Assessing Emotional Health in Dogs and Cats

Question 1

What is a behaviour disorder?

Answer 1

When the emotional response is not proportional or appropriate to the situation or where the behavioural response is not justified or acceptable in reaction to that emotional response

Question 2

Can a ‘normal’ behaviour (i.e. one that doesn’t count as a behavioural disorder) be problematic?

Answer 2

Yes

• Can be problematic for the O (due to the context in which it is displayed; e.g. stealing food off the table)
• Can be problematic for animal due to human reaction to their behaviour

Question 3

Give examples of low intensity displays of behaviour indicating a negative emotional state which may be easily overlooked by a caregiver

Answer 3

• Averting eyes
• Grumbling and curling lip
• Looking intently
• licking faces

Question 4

What needs to be identified when assessing an animals emotional health?

Answer 4

• Emotional motivation for the reported behaviour
• Influences on the emotional motivation
• Genetics, early life history
• Present physical and social environment
• Physical health
• Level of emotional arousal and resilience

Question 5

When gathering information about the animals emotional health, what should you ascertain?

Answer 5

• Signalment information
• Emotional state and resilience
• Reaction to specific triggers

Question 6

If an animal shows a negative initial reaction to a trigger what also needs to be considered?

Answer 6

• Rate of emotional recovery

- Strategies the animal uses to regain its stable emotional state

Question 7

What is the aim of history taking in behavioural situations?

Answer 7

Ascertain whether animal is emotionally stable

Question 8

What methods are useful to help build a picture of the cause of an animals behaviour?

Answer 8

Timeline

• Date of birth
• Significant events - medical, behavioural, social, environmental

Obtaining a house plan

Question 9

What is the purpose of obtaining a house plan?

Answer 9

Help to determine the potential for the physical environment to play a role in triggering negative emotions and creating physiological stress for the individual

Question 10

On a house plan which features are important to mark?

Answer 10

• Internal and external doors
• Windows
• Cat flaps/open windows
• Resting places
• Food and water
• Latrines

Question 11

What potential social stressors should be investigated in a behavioural assessment?

Answer 11

• Intra- and inter- species relationships within the household
• Interactions with unfamiliar animals
• Social interactions with humans

Question 12

When dogs live in the same house hold what must be assessed, why?

Answer 12

The emotional health of all dogs within the household

Dogs are socially obligate and the emotional health of each of the dogs has potential to impact on others

Question 13

What is the most important consideration in multi-cat household?

Answer 13

The issue of social compatibility

Question 14

In the feline world, what are the most ethologically sound groupings in multi-cat household?

Answer 14

Siblings

Question 15

What behaviours can be seen by cats in the same social group?

Answer 15

Allorubbing and allogrooming of one another

Question 16

Give examples of passive-conflict behaviours seen in multi-pet households

Answer 16

Inhibition and avoidance - such as staring, posturing and keeping distance from one another
Appeasement – actively exchanging information such as leaning or licking at faces

Question 17

In multi-cat household when is an appropriate time to identify signs of passive tension?

Answer 17

Feeding time

Question 18

Why is investigating neighbourhood relationships in cats importnant?

Answer 18

Tension between cats in neighbouring territories can be a factor in chronic stress