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Companion Animal & Equine Behavior > Exam 4 > Flashcards

Exam 4 Flashcards

1
Q

Why + how do reptiles use escape mechanisms?

A

Through their behavior, they do this in order to avoid detection

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2
Q

What are some escape mechanisms that reptiles use?

A

Immobility, olfactory masking, micro-habitat selection

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3
Q

What is aposematic defense behavior?

A

Using color in order to deter predators

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4
Q

What is ecdysis?

A

The process of shedding skin

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5
Q

What are some actions that may prompt stress hormones?

A 
Change in habitat features
No concealment location
Unusual sensory cues
Handling
Group housing
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6
Q

Is captive enrichment good for reptiles?

A

No!

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7
Q

Should reptiles be trained?

A

No!

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8
Q

What type of enrichment should reptiles have?

A

The only enrichment that a reptile should have is finding live food

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9
Q

What are examples of scent communications seen in the Caressing the Tiger Video? What purpose did they serve?

A
  • Spraying deposits to mark territory
  • Scratch marks are visual and glands from paws
  • Glands on face and tail –> used to mark territory
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10
Q

How do cats display aggression / avoid fights?

A

Body posture/intimidation (hissing, growling)

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11
Q

What are the friendly greetings of cats?

A

more subtle and fleeting - nose touch or body rubbing

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12
Q

How do cats learn to hunt?

A

In the wild: mother cat will bring live prey for young to learn
- learn to hunt/ stalk through play

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13
Q

What is high-rise syndrome? How do cats correct during a fall?

A

When cats in large/ tall apartments look out windows and fall out –> cats that fall further are usually hurt less. They have time to free fall and relax so that the impact is not as much

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14
Q

What are common behaviors between domestic cats and big cats? What are behavioral differences?

A

Most behaviors of domestic cats have a parallel in the wild.

  • Cat mothers keep their young clean, refine predatory skill through play
  • Always alert for cues that signify food or danger
  • Same communal behavior as lion prides in grouped domesticated cats
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15
Q

What are adaptations the cat has made to live in groups?

A

There is a subtlety to cat communication when living in groups. Cooperative care by groups of females means that young will be more likely to survive.

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16
Q

Why is it that in the cat hunting behaviors are still selected for and in the dog, they are not (resulting in the average domesticated dog being an inefficient hunter)?

A

Non pedigree cats are not completely domesticated. Feral cats have to rely on their own hunting ability to feed themselves.
~ we domesticated cats with the idea that they would hunt rodents. Dogs don’t need to hunt on their own
–> Not as much selective breeding for cats

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17
Q

What is the monotony effect?

A

When cats get bored of food if they eat the same thing.

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18
Q

How is the monotony effect beneficial to the survival of cats?

A

This effect should reduce the probability that an unbalanced diet is taken because no two foods with markedly different flavors should contain the same nutritional deficiencies

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19
Q

What is neophobia?

A

Fear of new food items + when cats prefer food they’ve had previously

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20
Q

How is neophobia beneficial for the survival of cats?

A

The possibility of strong contrasts could indicate that the food is not safe to eat

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21
Q

Does nature or nurture have a more pronounced effect on food preferences for cats? Why is this important?

A

Nurture –> cats will develop taste for what their mother ate and what they are fed when they are young

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22
Q

Why would it be advantageous to feed cats a variety of foods?

A

Because it would ensure that they are having a variety of nutrients for a complete diet

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23
Q

Where was the cat first domesticated?

A

Ancient Egypt

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24
Q

Why were cats domesticated?

A

Domestication due to grain silos

- Abundant amount of grain attracted a large number of rodents

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25
Q

How do the cats’ physical changes differ from that of the dogs due to domestication?

A

The cat has undergone fewer physical changes due to domestication compared to dogs

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26
Q

What has selective breeding led to in cats?

A

Selective breeding has led to changes in hair coat and eye color

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27
Q

Is the domesticated cat still very similar to the wild predecessor?

A

Yes

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28
Q

How many different breeds of cats are there

A

Over 100 different breeds of cats

- Around 40 recognized by breed associations

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29
Q

What are cat breeds based on?

A

Body type, coat color and length, and eye color

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30
Q

How much breed variation is there of cats compared to dogs?

A

Less breed variation

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31
Q

What is cat parenting like?

A
  • Some cats monogamous and co-raise young
  • Mostly mother raises young
  • Initially, nurse as much as 6-8 hrs/day
  • Group cats –> communal rearing
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32
Q

Neonatal cats

A
  • Altricial
  • Primary behavioral concerns:
    ~ Acquire food, stay warm, maternal care
  • Relatively immobile
  • Thermoregulatory systems not fully developed
  • Require tactile stimulation for urination and defecation
  • Well- developed olfactory and tactile systems
  • Poor hearing and eyes closed
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33
Q

Neonatal cats innate behaviors

A 
- Rooting reflex:
     ~ Triggered by maternal licking
     ~ Enables kittens to locate teat
     ~ Develop nipple preference
- Go limp while being carried by scruff of neck
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34
Q

Feeding behaviors

A

First 2 weeks:
- At least 4 hours per day
At 2-3 weeks:
- Decreases to 2-3 hours per day

Mother initiates feeding for first 3 weeks

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35
Q

Mother cat parenting

A
  • At 3 weeks, suckling initiated more by young
  • At 5 weeks, mother brings home prey to kittens
    ~initially dead prey
    ~as get older, brings live prey
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36
Q

When do kitten eyes open?

A

Eyes open between d 2 and 16

- Most 7-10 days

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37
Q

What affects when eyes open?

A

Varies depending on genetics. age of mother, handling by humans, kitten’s gender

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38
Q

When do kittens recognize mother visually vs olfaction?

A

By 3 weeks

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39
Q

When do ear canals open?

A

Over first 2 weeks

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40
Q

When do kittens have adult orientation to sounds?

A

At about 5 weeks

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41
Q

When do deciduous teeth erupt?

A

At about 2 weeks

- Continues to 5 weeks

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42
Q

When do kittens begin replacing neonatal behaviors with adolescent and adult behaviors

A

3 weeks

  • Don’t need stimulation for elimination
  • Will leave sleeping area
  • More mobile
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43
Q

When do kittens develop full adult repertoire?

A

7 weeks

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44
Q

When is kittens most sensitive period?

A

Between 2 and 7 weeks old

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45
Q

What happens when kittens have no interaction?

A

They are hard to tame

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46
Q

What is appropriate amount of socialization for kitten per day?

A

At least 30 min per day

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47
Q

Role of Adult Cats in Behavioral Development

A
  • Strong bond between mother and offspring
  • Father not involved in parental care
  • May also be impacted by social group if housed in a group
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48
Q

What does mother provide to kitten (food)?

A
  • Nursing
  • Between 26 and 32 d, bring killed prey
  • Week 5, mother brings live prey
  • Beginning of weaning process
    ~ completed by 8 to 10 weeks of age
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49
Q

How does natural behavior relate to how we should wean kittens?

A

Start with softened kitten food at about 2-3 week mark to end of 8 week time frame

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50
Q

Kitten learning

A 
Learn by observation
- Primarily mother 
- How to act around humans
- How to hunt
Learn prey recognition, link between predation and food, prefer food mother is fed
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51
Q

When doe object play begin in kittens?

A

2 weeks old

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52
Q

When does social and object play begin?

A

3 weeks

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53
Q

When does exploratory play increase?

A

Increases in first 7 weeks

  • Explore motor skills
  • Climb jump balance
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54
Q 
Milestones:
Stalking, chasing, arch back
Wrestling
Climbing and balancing
Leaping
A

Day 35
Day 43
Day 48
Day 17-43

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55
Q

Social Play

A

Play with littermate, mother, another cat
Starts at about 3 weeks of age
- Peaks between 9-14 weeks
- No gender difference before 12 weeks

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56
Q

What does social play look like?

A

Inhibited or modified versions of aggressive or predatory behaviors

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57
Q

What makes up largest percentage of social play (at about 6 weeks)

A

Pounce

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58
Q

Object Play

A 
Learning eye-paw coordination
Manipulate small objects and toys
Increases at 7-8 weeks of age
Imitates predatory related behaviors
- Bird, mouse, rabbit
- Hallucinatory play
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59
Q

What is hallucinatory play?

A

When they play with things that aren’t there

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60
Q

Olfactory communication in catd

A

Used to mark territory
Also conveys cats gender, reproductive status, and identity
If live in a group, produce group-specific odors, identification, and group cohesiveness

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61
Q

Sprayed urine

A
  • More pungent
  • Provides reproductive status, territory
  • Not a threat or “stay away” signal
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62
Q

Fecal Scents

A

Glandular secretions added as voided
Bury feces within home or normal territory
Don’t bury when out hunting
- Territorial marker
- May also communicate status of the animal

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63
Q

Submandibular

A

Below job

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64
Q

Perioral

A

On sides of mouth

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65
Q

Temporal

A

On sides of head

66
Q

Subaceous

A

Under the skin

67
Q

Interdigital

A

In between toes

68
Q

Bunting

A

Using motion to mark with their scent

  • Rub face or head on eye level
  • Cheek rubbing
  • Will revisit sites in home and remark
  • Provide identifications
69
Q

What glands are important for bunting?

A

Submandibular, perioral, temporal

70
Q

What glands are important for scratching?

A

Interdigital

71
Q

Scrathing

A

Use same site repeatedly

72
Q

What is an immediate method of communication?

A

Vocal communication

- Is contextual

73
Q

Murmur

A
  • Mouth closes vocalization
  • Acknowledgement
  • Call
  • Grunt
  • Purr
74
Q

Vowel

A

Mouth opened and then gradually closed

  • Anger wail
  • Bewilderment
  • Complaint
  • Demand
  • Mating cry
  • Siamese vocalizations
75
Q

Strained intensity pattern

A

Mouth held open

  • Mouth held open
  • Express intense emotion
  • Growl
  • Hiss
  • Mating cry
  • Refusal
  • Scream
  • Snarl
76
Q

What does body language do for cats?

A

Prevent or inhibit aggression

77
Q

Distance reducing postures

A

Tells cat it is safe to approach

  • Submissive postures
  • Active approaches
  • Play postures
  • Rolling
78
Q

Distance increasing postures

A
  • Offensive threat
  • Defensive threat
  • Pariah threat
  • Piloerection
79
Q

Ancestor to domestic cat

A
  • African Wild cat
  • Solitary
  • Prey on small rodents
80
Q

What do cats hunt?

A

birds, small rodents

81
Q

What don’t cats hunt?

A

adult rats (want to avoid risk of injury)

82
Q

What is best way to feed cat?

A

ad libitum access

- Nibblers throughout day and night (9-16 meals/d)

83
Q

Cat social structure

A 
Not social hierarchy like other animals
"Living apart together"
- Zones of the house
May have a dominant cat
- One that shows aggression
84
Q

Territory

A
  • Immediate living area
  • Protected
  • Scent marked
85
Q

Home Range

A
  • Area used for daily activities

- Hunting

86
Q

What determines size of territory and home range?

A

Availability of resources, physical impediments, comfortability of hunting. proximity to other cats, mates

87
Q

Housing instincts

A
  • Return to previous home or territory after a move
  • Independent of memory
    ~ take direct route
88
Q

Resident Generalist

A

Resident: eat a variety of prey
Generalist: hunt within a specifies territory

89
Q

Why do cats play with prey after killed?

A

May protect from injury

90
Q

What do you need to do for treatment of behavior problems

A
  • Need a detailed history of cat
  • Develop treatment plan
  • Success of treatment program
    ~ Type and number of behavior problems
    ~ Cat’s age at onset and duration
    ~ Degree of risk animal poses to others
    ~ Owner’s ability to understand, comply
91
Q

What is most common behavior problem?

A

Inappropriate elimination
- Between 40-70% og cats referred for behavior issues
Most urination outside of litter box

92
Q

Normal litter training

A
  • Confine cat to small area containing bed. food. water, and litter box
  • If outdoor cat, mix in some loose dirt
  • Leave small amount of urine feces of feces in box
  • Most will use readily as they don’t like to soil in their living area
93
Q

What are underlying causes for inappropriate elimination?

A
  • Medical conditions
  • Anxiety
  • Need to mark
  • Surface aversion or litter preference
94
Q

Medical conditions

A

Should be first cause investigated
Cats experiencing pain will associate it with litter box
Possible conditions:
- FLUTD, UTI, diabetes, GI disease, nutritional disorders, aging

95
Q

FLUTD

A 
Feline lower urinary tract disease
Symptoms:
- Blood in urine
- Pain or frequent urination
- Urinary stones or crystals
- Partial or total blockages of urinary tract
96
Q

Urine marking

A

Normal communication tool

97
Q

How to tell if marking

A
  • Site
  • Vertical surfaces
  • Only specific items targeted
  • Near windows or doors
  • Uses litter box for most elimination
  • Body posture of cat
98
Q

What stops spraying in male cats?

A

Neutering stops in 90% of male cats

99
Q

Will spaying reduce spraying in female cats?

A

Will reduce in intact females if spraying is associated with estrus cycle

100
Q

What are causes of inappropriate elimination?

A 
Stress/anxiety
New home
Changes in routine
Decreased attention
New cat or dog
Overcrowding with other cats
101
Q

Treatment for spraying

A 
Determine and eliminate causes
Prevent revisiting areas marked
Clean with biological cleaner
Confine to small areas with litter box
More litter boxes or litter boxes close to area previously sprayed
Aversive stimuli
Drug therapy
102
Q

Litter box aversion

A

Cat completely stops using litter box
Large pools of urine/feces outside or around litter box
- Uses normal squatting postures

103
Q

Causes of Litter box aversion

A
  • Some cats to not like covered boxes
  • Not clean enough
  • Scented litter
  • Litter texture
  • Size of box
104
Q

Cat aggression

A

Normal behavior

2nd most commonly reported behavior problem

105
Q

When would cat be normally “aggressive”?

A

Food bases
Hunting
Stress
Breeding behaviors

106
Q

Inter-cat aggression underlying causes

A 
Poorly socialized
Inappropriate play behavior
Fear induced
Redirected aggression
Territorial
Inter-male
107
Q

What is inappropriate socialization or play behaviors most common in?

A

Orphans
Single kitten in litter
Weaned too early

108
Q

Why is it common in these types of cats?

A
  • Lack bite inhibition
  • Claws not retracted during play
  • Lack social skills
109
Q

Redirected Agression

A

Common in house cats
Cannon direct towards causative agent
Attacks housemate

110
Q

Territorial Aggression

A 
Common in house cats
- Especially when new house mate is introduced
Introduce new cats slowly
- Confine new cat to small area
May take several weeks to months
111
Q

Treatment of Inter-Cat Aggression

A
  • Desensitize cats to each other
  • Slowly move food bowls closer together
  • Pet cats together
  • Provide cats with own areas within the house
  • Find new home for one of the cats
112
Q

Inter-male Aggression

A

Intact males most common
Frequency increases during the breeding season
Normal behavior

Treatment? Neuter

113
Q

Aggression Directed Towards People

A

Play behaviors
Petting induced
Defensive
Redirected

114
Q

Play Behaviors

A 
Directed at person walking by
- Ambush from behind doorway
Redirect play towards toys
Provide novel and new toys regularly
Provide consistent play periods
Time outs
Water bottle
115
Q

Petting Induced Aggression

A 
Over-stimulated
Demonstrate normal feline communication
Read cats signs that it wants to stop
- Tail twitching
- Inhibited bites
- Restlessness
116
Q

Furniture Clawing

A

Normal marking behavior

117
Q

Most likely scratching spots

A

Where they sleep, near home base

118
Q

Reasons for scratching

A

Leaving scents on paes, visual signal

119
Q

Prevention and treatment of scratchign

A 
Provide cat with a scratching post
- Must be sturdy 
- Tall enough for cat
- Place treats on top to start
- Put near favorite spots
Declaw
120
Q

What does a rabbit being a prey animal tell us about their behavior?

A

Always in a state of alert

  • Don’t like being handles/confined
  • They scare easily
  • Take more work to habituate to handling
121
Q

When do rabbits eat?

A

At night; they are crepuscular

dawn and dusk

122
Q

Coprophagy

A

Provides additional nutrients produced from fermentation in hindgut

123
Q

Rabbit vision

A
  • High set large eyes
  • Alert to danger
  • Improved field of vision
124
Q

Rabbit touch

A
  • Lips and vibrissae around mouth very sensitive
  • Sensory hairs around eyes and nose
  • Do not like to have noses touched or hand placed under nose to sniff
  • Nasal breathers
125
Q

Hearing

A
  • Large ears
  • Highly vascular
  • Amplify and locate sounds
  • 12% of body surface area
126
Q

Why are rabbit ears helpful?

A

~ Help dissipate heat (maintain body temp)

~ Helps amplify sounds to detect danger

127
Q

Olfactory / scent marking

A

Urine and glandular secretions

- More common in dominant animals and in presence of subordinates

128
Q

Female scent marking

A
  • Females mark kits with chin and inguinal glands
  • Hostile towards those from clan that aren’t hers
  • Will kill those from other clans or her own if marked with another animal’s scent
  • Makes cross fostering hard
129
Q

Do rabbits do better housed individually?

A

No, better in small groups than alone

130
Q

Why are rabbits housed individually in production settings?

A

To prevent mating. ensuring appropriate feed intake, prevent disease spread

131
Q

What are problems with individually housing?

A

Meat is better with group housing, added level of socialization. decreased problem behavior

132
Q

Rabbit stereotypic behavior

A

Weaving, chewing, excessive grooming, chew or dig at cage
With water bottle
Up to 25% of time
- Disappear or return to normal if housed with another rabbit

133
Q

Rabbits who are group housed

A
  • Increased exercise
  • Increased social contact
  • Lay together, groom, nuzzlr
134
Q

Rabbit dominance hierarchy

A

King buck and Queen doe at top

135
Q

Dominant Rabbits

A
  • Bossy, nip, push others around

- Mount other rabbits facing head of subordinates

136
Q

Submissive Rabbitd

A
  • Complies. not aggressive, timid

- Elevated heart rates

137
Q

Ways to decrease aggression in rabbits?

A

Spaying/ neutering

Introducing bond carefully

138
Q

Human Interaction

A

Speak softly
Move slowly
Feed at proper times
Don’t use harsh discipline

139
Q

Do rabbits spend a lot of time nursing?

A

No- limited

140
Q

Chin rubbing

A

Using scent glands to mark territory

141
Q

Thump ground with food

A

Send signal of danger (stress)

142
Q

Flattending

A

Receptive female, hiding in grass

143
Q

Squatting

A

More relaxed, content version of sitting down

144
Q

Ear Shaking

A

Warning signal (stressed, threat)

145
Q

Lay with legs extended

A

really relaxed

146
Q

Violent kicking

A

When trying to escape, want to be set down

147
Q

Nip/biting

A

Upset or if they want something

148
Q

Licking

A

Content/ happy

149
Q

Periscope

A

Come up on back legs to look for danger/see surroundings

150
Q

Clicking

A

Happy/eating

151
Q

Whimpering

A

Most common in pregnant or younf

152
Q

Tooth grinding

A
  • Loud –> pain/stress

- Soft –> contentment

153
Q

Snorting and growling

A

Upset/feel trapped

154
Q

When is grooming common in rabbits

A

after handling, social settings

155
Q

Decreased grooming

A

obesity, arthritis, pruritus associated with parasites

156
Q

Can rabbits vomit

A

No

157
Q

Behavioral signs of illness

A 
PREY
Isolation
Rough hair coat
Decreased appetite, anorexia, pellets
Flattening
Hair chewing
158
Q

Spraying/Inappropriate Urination

A

Common offenders: in tact male
Purpose: mark territory
Prevention: neuter, spay, larger litter box

159
Q

Digging

A

Purpose: natural species specific behavior
Prevention: bedding, digging boxes, make aversive, get exercise, enrichment

160
Q

Chewing

A

Purpose: helps wear their teeth, natural behavior
Favorite items: carpet, cords, wooden furniture legs

Prevention: toys to chew on, pick stuff up

161
Q

Nipping/ biting

A

Common offenders: females in estrus, dominant individuals, juvenile males approaching sexual maturity
Purpose: way to show dominance, demand to get what they want
Prevention: don’t give them what they want when they bite, ignore, spay/neuter

Companion Animal & Equine Behavior (9 decks)

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