Behavioral Problems: Cats & Dogs Flashcards
What are the two categories of behavior problems?
- Normal
- Abnormal
What are normal behaviors? (4)
- Vocalizing
- Biting
- Chewing
- Urinating
Vocalizing, biting, chewing, & urinating are all ___ behaviors that still may be a ___ for the owner. These behaviors can also indicate a ____ issue.
- Normal
- Problem; issue
- Medical
What are some abnormal behaviors? (3)
- Anxiety
- Phobias
- Compulsive disorders
Lip licking in cats
Meaning
Solution
- Stress, nausea, anxiety
- Provide space to hide. Ideally up high & away.
Flat ears in cats
Meaning
Solution
- Stress, frightened
- Provide place to hide & get up high
Rubbing cheeks on surfaces or legs
Meaning
Scent marking
Slow blink in cats
Relaxed in your presences!
Try doing it back then turning your head away.
Exposed belly in cats
Meaning
Greeting! They are relaxed around you & have trust.
Respond by giving soft head rubs, not the belly!
Purring in cats
Meaning
Content, attention seeking, pain/discomfort, &/or stress
T/F: It is important to listen to the owner & how they’re saying it
True!
Their body language can tell us a lot about the O intentions
Treatment steps for behavior issues (4)
- Management
- Training
- Behavior modification
- Medication
Tx management (6)
- Crate (properly trained)
- Baby gates
- Tethers - a book, training w/tether
- Harnesses
- Head halter
- Muzzles
T/F: Collars cannot cause damage
False. They can cause damage (ex: trachea)
T/F: Patient just needs to tolerate methods such as crates & head harnesses
False. It is best to make them LOVE it!
Management Tx
Motivators & distractors should be ___ to the animal. It they are, they can be used in behavior ___. If they aren’t, you need to find the ___ one.
- Fun
- Modification
- Right; new
Motivators & Distractors (3)
- KONG
- Attention & anxiety: Eating & anxiety are not compatible - Food puzzles - DIY, complex, snuffle mat
- Cameras: Get data & monitor progress
- Don’t recc: Pt contact w/ O on camera
Anti-anxiety aids (4)
- Thunder shirt
- Thunder cap
- T-touch
- Body wraps
Tx Behavior Modification
Counterconditioning
Teach animal a fun behavior
- Clicker
Tx Behavior Modification
Desensitization
Carefully expose the animal to the trigger in small steps
What is a tigger?
Trigger stacking?
- Whatever causes the behavior.
- Intensity of a trigger can cause the animal to go over threshold. - Exposure to mult trigs before the animals emotional state has returned to normal
___ language will tell you when the animal is approaching their threshold.
___, ___, ___, & ___ are all signs that the animal is approaching threshold.
When these signs show, it is important to ___.
- Body language
- Eye position
- Ear position
- Body tension
- Lip licking
- STOP
Define:
Reinforcement
Punishment
- Anything that increases the behavior it follows
- Anything that decreases the behavior it follows
A reward is an item ___ for good behavior. It cannot be confused for a ___. Food is an ___ reinforcement.
- Given
- Bribe
- Unambiguous
Define:
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment
- Add something animal likes
- Add something the animal doesn’t like
- Take away something the animal doesn’t like
- Take away something the animal likes
Extinction definition
Ignoring the behavior.
- Beware: many behaviors are self-rewarding (ex: counter surfing)
- Flooding is…
- Side effects: (2)
- Inability to escape from trigger.
- Outcomes
- Learned helplessness
- Shutting down
Tx Medication
OTC products (2)
- Milk protein: I-theonine
- Pheromones
- Adaptil
- Feliway
Tx Medication
Behavioral Pharmacology (3)
- SSRIs
- Benzos
- Buspirone
___-modification is the primary way of resolving issues.
___ are only an adjunct. Meds will often have ___.
- Behavioral
- Medications
- Relapse
