There are some times when the unavoidable happens and something in your home needs repair or renovation. Being a pet owner during these times can be very stressful for both the pet and the owner. For some pets, having strangers in the home as well as unfamiliar sounds and smells can be anxiety inducing. If you are preparing to have your home serviced and are unsure of what to do to alleviate your pet’s fear, anxiety, and stress during the visit, we have some tips for you!

A Quiet Place

Pets often like to hide in a safe space when unknown visitors come and sounds are happening in their home. An ideal place for your pet to stay during the visit would be a room that you are not having services performed in, as far away from the action as possible. Be sure to alert the team that is working on your home that you have a pet in that space and that they should not enter that area. We recommend making a sign and hanging it on the door, so that the team has a constant reminder.

Another option would be to use a crate for your pet to retreat to or stay in for the duration of the visit. Many pets find comfort in having a crate to seclude themselves from the other activities in the house. We recommend making their crate as inviting and comfortable as possible. Use thick, fluffy blankets to pad the floor of the crate. If your pet has certain toys they enjoy and there is no concern of ingestion, we suggest keeping their favorites in the crate with them. You can also cover the crate with a blanket or sheet, creating a dark, warm, and familiar place for your pet to reside until the home services are complete. Be sure your pet has access to water while separated from the rest of the house. Check out Fear Free’s resource on crate training beforehand so your pet is comfortable with being crated and it does not induce any additional distress.

Video: https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/video/what-you-need-to-know-about-crates-and-your-dog/

Pheromones

A pheromone is an odorless, colorless chemical signal that is used as a form of intraspecies scent communication. Pheromones have several purposes, including: alarm signaling, mating, social interactions, territory marking, and maternal bonding. Cat’s naturally “mark” their territory by rubbing their face against corners, furniture, people, and other pets in the home. When they do this, it releases a “happy message” that that object/area/person is safe.

We can use pheromones, like Feliway for cats and Adaptil for dogs to mask unfamiliar scents that come along with the home service being provided. These appeasing pheromones not only mask the scents of other stress-inducing pheromones, but also mark the area with a “happy message” instead, that communicates safety and comfort, similar to how cats already mark their territory. Feliway and Adaptil come in spray bottles, wipes, and wall diffusers.

We recommend having a Feliway wall diffuser in your cat’s designated quiet space. Wall diffusers can be plugged in for 24 hours a day and Feliway recommends that they are continuously plugged in for the best results. The diffusers last for roughly 30 days when plugged in continuously. When services are complete, we recommend moving the diffuser to the room that was serviced for a short period of time to neutralize the unfamiliar scents

You can also use the Feliway and Adaptil spray on pet bedding in their quiet place for added comfort. Once home services are complete, we recommend spraying the pheromones in the room where the services were performed. The spray should be applied 1-2 times a day. With Feliway spray, it is recommended to spray the common areas that your cat already marks by rubbing their face. The pheromone wipes are great for wiping down baseboards, table legs, and areas that are at your pet’s height level. This should help to eliminate the unfamiliar scents brought in with the team and allow your pet to comfortably reacclimate to the rest of the house.

White Noise Machine

Noise can heavily impact your pets fear, stress, and anxiety level. To help quiet the noise coming from the renovation/repair/service, we suggest playing white noise for your pet, in their designated quiet place. This often reduces the stress caused by repeated, unfamiliar sounds and voices. There are machines specifically made to play white noise that can be ordered or bought at the store, but there are also plenty of videos on YouTube and many music streaming platforms that offer white noise audio as well.

Medication

Pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals can be excellent support tools during stressful events. Nutraceuticals are food-derived substances that have been used to impact health. A common example is Zylkene. Zylkene is derived from a milk protein and can be used to help reduce anxiety. Other nutraceuticals include Anxitane and Soloquin. We use nutraceuticals for low level fear, anxiety, and stress events.

Common pharmaceuticals used for behavior modification are gabapentin, clonidine, and trazodone. Over the past several years, studies have shown and continue to support that felines perform really well on gabapentin and that it is a very safe drug to use in pets. We use pharmaceuticals for high level fear, anxiety, and stress events.

Talk with your veterinarian prior to your home services when possible, so that they can create the best plan possible to support your pet during the upcoming stressful event.

Additional Tips

Some other tactics to help reduce your stress as well as your pets during home projects and services, include day-boarding your pet at a local boarding and/or daycare facility for the duration of the services. If your pet does not do well with boarding, consider having them stay with a friend or family member for the day. We also suggest utilizing baby gates to prevent pets from escaping your home through doors accidentally left open by the team servicing your home. You can use multiple gates to secure each entrance into the home, or use one to secure the room you have designated as your pet’s quiet place.

Your pet’s comfort and safety is our number one priority. With our team, there is never any shame or judgment when assessing behavioral cases. Please reach out to our staff with questions and concerns about your pet and we are happy to provide guidance and support!