Lecture 5 - Social Behavior & Communication in Cats Flashcards
at what age does handling yield higher attachment scores?
weeks 2-6 and 3-7 wks
when is the sensitive social period for cats?
when is play first seen? when does increase? when is it seen all in between pairs?
sensitive social period = 2-7 weeks
play - seen at week 3
increases = 4-11 wks
seen between pairs = 8 wks
solitary
species in which individuals form no enduring relationships, living most of their lives in a solitary condition
asocial
literally, not social - individuals do not engage in social interactions with each other
social
a group of animals of the same species that are organized in a cooperative manner
members of a social group exhibit what 3 types of behaviors?
- individual recognition
- cooperative behavior
- reciprocal communication
what forms of behavior are seen in cat social organization?
- colonies
- individual recognition
- preferred associates
what behaviors do preferred associates engage in?
allogroom, allorub, and are in physical contact more
when is allorubbing commonly seen?
after returning from being away - possibly to exchange scent
are cats matriarchal or patriarchal?
matriarchal - queens cooperatively rear young
are cats monogamous or polygamous?
polygamous
at what age do cats stop playing?
even adult cats play! including feral cats which must hunt to survive
describe the 2 main behaviors of male cats
- spend most of their time with one group
2. migrate from group to group seeking estrous queens
describe a friendly-greeting
tail up, allo-rubbing is preceded by a tail-up approach and is most likely to occur when both cats approach tail up
describe hunting in cats
- primary diet is small rodents
- 1 cat requires several small rodents a day
- also eats birds and lizards
describe what a dominant/confident cat looks like
ears up and rotated lateral, fully upright, base of tail elevated, remainder of tail dropped, approach, growl, eye stare
describe what a submissive/scared cat looks like
ears down/back, tail down, head down, crouched, avoidance, avoid eye contact
describe what fear aggression looks like
arched back, ears back, tail arched or straight up, shows teeth, hisses, growls
ie. halloween cat!
human directed feline aggression: play aggression
- often referred to as “vicious”
- serious injury may happen to victim even though its just play
- common in younger cats
- history of using hands or feet to play
treatment of play aggression
avoid situations that elicit behavior, redirect play, provide DAILY opportunities of acceptable play, other cats to play with!
human directed feline aggression: fear aggression
ears back, body lowered, tail lowered, avoids people, aggression occurs when approached
- history of poor socialization or feral living
- often results from unfortunate classical conditioning
treatment of fear aggression
change relationship, densensitization, classical conditioning –> only good things happen when person is around
drug treatment: decrease anxiety and fear - all OFF label use
what to do for off label drug use
get informed consent in writing: should provide explanation of what drug does and list of possible side effects
petting intolerance and treatment
- happens in males and females
- cats primarily groom each other on head and neck
tx:
- pet only on head and neck,
- watch for cues: ears back, tail twitching, skin twitching, mydriasis
- stop before threshold
- buspirone (buspar) - used to facilitate positive interactions #1 side effect = cat more affectionate!
redirected aggression and tx
access to primary target is denied so aggressive behavior is redirected onto another target
tx:
- deny access to windows
- detterents: catstop, scarecrow, garden ghost
- avoid interfering in situation that cause arousal
- facilitate positive interactions between cat and human
what are drug treatments for redirected aggression
SSRIs, TCAs, partial serotonin agonists
drug treatment for redirected aggression may be necessary based on:
- cats arousal
- owners attitude
- primary cause
human directed feline aggression: pain aggression
what is it
examples
treatment
- associated with chronic conditions usually involving eyes or ears
- examples: nail trims, grooming, arthritis, etc
- tx: attempt to make medicating the affected area a positive thing, handle outside of treatment
human directed feline aggression: maternal aggression
predictible, self-limiting, treat as necessary - desensitization and classical conditioning
human directed feline aggression: sexual aggression treatment
punishment before cat mounts limb! redirect onto more appropriate behavior
medication may be necessary (never specified what kind)
intraspecies aggression in the cat: early history
at what age does extensive social learning take place?
raising cat from 5-6 weeks onward with no contact with their own species can result in serious incompetence in social skills
extensive social learning occurs from 2 - 16 weeks and beyond
what drug treatments are available for aggressive, confident cats?
SSRIs: fluoxetine (prozac and reconcile)
TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants): clomipramine (clomicalm, anafranil)
hormones: last resort
drug treatments for aggressive/fearful cats
antianxiety meds: buspirone (Buspar) - increases self confidence
feliway
synthetic analog of feline facial hormone. supposed to help with elimination/marking problems. helps to calm a cat in an unknown/stressful environment
what is the limiting factor in resolution of aggressive cats?
fearful cats
