Paw prints: Separation anxiety: Keeping your pets happy while you're away

As summer vacation comes to a close, New Mexico residents are returning to the classroom and office. While backpacks and lunches are being prepared for the long hours away from home, it is time to consider how your furry companions will handle the change.

New Mexico State University Professor of Companion Animals Gaylene Fasenko said most pets experience some level of separation anxiety, the fear created when an animal is left alone, at some point in their lives.

Fasenko said separation anxiety is triggered when there is a change within the pet’s environment, such as moving, pet owner’s schedule change or even the change of people who live in the home can cause it to occur.

“So back to school time or people going back to work after COVID, can all be triggers. But any change in the home environment irrespective of the time of year can be problematic,” Fasenko said.

The most common signs whether your cat or dog has separation anxiety is excessive vocalization, destructive behavior and self-mutilation, said Fasenko. She said separation anxiety is not only limited to your typical household pets, but also affects exotic pets such as birds.

“In parrots screaming or feather plucking or skin mutilation can be very serious. People often mistakenly think that birds are an “easy pet.” Finches, budgies and canaries can actually be harder to have as pets. Parrots are notorious for being “one-person” birds, and truly hating others in the family, Fasenko said.

Some common mistakes pet owners make when dealing with separation anxiety is introducing a new pet into the home, said Fasenko. She said this can often cause more harm than good, if changes in the home are not introduced gradually.

“People often mistakenly think the best way to alleviate separation anxiety is to get another pet. For cats, introduction of a new cat into a home must be done gradually as there’s often fighting that occurs,” Fasenko said.

She said cats tend to adapt poorly when it comes to change of any kind such as changing their litter box location or change in the owner’s schedule. While almost all dogs tend to experience separation anxiety at an early age when they are puppies, it can occur at any age within dogs, Fasenko said.

“Some dogs have trouble being alone from a very early age and develop separation anxiety despite never going through any major events. It is common for dogs from shelter and dogs with single adult owners to have separation anxiety,” Fasenko said.

Fasenko said separation anxiety occurs primarily due to humans domesticating and breeding animals to be our companions thousands of years ago. She said pets have been bred to “want to be around us” and have naturally become more dependent on their owners for support.

Tips on how to alleviate separation anxiety:

• Make a schedule - Try to keep the day to day schedule as consistent and routine as possible.

• Be patient when introducing change - As time progresses, start leaving the animal alone for short periods of time and gradually (over a span of a few weeks) increase the amount of time the animal is left alone.

• Play time - Tire your pet out before you leave. Either through long walks or playing with them before you leave.

• Music and toys - Playing soft classical music helps calm the nerves, while chew toys or interactive puzzles keeps dogs and cats engaged and gives them something to do while you’re away.

Fasenko said the biggest advice she can give pet owners is for them to never discipline their pet when they are struggling with separation anxiety. She said punishment of any kind whether verbal or physical will create fear and lead to more anxiety within the pet.

“Yelling or hitting the animal will damage any trust and bond you have built,” Fasenko said.

If the pet has extremely high anxiety, Fasenko suggests owners take their pets to visit their local veterinarian to get prescribed medication. Fasenko said pet owners should be patient with their companions and ensure they treat separation anxiety with care and persistence.

“It is not very likely separation anxiety will just ‘go away’ over time; in fact if it is not addressed the anxiety can get worse,” Fasenko said.

Madison Willis writes about pets for The Eastern New Mexico News. To suggest a story or nominate a “Pet of the week,” contact her at:

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