If you have more than one cat in your house, there will be competition to be the Alpha male or Queen Cat.  Less dominate cats can feel threatened and may exhibit some worrying behaviours, like peeing on your carpet!

Other stress inducing factors may include things like fireworks and loud noises,  noisy building works, or strangers to your home.  Your cat may show signs of stress by excessive scratching, crouching low to the ground with a low tail, hiding away or sitting facing a wall.

The obvious thing to do is spend time with your cat, reassuring him or her that you are there and nothing bad is going to happen.  Play with your cat and make sure you let them get hold of the string or toy mouse, or they’ll get bored and wander off. 

Make sure they have their own place to sleep.  A nice basket or soft bed, al of their own, away from other cats, preferably near you, and make sure it’s a nice place with some food and water nearby, nice and warm lie near a radiator, and perhaps off the floor, so they feel safe.

You might try the calming plug-in odourises which claim to calm cats, but before you spend your money, spend some time with your cat!  It’ll do you both some good!