signs of cat stress

Hi everyone. I am so worried right now. Whiskers is 15 and has arthritis, and Lady is 9 with kidney issues. Whiskers has been hiding in the closet for two days straight. He won't come out for food or water. Lady started vocalizing at 3am and urinated on the rug near the bed. I don't know if this is stress because I've been moving things around, or if they are actually sick. How do I tell the difference? I feel like I'm failing them.

Oh honey, take a breath. You are not failing them. It is really hard to tell the line between stress and pain, especially with seniors. I had a similar thing with Kettle when he had ear mites. He just wanted to be alone. But since Whiskers is refusing water, that is a red flag. Check out Signs of stress vs illness for a breakdown of body language. If he is not drinking, you need to see a vet today. Dehydration in a 15-year-old goes bad fast.

Agree with Kate. No water for 48 hours is not stress, that's a medical emergency. Call your vet now. Also, the urination outside the box in Lady is likely medical, not behavioral. See Cat stopped using litter box suddenly for causes, but given her kidney history, it's probably related to that. Don't guess, get her checked.

The 3am vocalizing is tough. I deal with it with Nala. Sometimes it's just cognitive decline or pain, not stress. Look at Vocalizing at 3am help for tips on managing the noise so you can sleep, but again, rule out pain first. If Whiskers is hiding due to arthritis pain, he might not want to move. Check Arthritis in senior cats for ways to make his space more accessible.

I am so sorry you are going through this. My Whiskers used to hide when he was in pain before he passed. It is a very natural instinct for them to isolate when they feel weak. Please listen to stever66 and KettleTeal. Go to the vet. It is better to have them check and find out it is just stress than to wait and find out it is something serious. You are doing a good job by asking for help.

Thank you all. I am making the call to the vet right now. I was reading CKD early signs and I am scared it is that for Lady. And for Whiskers, I didn't realize the hiding could be pain from his joints. I will update you all later.