What any observant cat slave could have told the experts...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3956833.stm

"Cats suffer stress, experts say

Cats can suffer from stress-related illness like humans, a study by animal
experts suggests.

Rivalry with another cat is the biggest source of feline anxiety closely
followed by moving home or the arrival of a new member of the owner's family.

Experts compared 31 cats with bladder disease to 24 healthy cats in the same
households and used a control group of 125 other healthy cats.

Sick cats generally got more stressed by other cats in the house, they said.

Stress trigger

Dr Danielle Gunn-Moore, senior lecturer in feline medicine at Edinburgh
University's school of veterinary studies, said feline lower urinary tract
disease was frustrating for vets and owners because most cases had no apparent
cause.

"This group of diseases of the bladder is most commonly seen in pedigree,
middle-aged, overweight male cats which don't go out much and eat a dry food
diet.

"We believed stress could be a trigger and wanted to identify differences in
the cats' environments and temperaments which might cause this condition."

University researchers suggest cats with such illnesses should be fed wet food
and encouraged to drink more fluid by adding tuna-flavoured ice cubes to water.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Animals has welcomed the
research.

Spokeswoman Doreen Graham said: "We've always known cats are extremely
sensitive and this study highlights a problem more widespread than previously
thought." "

I do believe the phrase "No sh*t, Sherlock!" springs to mind, as any observant
cat slave can tell if their owners are stressed ;-)

Cheers, helen s

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