Feline Behavioral Problems

Symposium on Feline Medicine

Feline Behavioral Problems Bonnie V . G. Beaver, D.V.M. *

For many centuries the cat has ei1joyed more independence from man than has its distant canine relatives. This relationship has proved beneficial by decreasing possible development of behavioral problems resulting from human demands. Even with apartment and small house dwellings , the cat has managed to escape many of the human oriented situations causing behavioral problems because of its naturally independent nature. Abnormal behavior is increasing in frequency, however, as a result of newer and more numerous human-feline social pressures.

GENETICALLY RELATED BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS Fortunately for the feline population, the lack of close companionship with man meant selective breeding was kept to a minimum as were the resulting genetically related behavior problems. Deafness

Blue-eyed, white cats are usually deaf with the exception of those cats carrying the Burmese and Siamese dilutions.! A cat with one blue eye is usually unilaterally deaf but hyper-alertness exhibited by totally deaf cats will seldom be manifested. Young kittens may be thought to be deaf by owners for one or two weeks after their external ear canals open because they do not respond to an owner's call. It is normal however for young kittens not to orient toward an auditory stimulus or to recognize the sounds of Iittermates or people until the third or fourth week. Timidness

Specific personality traits are known to be inherited in several species. Timidness has been shown to be hereditary although the pat':' Associate Professor, De partment of Veterinary Anatomy, Texas A & M University College of Veterinary Medicine, College Station, Texas VeteTinal), Clinics a/North AliIl'rica- Vol. 6, No.3 , August 1976

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tern may not be demonstrated until the kitten is 0Ider. 2 • 3 The timid cat is often an individual that will exhibit a severe dislike for restraint or human contact. Sexual Behavior Female sexual behavior can be altered through genetics with primary examples observable in the Siamese breed. Prolongation of estrus periods, shortening of metestrus, and altering of labor phases are commonly reported as characteristics of altered sexual behavior.

ENVIRONMENTALLY RELATED BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS Early Environment

Prolonged Nursing. Nursing is one of the earliest behaviors influenced by environmental events. Commonly queens will continue to permit one or more kittens to nurse up to a year beyond normal weaning time. The queen may discourage the kitten about the time she is ready to queen again or she may permit the older kitten to nurse with the younger offspring. Wool Sucking. The sucking instinct may not be satisfied during the normal six to eight week nursing period, especially in orphaned and undernourished kittens. To satisfy the nursing drive the animal may then begin sucking other objects such as wool blankets, buttons, human skin, or parts of its own body. Apparently the sucking action is very satisfying to the cat because it is common to see the forelimb kneading actions typical of young, nursing kittens. The queen normally disciplines her kittens by batting them on the nose with her paw. This behavioral training method may be adopted by the human for discipline purposes by snapping the sucking kitten on the nose and saying "No!" In time, only "No" wiIi be sufficient deterrent for the cat. Socialization. Improper socialization of a young kitten can result in aggressive behavior. Cats have a natural tendency to avoid man, as is so ably demonstrated by kittens born and reared in a hayloft or woodshed. Even as early as eight weeks of age , kittens reared in isolated conditions react to human presence with an arched back and piloerection. Socialization becomes extremely important for kittens which will later live with people (adults and children), and other household pets such as dogs, mice, gerbils, birds, and other cats. It is important to emphasize that children do not resemble adults in form or in movement and thus may be visualized by a cat as a separate animal species. The specific time period for socialization has not been worked out for felines but it is probably similar to that for the dog (5 to 12

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weeks). If the socialization process is not allowed to occur, the cat will show aggression in situations of forced contact with species to which it is unaccustomed. Pictures of the mouse perched on top of a cat's head or the cat and dog sleeping together are examples which indicate that the two animals were socialized to each other at the proper developmental stage. Improper Prey Killing. It is not infrequent to hear of a cat bringing home a iive mouse or of a cat playing "catch and release" with a mouse. A kitten must be taught to hunt by the queen and this is one reason for the delayed weaning period as compared with the dog. Kittens that never saw the queen kill mice are less predatory than kittens that did. As adults, these less predatory individuals usually will catch prey because this instinct is initiated by the sight and sound of the little animal. The mouse, however , often ends up in a game of "catch and release," finally fainting in exhaustion and perhaps being eaten because of the lack of motion. Present Environment Behavioral problems as defined by cat owners are often related to expectations of the present environment. Most common among these is the desire that the cat be a family member or a dog-like animal and that it fulfill all needs that accompany such a human desire. This may adversely affect the feline's desire for occasional solitude, and because the cat has no natural release mechanism from chronic tensions, the result is atypical behavior. Frustration. Frustrating events, such as a new pet or baby in a household, a death in the family, a wife starting to work, a husband retiring, new carpeting that is too good for the old cat, a big party, or a change in routine result in the majority of feline behavioral problems. These can take many forms ranging from physical illness to personality changes. When examined carefully the cat's history often reveals the source of frustration and the condition can then be corrected. Aggression. Aggression in cats is caused by various reasons, such as improper socialization which was mentioned previously. Attempts to get rid of an intruder may be dealt with in an aggressive manner. House cats that do not get to chase prey or attack play objects may release their hunting practice on the ankles of a passer-by. Certain food additives have also been shown to enhance aggressive tendencies in several species. Aggression may develop in older cats with no apparent immediate precipitating factor. A typical history involves a three or four year old cat, normal in all respects until it suddenly turns on a family member, often injuring the person severely. This situation is not the case of a cat that has never liked people and was cornered by a child, nor is it a cat that had its tail stepped on and attacked in self defense. Apparently

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this sudden change of attitude is due to an alteration in the brain center which may be indicated by electroencephalographic recordingsY Treatment to correct this condition can be attempted, but strong consideration should be given to legal obligations that might be placed on the veterinarian for permitting such an animal to live. Treatment of such patients with prolonged deep barbiturate anesthesia has resulted in drastic behavioral changes toward normaU ' 16 Lighter anesthesia has also been used successfully in conjunction with blood withdrawal,I4 Certain therapies are still experimental and thus usage should be even more carefully supervised. These treatments include medroxyprogesterone alone 15 or in combination with adrenocorticotrophin. Megestrol acetate has been used successfully but with extreme caution in female cats having any uterine tissue. The mode of action of hormonal treatment is unknown, but because the lesion appears to be central in origin , it may indicate that the hormonal system is upset. This has been suspected by histories and physical findings of affected animals. Displacement Activities. The change to artificial environments for felines has led individuals to show many types of displacement activities. Grooming can be used as a tension reliever whether from embarrassment or fear. Digging around a food bowl or on the outside of a litter box, batting or chasing invisible things, attacking ankles of passers-by, presenting live mice to owners, and mutilating houseplants are other forms . Encouragement of active play, scratching posts, and a small pot of house grass may eliminate the less desirable behavioral changes. Atypical Ingestive Behavior. The cat is more prone to abnormal ingestive behavior patterns than most other domestic animals. Anorexia nervosa is a form of behavioral alteration which may result from frustration or depression. Fortunately this condition seldom lasts over a week, and problem cats can sometimes be helped by tranquilization. Anesthesia with food nearby as the animal recovers, has also been successful in problem cases. Before six months of age, food preferences in the cat are established and are based on the type of diet received until that age. 8 A dangerous aspect of special dietary preferences of the cat is that the feline may literally starve itselF to death if a favorite food is not available. Queens have also been known to eat their young as a result of starvation, even with a nutritious but undesirable food present. Although not common, obesity does occur in cats. Reasons for the overweight condition include frustrating invasion of privacy, attempting to prevent another cat from eating, overfeeding of an infant either by the queen or by the owner, and overeating. An owner's attempt to correct obesity by dieting the overweight cat may be accompanied by an increase in emotional irritability as a side effect to the desired 'weight loss.

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Increased salivation is often noticeable during tense moments. This problem may be controlled by tranquilizers if necessary. Atypical Urination. Behaviorally, abnormal urination can take several forms in the feline . At an early age, a kitten learns to urinate in a designated place by watching the queen. An example of atypical urination is the orphaned kitten that lived with a male dog and learned to lift its leg to urinate. The more usual situation is one in which the kitten never learns what the litter box is. Frustration from invasion of territory by a new pet or baby, overcrowding, or changes in environment may result in urine spraying by males and females, intact or neutered . Minimizing the territorial threat or other frustrations may be enough to stop the problem. Medroxyprogesterone (50 to 100 mg) has been successful in the treatment of spraying, although repeat treatments are occasionally needed and the method should not be used on intact females. 5, 9. 10. 15 Progesterone (l mg per Ib) has an added tranquilization effect. 14 Ethylestranol can be used to treat spraying at a dose of 50 to 75 mg administered subcutaneously, followed by 5 mg given orally, until the behavior is eliminated. 14 An additional report indicates success with repository stilbestrol (0.5 ml for a large cat).9 If one area is the most frequent site for unwanted urine deposition, placing the cat's food bowl near the spot may successfully eliminate the problem. If the cat is an intact tom, he is most probably marking his territory by spraying, behavior that usually becomes more frequent during the breeding season . Castration of the tom produces a favorable decrease in spraying in 87 per cent of adult toms and also reduces fighting and roaming by 88 and 94 per cent respectively, although these are independently affected. 4, 11 Atypical Defecation. Urine and feces are used to mark the boundaries of the feline territory, but in the inner aspects of this area eliminations are usually buried. With this burying instinct the kitten learns from the queen how to use the litter pan. Exceptions are seen in orphans and outdoor cats which may not learn what litter pans are or may try to use the soil in flower pots to bury eliminations. Overcrowding or infrequent cleaning of litter pans are the most common cause of misplaced feces. A few cats are not fastidiously clean and do not bury their own eliminations, but another cat in the household may be the opposite and cover up for itself and the lazy one. Atypical Sexual Behavior. Male Sexual Behavior. Male sexual behavior may be altered in form as a result of the chronic absence of a female . Mounting of other males; being mounted by another male; mounting other animals, especially dogs; and mounting inanimate objects provide releases for these behavioral buildups.3.4 Territory plays an important role in sexual behavior of a tom. Feline visitors to a territory permit mounting, which is a sign of submission. In arranged

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breedings it is therefore important to take the queen to the tom . If a male should loose his territory or experience another type of frustration, he may also loose his interest in mating, a psychological castration. 3 Female Sexual Behavior. In the female , sexual' behavior is sometimes altered, but maternal behavior is affected more often. Altered sexual behavior may appear as a queen choosing not to mate with certain males because of overcrowding, timidness to the tom, or personal preference. Deprived of a breeding tom, a queen may build up frustration that may be released by mounting behavior. Prolonged and frequent estrous periods, commonly reported behavioral changes, are often caused by follicular cysts. 2 • 3 ~ Pseudopregnancies occur in the cat with relative infrequency, usually after an unfertile mating. 3 Ranging from mild personality changes, to physical signs of pregnancy, to labor, to "kitten tending," the condition is self-limiting. At termination of a successful pregnancy, parturition may bring with it hyperexcitability or prolongation of the first stage of labor followed by a stoppage of parturition when the kitten's head is presented. Sedation is usually an effective method to control these behaviors.:l • 14 Delays in parturition of any of the kittens usually follow a disturbance such as invasion of privacy or movement of the queen. Within 12 to 24 hours parturition usually resumes. For unknown reasons delays do occur; in one case, 33 hours elapsed between the birth of the last two kittens. Queens that abandon their young may be helped by progesterone (1 mg per lb). Cannibalism of kittens has been theorized to be a manifestation of the prey killing instinct due to incomplete hormonal inhibitionY Other cannibalistic-like actions may actually reflect uneasiness in the queen. Her tendencies would be to move the kittens frequently, groom them excessively, or express redirected aggression. Hormonal cannibalism is responsive to progesterone treatment, whereas tranquilizers as well as removal of the cause of uneasiness may be necessary for the other situation. 3 • 14 Catnip Behavior. Rolling and rubbing behaviors associated with the female in estrus are also exhibited by cats exposed to catnip. This exposure is probably a pleasurable experience for the feline with ef· fects lasting from 5 to 15 minutes, and response satiation lasting at leas! one hOUr. 7 ,12 The hallucinogenic principles of catnip are somewha related to LSD and marijuana. 12 Chronic use of catnip, as in unman ageable show cats, may permanently alter behavior. . Furniture Scratching. Scratching of furniture and draperies is real concern to owners and is an expression of a natural occurrence fo the cat. In nature , a tree is clawed to provide visual clue of terri tori, boundaries. Because the house cat does not get a chance to display th

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normal behavior, there may be a buildup of the scratching need until it is discharged on a piece of furniture . If owners are unwilling to have the cat declawed, retraining can be suggested as an alternative. Move the object normally scratched and cover it. Place a scratching post where the object had been. If the carpet is the object, put the scratching post in the most frequently used area. Whenever scratching is observed on undesired places, pick up the cat, place it by the scratching post, and move the forelimbs as if scratching. 3 • 6 When not present to observe the animal, leave it in a room where scratching has not been a problem. Shock. A behavior problem that rapidly becomes a medical problem involves the vulnerability of the feline to shock. Seen especially in the nervous individual, shock appears as depression, listlessness, rapid pulse, panting, salivation, pupil dilation, and/or hyperesthesia as the result of an extreme stimulus. 2 • 3 Severe fights with other cats, dogs, or veterinarians are included in a list of occurrences that have produced the shock condition. This may be a natural method for some animals to avoid being killed by a predator, as the lack of movement accompanying shock may inhibit attack. Careful handling of cats may prevent iatrogenic occurrence and treatment for shock may be necessary when the condition is induced by other extreme stimuli.

CONCLUSION Cats are fortunate that they have maintained an independence from man while living with him, and thus they are still relatively free from behavioral problems. Those unfortunate enough to develop abnormal behavior can be offered a professional approach to eliminate the problem.

REFERENCES I. Beaver. B. V .• and Knauer. K. W.: The ear. In Feline Medicine and Surgery. Santa

Barbara. American Veterinary Publications. 1975. Ch. 19. 2. Fox. M. W.: Abnormal Behavior in Animals. Philadelphia. W. B. Saunders Co .. 1968. 3. Fox. M. W.: Unde rstanding Your Cat. New York. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan. 1974. 4. Hart, B. L.: Behavioral effects of castration. Feline Pract.. 3: 10. 1973. 5. Hart. B. L.: Behavioral effects of long-acting progestins. Feline Pract. . 4 :8 . 1974. 6. Hart. B. L.: Behavioral patterns related to territoriality and social communication . Feline Pract. . 5:12. 1975. 7. Hart. B. L. : The ca tnip response. Feline Pract.. 4:8. 1974. 8. Hart. B. L.: Feeding behavior. Feline Pract.. 4:8, 1974. 9. Hart, B. L.: Pand report: Spraying by castrated tomcats. Mod. Vet. Pract.. 56:729. 1975. 10. Hart. B. L.: Spraying behavior. Feline Pract.. 5: II. 1975.

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II. Hart. B. L.. and Barrett. R. E.: Effects of castration on fighting. roaming. and urine spraying in adult male cats. J.A.V.M .A .. 163:290. 1973. 12. Hatch. R. C.: Effect of drugs on catnip (Nepeta cataria)-Induced pleasure behavior in cats. Am . .J. Vet. Res .. 33: 143. 1972. 13. Kling. A .. Kovach. J. K.. and Tucker. T. J.: The behaviour of cats. In Hafez. E. S. (ed.): The Behavior of Domestic Animals. Baltimore. Williams and Wilkins Co .. 1969.Ch.IS. 14. Mosier. J. E.: Common medical and behavioral problems in cats. Mod. Vet. Pract.. 56 :699. 1975. IS. Riddle. B. L.: Dialog. Feline Pract .. 5:6. 1975. 16. Turbes. C. C.: Personality change in a Siamese cat. Vet. iVIed. Sm. Anim. Clin .. 59:144.1964. 17. Turbes. C. c.: Personal communication. Department of Anatomy College of Veterinary Medicine Texas A & M University College Station. Texas 77843