Cat Behavior

Question 1

Unlike dogs

Answer 1

• Different social structure
• Commensalism vs dominance/subordination
• Different motivation (dogs have drive to fit in)

Question 2

Commensalism

Answer 2

an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.

Question 3

Anthropomorphism

Answer 3

• Attribution to human characteristics to non-human object
• Careful with this (some examples/theories may not be accurate) -> don’t interpret everything in human’s POV
• Ex)

Question 4

Owner survey

Answer 4

• On 900 dog owners
• Q: does ur dog show different emotions?
  -> 65% said dog show jealousy, 40% say dog show guilt

Question 5

Do dogs feel guilt?

Answer 5

• May have to realize they did wrong after doing it and then have a reaction

Question 6

Research Model

Answer 6

• Dog was told/commanded a task (don’t eat treat)
• Left alone with treat
• Owner came back without seeing treat disappeared or not
• Asked owner if dog ate ir or not
• Couldn’t tell
  What happened? -> careful when interpreting

Question 7

Social Hierarchy

Answer 7

• Wild cats mostly avoid e.o -> live apart tgt, daily patterns to maintain spacing
• Little evidence of social ranking in domestic cats (may be most dominant or aggressive)
• Feral cats Amy form a group around a common food source

Question 8

Reasons for Difference

Answer 8

• Differences in ancestry; animals
• Domestication of cats different from other animals -> religious connection, rodent control, harder to control mating, fewer purebreds today, less selection for behavior traits.

Question 9

Normal Behavior: Play

Answer 9

• Play: 4-16wk, individually and with other kittens, improves (coordination, social interaction)
• Mother trains to hunt at 3 weeks

Question 10

Kittens’ Attachment

Answer 10

• Daily handling for 40 min per day for weeks 2-7
• Increased attachment behaviors later in life

Question 11

Normal Behavior: Predation

Answer 11

• differ from hunger
• well-fed cats still hunt
• will stop eating if live prey is introduced

Question 12

Normal Behavior: Eliminative

Answer 12

• talked about spraying
• urinate to mark territory
• often burry feces

Question 13

Normal Behavior: Scratching

Answer 13

• leaves scent
• sharpens claws
• strengthens muscles

Question 14

Is rubbing/rolling normal for cats?

Answer 14

Yes

Question 15

Normal behavioral communication

Answer 15

vocal

Question 16

Purring

Answer 16

• Can be a sign of calm/anxiety
• not breathing related necessary

Question 17

Normal Behavior: Postural

Answer 17

Hair, ears tail, back

Question 18

Normal Behavior: Agression

Answer 18

Many forms:

• inter-male, fear-induced, pain/induced, territorial, etc…

–> Can have nicest cat and if in pain, careful cuz ASAP be/c very aggressive

Question 19

Abnormal Behaviors: Pica

Answer 19

• Chewing/eating non-nutritional items
  –> plant eating, wool sucking
• human OCD meds somehow works with treating this behavior

Question 20

Abnormal Behaviors: Redirected aggression

Answer 20

Can be toward another cat/humans
- Solution: remove original stressor

“Stress release”

Question 21

Abnormal Behaviors: Petting induced aggression

Answer 21

• May be over-stimulated
• may just be a sign that cat had enough

Question 22

Top 4 Reported Behavior Problems

Answer 22

• House soiling
• Pet-to-pet problems
• Aggression to humans
• Destructive behavior
• At least 28% of cats surrendered to shelters are due to behavior problems

Question 23

Considerations with Behavioral Problems

Answer 23

• is it an owner problem (ex: normal cat behavior that wonder doesn’t like?)
• Common reasons for cat behavioral problems

Question 24

General Treatment Options

Answer 24

• Client education
• Environmental modification
• Behavioral modification
• Drug therapy

Question 25

Reinforcement vs Punishment

Answer 25

Positive reinforcement: often works well
- Treats, petting, … to reward desired behaviors

Punishment
- vocal “no”
- Squirting water often works
- Removal of petting, treats, … (maybe?)

Careful with punishment
- may be // with caretaker
- response may be hard to predict

Timing = VERY important

Question 26

Specifics: Not using litter box

Answer 26

– Check health of cat
– Check litter box
- added pets
- diet changes

Question 27

Cleaning accident areas

Answer 27

• clean well
• eliminate odors
• don’t use ammonia-based cleaners
• can put food bowl in that area

Question 28

Dealing with scratching

Answer 28

• get scratching post
• cover material (double side tape, aluminum foil)
• declaw (?)

Question 29

Deal with aggression

Answer 29

• remove stimuli
• see general treatment options

(RM: client edu, environmental modify, behavioral monification, drug therapy)

Question 30

Positive reinforcement

Answer 30

often works well
- treats, pets, …

Question 31

Punishment

Answer 31

• “No”
• squirt water
• remove treats, pets

Careful with this: unpredictable response

Question 32

Timing is important with

Answer 32

punishments and reinforcements

Question 33

boredom

Answer 33

• need to spend time with cat
• many toys available
• many cats (?)
• feeding toys

Question 34

Other unexplained cat behaviors

Answer 34

• earthquake sensing
• death sensing
• homing ability (travel up to 1500 miles to return home)