Cat anxiety from neighbour's dog — what works

A 10-year-old cat suddenly showing anxious behaviour after years of being settled — that's really worth taking seriously. Cats are experts at masking stress, so if it's visible now, it's likely been building for a while. The good news is this sounds like a clear environmental trigger: the dog next door. Pheromone products are the strongest tool here, but placement matters a lot. Before I point you to the right one — can you tell me a bit more about what you're seeing? Hiding, overgrooming, spraying, changes in appetite? And do you know whether your cat can actually see, hear, or smell the dog, or is it more of a general disruption to the household?

That's really useful. A German Shepherd barking regularly next door is a significant threat signal for a cat — especially one who's spent a decade feeling completely safe in that space. Losing her window spot is a big deal too; that was probably her territory anchor. The withdrawal you're describing is classic low-grade chronic stress, which actually responds well to pheromone support when it's caught before it escalates. One question before I give you my recommendation: is the back window the only place she used to like, or does she have other favourite spots in the house that she's still using?

Perfect — that tells me she still has safe zones, which is a good sign. She's retreating rather than completely shutting down. Here's my recommendation: Feliway Classic Diffuser. It's the most evidence-backed pheromone product available and it works by mimicking the facial pheromones cats deposit when they're marking something as safe. The critical thing with your situation is placement — plug it in the bedroom or hallway, not near the back of the house. You want to reinforce the spaces she still trusts, not try to fix the one she's already abandoned. One diffuser covers around 70 square metres and lasts about 30 days. Most owners see a measurable difference in 2–3 weeks. Don't bother with sprays for this — for ongoing environmental stress, the diffuser gives you sustained background support that a spray can't match.

One is the right starting point — give it 3–4 weeks in the bedroom or hallway before deciding whether you need a second. Adding a second too early makes it hard to know what's working. Alongside the diffuser, the most useful thing you can do is give her more vertical space in the safe zones — a cat tree or even a cleared high shelf in the bedroom. Height is security for cats. If possible, also block her view of the back garden temporarily — a frosted window film or just keeping that door closed. You're not solving the problem permanently, but you're reducing the stimulus load while the pheromones do their work. If she's still this withdrawn after 4–6 weeks on the diffuser, it's worth a vet conversation to rule out pain or to discuss a short course of medication — but I'd try the environmental approach first given what you've described.

Good call. Stick with that spot and give it the full month before judging it — pheromone diffusers aren't instant and people often give up too early. The fact that she still has safe rooms and it hasn't escalated to spraying means you're catching this at the right stage. She should come back to herself.