Halloween is definitely a time for some fearsome fun, but someone who might not enjoy it quite so much is your pet cat.

Spooky decorations, strange sounds and smells and large groups of people in frightening costumes knocking at your door over and over - it is little wonder that many cats suffer from stress and anxiety during Halloween week.

Unfortunately, these intense emotions mean that cats often behave erratically, and not at all like their usual selves. Even the most laid-back feline may suffer from a range of symptoms that suggest they are feeling worried by Halloween preparations. Common symptoms of feline stress and anxiety include:

• Urinating outside of the litterbox
• Excessive grooming
• Excessive scratching
• Excessive vocalization
• Loss of appetite
• Digestive upset including diarrhea, constipation and vomiting
• Pacing
• Becoming aggressive
• Hiding

Another common behavior on Halloween is trying to escape your house. Often this occurs in cats as a result of stress and occasionally excitement, and this creates endorphins and a flood of adrenaline that prompts your cat to try and escape. However, in some cases cats simply don't like being kept indoors even if it is for their own good, and will try and find a way to escape regardless.