T3: Feline Behavioral Disorders Flashcards
List the behavioral disorders in cats.
- fear of species other than humans
- fear of people
- fear of inanimate objects and stimuli
-phobias
attachment problems
What is fear?
fear inducing stimuli: animals, strangers, noises, and unusual experiences
-withdraw from the environment
- decreased threshold to reactivity to stimuli
What is desensitization?
stimulus is repeatedly presented below the threshold that evokes fear
- stimulus is gradually raised
What is counterconditioning?
stimulus is presented in association that the cat unconditionally enjoys (play, food)
Define OCD in cats
repetitious or exaggerated self- maintenance behavior
-lack of ability to carry our normal behaviors, combines, with the social stress of competition and conflict
-wool sucking (abrupt/ early weaning)
-could be due to: errors in detection of potential prey items or redirection of hunting responses onto unsuitable items such as fabric
What is hyperesthesia in cats?
excessive physical sensitivity especially of the skin
- signs of underlying medical or behavior problems
-ex: skin along lumbosacral area twitching, excessive self- grooming, intensive tail wagging
-can occur when cat is highly aroused and may be incited by physical contact or external stimuli
List the feline house- soiling and marking problems.
- house training
- organic diseases
- elimination vs. marking
- inappropriate elimination
- urine marking
- indoor marking
What is the difference between elimination and marking.
Elimination
- litter box is used infrequently
- can be due to bad litter, lack of privacy, competition, and specific fears
Marking
- normal litter box use
- can be due to loss of core territory, new cat, medical conditions, etc
What is feline aggression?
underestimated compared to canine aggression
-25% pasteurella mutocida, compared to 50- 74% of cat bites
list the types of feline aggression.
- aggression towards people
- aggression associated with human interaction
- aggression towards other cats
- aggression due to lack of early handling
- maternal aggression
- play aggression
- pain aggression
list feline behavior management problems.
- furniture scratching
- attention- seeking behavior
- inappropriate play behavior
- inappropriate consumptive behavior
- mounting, sexual behavior
- predatory behaviors
- tree- climbing behavior
- reintroduction after hospitalization
- travel problems
- plant- eating problems
- eating problems
What are geriatric behavioral problems seen in dogs and cats?
- aggression
- excess vocalization
- destructiveness
- stereotypic/ compulsive behavior
- noise phobias
-separation-related issues
-canine/feline cognitive dysfunction
what are geriatric behavioral disorders seen in cats and dogs?
canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD)
- age- related neurobehavioral syndrome
- decline in cognition
- degenerative process similar to alzheimers
feline cognitive dysfunction
causes:
- sticky proteins (beta- amyloid) accumulates around neurons –> creates plaques
-neurons breakdown and result in neurofibrillary
What are some examples of why inappropriate elimination occurs
lack of privacy in latrine location
competition of the box
specific fears of the environment
inability to use or find trays
medical
punishments
Describe what composes indoor making
loss of core territory facial or flank marks
loss of maintenance of group odor
failure of order recognition of a specific individuals
introduction of a new cat
excessive population density outside of home
