting to leave your side or lap;
11. Excessive Shedding.

Animals prefer to live in a peaceful, calm environment. Given a choice, healthy pets will remove themselves from the source of their anxiety, like moving to another room, hiding in a closet, or going outside. If your pet feels unheard, they may act out on their concern by chewing paw, plucking feathers, growling,  or even biting.

3 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Pet’s Stress:

1. When possible, give your animals regular exercise, fresh air, and play, which helps release excess energy and stress. 
2. Animals do understand the reasons behind their behaviors. Like humans, animals appreciate it when they feel heard and validated. If you think your pet is stressed, but not sure why then contact me so I can give you insight into the source of your pet’s stress and discuss how best to alleviate it. 
3. Animal Reiki naturally alleviates stress in animals and you. Animal Reiki gently releases energetic blockages and imbalances. The goal is to create a healing space that allows animals to go into a deep, relaxed space.

Experiencing stress and anxiety doesn’t feel good to pets. It’s up to you to learn how to read your animal companion’s body language to determine your pet’s state of mind.  Your animals will appreciate your efforts to alleviate the cause of their concern and worry as soon as you can.

The post How To Recognize Stress In Your Pet appeared first on Cathy Malkin -- Animal Muse Communication and Reiki.