Cats are getting stressed as their owners spend more time at home.
A cat
Vets are reporting a rise in the number of felines suffering from stress-related conditions, which they say is being caused by owners spending more time at home amid the pandemic and disturbing the daily routine of the animals.
Debbie James, from Vet's Klinic in Swindon, has warned that the issues could become life-threatening.
She said: "We have seen a rise in blocked bladders in male cats and cystitis in male and female cats during the lockdowns and coming out of lockdown. The most common cause is stress."
James advised those are working from home to keep their moggy's routine as normal as possible to avoid any health risks.
She explained: "Any change in routine can unsettle cats as they are creatures of habit. They like routine and any change, such as people being home more, can cause a cat to become stressed.
"If cat owners are working from home or self-isolating then the advice is to keep their routine as similar to normal as possible."