Signs Your Cat Is Jealous
📝 Summary
Cats may look aloof, but they're famously possessive. A new person or pet, or any loss of control over its territory, can make a cat insecure and jealous — shown by hard stares, hiding, lost appetite, or puffed-up aggression. The fix is to remove the cause: spread your attention evenly and keep giving the original cat plenty of time and reassurance.
1 When and Why Cats Get Jealous
Big changes at home — a newcomer, a new pet, or a loss of control over the environment — make a cat feel its status is threatened, so it grows uneasy and jealous. The resident cat may then attack the intruder to reclaim security. Unlike dogs, cats hide their feelings, so jealousy shows in the behaviors below.
2 Common Jealous Behaviors
A hard, unhappy stare aimed at you.
Slinking off to sit alone, looking pitiful.
Lost appetite, sometimes to the point of illness — often just a bid for attention; reassure it and it will eat again, but treat promptly if it truly falls ill.
Sudden irritability and full-body puffing, even lashing out at you.
3 How to Help
Jealousy always has a cause, so the best remedy is to remove it. After bringing in a new cat, owners often focus on the newcomer, which deepens the original cat’s jealousy — give all cats equal care and keep the resident cat’s attention and time high so it adjusts. With steady, attentive care it will accept the change and stop acting out.
Want to learn more about pet health?
Explore our pet health channel for more science-based care guides
Read More Articles →