Have you ever met a cat that suddenly changed drastically? Just like humans, animals can feel happy, sad, or even jealous, for a variety of reasons.

Pets like cats can also get jealous. Of course, as an owner, don’t you want your pet to feel these emotions continuously?

Therefore, as a cat lover, you must know, what makes your cat jealous? And what are the signs when a cat is jealous? We will discuss more below.

Causes of jealous cats

• When the owner has another pet and feels abandoned

This can happen, especially if you’ve spent a lot of time with your cat before. Then a new pet arrives that could take up your time and attention, making your cat feel neglected by its owner.

• There is a change in the daily routine.

A change of feeding schedule, or a change of bathroom schedule in cats can cause emotional changes in him, which can be one of the causes of jealousy in cats.

• Try to separate your belongings.

When there is a new pet in the house, be sure to first separate your cat’s belongings from those of your new pet. This is done to minimize your old cat’s jealousy of your new pet.

Signs of a jealous cat

As a cat lover, what are the signs you should recognize and pay attention to as a form of cat jealousy?

1. Be more aggressive than usual

The first sign you can recognize to know if your cat is jealous or not is by observing his attitude. Is your cat one of those who rarely acts aggressive, but suddenly becomes very aggressive?

The aggressive behavior he displays is usually like he will suddenly bite, scratch, or even snap at other animals that he is jealous of. The way to deal with an aggressive cat is not to be calm and not to be rude or hurt.

2. Throw dirt carelessly

When you have a cat as a pet, of course you provide it with a special place such as sand and teach it to be able to dispose of waste in the space provided. Your cat will generally do this as it should.

However, when you find that your cat isn’t littering where it should be or carelessly littering around the house, do so often.

This can be a sign that your cat is not doing well and is a way for him to vent the emotions he is feeling, i.e. jealousy.

3. Pay more attention to the owner

You can recognize this behavior when suddenly your cat is petting you. He will usually show this attitude by always following you around and always wanting to be by your side. It’s not uncommon for cats to lick parts of your body too.

This he will continue to do, until he feels that the owner will pay attention to him. At times like this, you can calm him down by petting or holding him. So that your cat understands that the owner pays attention to him and loves him.

4. Unwilling to be touched

Always avoiding and not wanting to be touched is another sign you can recognize when your cat is feeling jealous. Your cat may feel angry or upset. So he will try to avoid the owner.

In conditions like this, as an owner, you can give your cat time to calm down first.

5. Crackles and hisses

Another sign to watch out for is when your cat growls, hisses and even fights. Not surprisingly, this is done because he is competing for the owner’s attention.

Especially when the owner has another new pet at home. Where this is one of the causes of cats feeling jealous, because it assumes that it will be ignored, after there is a new pet.

This is very normal and common, but it usually won’t last long. Slowly, when your cat can begin to adjust to his condition, his jealousy will fade as well.

How to get over a jealous cat

Here’s how to deal with a cat showing signs of jealousy:

• Pay attention and carefully remember what times or conditions caused your pet to feel jealous.
• If you have other pets in the house besides your cat, try to give them proper care.
• Help your cat get used to feeling safe in the crate. So that when he is aggressive out of jealousy, you can put him more freely in the cage for a while until his emotions are okay again.
• To avoid fighting between animals with each other, when entering feeding time, try to feed separately.

When your pet is in a bad emotional state or is jealous, make an immediate effort to calm his emotions, as if left unchecked continuously it can interfere with his mental health.