DM4 Pt2-3 The Behavioural Consultation Flashcards
What is the purpose of a behavioral consultation for cats?
To methodically gather information about a cat’s problem behavior, history, and medical records for assessment and solution development.
Why are medical records from all cats in the household important in a behavioral consultation?
They provide context for understanding the behavior of the individual cat and potential influences from other cats in the home.
Who should conduct the behavioral workup for a cat’s problem behavior?
A suitably qualified certified companion animal behaviorist.
What is the first step in a behavioral consultation?
Identifying the problem.
What does investigating a possible medical cause involve in a behavioral consultation?
Reviewing medical history and examining potential health issues that may influence behavior.
Why is taking a detailed history important in a behavioral consultation?
It helps identify patterns, triggers, and past events related to the problem behavior.
What is the goal of assessing the motivation for a behavior in a behavioral consultation?
To understand the underlying reasons or emotions driving the behavior.
How is the assessment communicated to the client and the referring veterinarian?
Verbally and through written documentation.
What form do suggested solutions take in a behavioral consultation?
A practical program of changes, provided verbally and in writing.
Why is it important to manage the owner’s expectations in a behavioral consultation?
To ensure realistic outcomes and encourage adherence to the program.
What support is provided after the initial consultation?
Follow-up support and ongoing communication with the referring veterinarian if needed.
What categories of information are gathered about the cat(s) during a behavioral history?
Information on number of cats, age, sex, medical history, health status, background, social grouping, and temperament.
What details are gathered about the caregivers or family during a behavioral history?
Number of family members, presence of other pets, lifestyle, routines, and interactions with the cat(s).
What environmental factors are assessed in a behavioral history?
Indoor/outdoor access, presence of a cat flap, local cat population, and history of area invasions.
What information is collected about the cat’s diet and feeding habits?
Type of food, presentation method, frequency, amount, food and water bowl locations, and feeding arrangements with other cats.
Floorplans can be used to show the locations of the cats’ resources and areas that are favoured by each cat within the household. Home visits are preferable in most cases for assessing cats but maps and floorplans may still be useful to establish resource location, core areas, etc. See figure below for example, where specific resources can be shown (e.g., litter trays, feeding bowls, water bowls, scratching posts, etc.)
Diagrams can also be used to demonstrate the chronology of events, such as urine spraying, showing the order in which areas were targeted (denoted by 1 first, 2 second, 3 third etc) and the frequency of marking at each location (shown as +, ++, +++ etc) see example in figure below.
Social grouping in a multi cat household can be mapped by asking the caregiver to place the names of the cats in a circle and draw arrows between those who show aggressive or affiliative behaviour towards each other. What these suites of behaviour may look like should be defined and explained to the client, so as they understand what they are seeing in inter-cat interactions. The direction of the arrow denotes which cat initiates the contact and which receives, see figure below.
