Hi! I’m Dr Anisha, and a warm welcome to the very first Let’s Thrive blog!
During the monsoon drizzle of the past few months, an idea has been brewing: a monthly collection of thoughts inspired by the common chats and insights I have with my lovely clients and furry patients alike.
We at Let’s Thrive hope these rambles will be enjoyable answers to questions that cross the minds of many pet parents — infused with a little of our love for holistic medicine, nature and the wonderfully complicated creatures we share our lives with.
ANIMALS HAVE FEELINGS?
A common sentence I hear in consults is: “But animals don’t speak.” Here I beg to differ. Our pets may not speak with human words, but through their voices, eyes, ears, pheromones, posture and body language, they almost never shut up!
Whether we look at research into animal behaviour or simply spend ten minutes observing any animal, it becomes pretty clear that they have a wide emotional vocabulary. Whilst we humans are masters of the vague and indirect, animals tend to be wonderfully direct. They hiss when they don't like something, hide when they're frightened, and dance and wag their tails when they're delighted. They don't need complicated explanations to tell us how they feel. We simply need to learn their language.
SIGNS THAT MY PET MAY BE DEALING WITH ANXIETY
Dogs have a common language and cats have another — but every individual animal is beautifully different in how they express themselves. Interestingly, temperament can influence how an animal responds to stress. In Ayurveda, we often look at these differences through the three Doshas, offering another lens for understanding why one animal may become restless and reactive while another retreats.
REMEMBER!
Some of these signs can occur with anxiety AND physical disease. Before assuming that a behaviour is “just stress”, always rule out an underlying medical problem with your vet.
An anxious dog or cat may show aggression, clinginess, withdrawal, hypervigilance, jumpiness or destructive behaviour. Cats have some wonderfully specific stress languages of their own. Overgrooming can be a sign that something isn't right. So can urinating in laundry baskets, on beds or in other completely inconvenient places. But guess what? They're telling us something.
Dogs can also resource guard — protecting an object from everybody else, sometimes using aggression. It can be anything from food to a favourite tennis ball. One foster of mine used to resource guard the ironing board!
Animals don't hold grudges or understand revenge in the way we do. When a behaviour is irritating or inconvenient, it is much more useful to ask: “What is this animal feeling, and what are they trying to communicate?” Often, underneath the lunge, bite, destruction or hiding is an animal who doesn't feel safe.
WHAT CAN CAUSE IT?
Prior trauma
Experiences during the first formative weeks of life can influence how an animal responds to the world. Early separation from their mother, poor socialisation, frightening experiences or simply growing up without feeling safe can all contribute to anxiety later on.
Diet
The gut and brain are in constant conversation. Nutrition influences digestion, metabolism, hormones and the building blocks our bodies use to function — so what goes into the bowl matters. An unbalanced or highly processed diet may not be the sole cause of anxiety, but poor nutrition can contribute to poor physical and emotional resilience.
Frequent or significant changes to lifestyle
Walks. Feeding times. Sleeping spaces. People coming and going. Dogs and cats are creatures of habit (cats, admittedly, somewhat reluctantly so!). A predictable daily rhythm can provide a sense of safety and grounding. Big changes can therefore be surprisingly stressful. For an outdoor cat, suddenly becoming an indoor cat can mean a huge change in freedom, territory, smells, sunlight, stimulation and social life.
Maintenance of house space
Before we lose our minds wondering whether our cat is going through an existential crisis, check the litter tray! Clean, accessible litter trays, safe sleeping spaces and somewhere quiet to retreat can make a surprisingly big difference.
Stress of the pet parent
Animals are extraordinarily perceptive. They notice changes in our voices, routines and body language. Sometimes our stress becomes their stress.
CAN ANXIETY IN MY PET LEAD TO OTHER PROBLEMS?
Absolutely — and this is where we can get caught in a vicious cycle. Stress can affect the body, and physical discomfort can then increase stress.
Digestive problems such as constipation or flare-ups of existing gut disease can be associated with stress. In cats especially, stress can play a role in urinary problems such as stress-associated cystitis. And skin problems can become part of the cycle too — compulsive grooming, licking, scratching and chewing can damage the skin, which creates more irritation, which creates more licking… And round we go.
HOW CAN WE HELP OUR PETS?
Allow them to express natural behaviours.
Climbing, sniffing, scratching, chewing, digging, hunting, hiding, exploring and playing are not “bad habits”. They are part of being an animal. Where possible, give them safe ways to do animal things.
Link behaviour to triggers.
Try to notice when the behaviour happens. Is it when the doorbell rings? When left alone? During fireworks? When another animal approaches the food bowl? Understanding the trigger gives us somewhere to start.
Diet & Exercise
A well-balanced, nourishing diet is the foundation. And move the body! Daily outdoor time isn't simply about exercise. It is an explosion of smells, sounds, textures and information for an animal brain. A slow sniffing walk can sometimes be more enriching than a frantic kilometre around the block.
Calm daily life
Animals can be our in-house therapists! Keeping up their care routines, creating predictable rhythms and cultivating a lower-stress household can be wonderful for them — and for us too.
Fresh Air & Sunlight
Think about living indoors for your entire life. No morning sunlight. No breeze. No changing smells. No birds outside the window. How happy and healthy would you be? Why should this be any different for our pets? Of course, safety comes first — but whenever possible, give them access to fresh air, natural light and the sensory world outside our four walls.
Calming remedies
From catnip to flower essences and gentle herbal support, there are many natural approaches that may help animals feel more at ease. Our Let’s Thrive blending room has lovingly crafted Tranquil Tincture — a gentle formula of passiflora, chamomile, brahmi and hemp, created to support the anxious mind while nourishing the body. Tranquil can also be a wonderful support alongside active behavioural work, helping an animal feel calmer and more able to engage with learning new responses to stressful situations.
Check out Tranquil Tincture on Amazon
Active behavioural work
Sometimes our animals need more than a calming remedy or a change in routine. Working with a qualified animal behaviourist can be transformative, particularly when anxiety is severe, longstanding or affecting the whole household.
GET IN TOUCH
If you'd like help understanding your pet's behaviour, drop us a line at:
Letsthrive_wellness4animals@gmail.com
“Because our animals are always talking. We just have to learn how to listen.” 🌿🐾
