Feline Behavior Guidelines

1 AAFP gratefully acknowledges the generous support ofHill s Pet Nutrition. Without the finances and other resourceswhich Hill s supplied, this project could not have been completed. 2004 American Association of Feline Practitioners. All rights THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF Feline PRACTITIONERS2 These Guidelines were approved by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Board in December 2004 and areoffered by the AAFP for use only as a template; each veterinarian needs to adapt the recommendations to fit each AAFP expressly disclaims any warranties or guarantees expressed or implied and will not be liable for any damages ofany kind in connection with the material, information, techniques or procedures set forth in these AAFP Feline Behavior Guidelines report was also reviewed and approved by the FelinePractice Guidelines Committee of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and theAmerican Association of Feline Practitioners Board of Guidelines CommitteeHelen Tuzio, DVM, DABVP, Feline PracticeForest Hills Cat Hospital, Glendale, NYThomas Elston, DVM, DABVP, Feline PracticeThe Cat Hospital, Tustin, CAJames Richards, DVM, Director,Cornell Feline Health Center College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NYLorraine Jarboe, DVM, DABVP.

2 Feline PracticeOlney-Sandy Springs Veterinary Hospital, Sandy Springs, MD Sandra Kudrak, DVM, DABVP, Feline PracticeCommunity Animal Hospital, Poughkeepsie, NYLiterature SearchNicole Hird, VMD, DABVP, Feline PracticeNorthwest Animal Hospital, Columbus, OHPresenterSteven Zicker, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM, DACVNH ills Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, KSPanel MembersKaren L. Overall, MA, VMD, PhD, DACVB, ABSC ertified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Panel Co-ChairResearch Associate, Psychiatry Department, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine; Philadelphia,PAIlona Rodan, DVM, DABVP, Feline Practice,Panel Co-ChairCat Care Clinic, Madison, WIBonnie V. Beaver, DVM, MS, DACVBC ollege of Veterinary Medicine and BiomedicalScience; Texas A&M University; College Station, TXHazel Carney, DVM, MS, DABVP,Canine and Feline PracticeIdaho Veterinary Specialists; Four Rivers Feline Special Treatment Center, Garden City, ID and Ontario, ORSharon Crowell-Davis, DVM, PhD, DACVBD epartment of Anatomy and Radiology, University ofGeorgia, Athens, GANicole Hird, VMD, DABVP, Feline PracticeNorthwest Animal Hospital, Columbus, OHSandra Kudrak, DVM, DABVP, Feline PracticeCommunity Animal Hospital, Poughkeepsie, NYElaine Wexler-Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, Feline PracticeThe Cat Care Clinic, Orange, CAExternal ReviewersMerry Crimi, DVMG ladstone Veterinary Clinic, Milwaukie, OR Terry Curtis, DVM, MS, DACVBU niversity of Florida, Gainesville, FLSteve DaleAABC (Association of Animal Behavior Consultants)

3 ,Tribune Media Services/WGN Radio, Host ofSyndicated Animal Planet Radio, Chicago, IL Gary Landsberg, DVM, DACVBD oncaster Animal Clinic, Thornhill, ON, CanadaSusan Little, DVM, DABVPF eline Practice, Bytown Cat Hospital, Ottawa, CanadaMandy Miller, DVM, DABVPF eline Practice; Cat Care Clinic, Madison, WIMichael Paul, DVMMAGPI Consulting, Anguilla, BWIS heldon Rubin, DVMBlum Animal Hospital, Chicago, ILRonald Schultz, PhD, DACVIMP rofessor, School of Veterinary Medicine University of Wisconsin,Madison, WIKersti Seksel, DVM, BVSc (Hons) MRCVS MA (Hons) FACVSc(Animal Behavior ), DACVBS eaforth Veterinary Hospital, Sydney, AustraliaKendal Sheperd, BVSc, MRCVS,Fineden, Northants, UKLink Welborn, DVM, DABVPT ampa, FLAlice Wolf, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP, Feline PracticeCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College34I. Introduction ..6II. The importance of Feline Behavior .

4 7medicine in veterinary practiceIII. Preventive behavioral medicine ..8IV. Understanding normal normal Behavior helps ..9prevent problemsUnderstanding normal social Behavior and ..9communication can help prevent aggressionCat Aggression ..13 Preventing aggression towards humans ..13 Predatory Behavior ..13 Inter-cat Understanding normal elimination ..15behaviorVII. Scratching ..16 VIII. Feeding and ingestive Behavior ..17 Preventing feeding problems ..17IX. Learning in Preventive behavioral medicine at the ..19veterinary clinicPre-adoption counseling ..19 Pleasant veterinary visits for Kitten Preventing harmful stress in Behavior problemsExamples of harmful stress ..25 Common indicators of Feline stress , ..25anxiety, or fearCONTENTS5 Preparation for life ..25 Protection from fear and stress ..26 Promotion of Environmental enrichment.

5 27 XIV. Aging and behavioral Principles of treatment and ..29treatment modalitiesPrinciples of Behavior treatment ..29 Medication ..30 How to administer to refer ..31 For more information ..35 XVI. Summary ..35 XVII. Client handouts ..37 Introducing a new cat into a household ..37with already existing catsLitter box care to prevent or problemsHow to prevent cats from scratching in ..39undesired areasFeeding tips to prevent obesity in your to help your cat have pleasant ..41veterinary visitsEnvironmental enrichment enhances ..42the quality of life for your cat6 Veterinarians have a great opportunity to save pets lives by recognizing that behavioral medicine is asimportant as any other field of veterinary medicine,and can routinely be incorporated into each most veterinarians never received educa-tion in veterinary school about Feline Behavior , and donot have the time and resources to study all the latestresearch and develop Behavior protocols, the panelistshave worked to develop a concise, updated and userfriendly document that can be easily Guidelines include the following information: Emphasis is on prevention, from pre-adoption or thefirst veterinary visit, through senior life.

6 Preventingbehavior problems should be an important part of totalwellness care. A list of Behavior questions intended forinclusion in the medical history questions used at eachappointment is provided to aid in early detection andintervention of Behavior problems. An outline is provided for guidance regarding how tocreate realistic expectations about living with a cat. Thiswill encourage cat owners to provide positive outlets toallow normal Behavior , but in ways that clients will con-sider acceptable. Several of the appendices can be used for both preven-tion and treatment and can be made into clienthandouts; these will delegate client education to theveterinary support team and be used to facilitate theveterinarian s role in client education. A developmental table specifying home and veterinarycare needed at different stages of life is included.

7 Thiscan serve as an excellent poster or client informationhandout to help clients understand their responsibili-ties for home and veterinary care. Detailed information on Behavior and environmentalenrichment is included to help prevent many of themost common Behavior problems. Suggestions regarding prevention and treatment ofobesity, the most common consequence of domestica-tion of cats, are provided. To help veterinarians better handle routine behaviorconcerns (eg, inappropriate elimination) a rational firstapproach to the problems seen day-to-day is included. Behavior counseling and treatment, including behaviormodification and environmental enrichment, are dis-cussed in detail. For cats needing medical treatment,important drug information including dosing andtapering of medication is provided.

8 Information onwhere to refer if needed is also provided. Information is provided that will promote comprehen-sive, state-of-the-art, holistic care that incorporatesboth the physical and psychological well-being of ourfeline patients. These Guidelines will help veterinarians raise clientawareness that they should turn to the veterinary pro-fession for advice regarding Behavior , just as they dowith any medical INTRODUCTIONThe veterinary profession has the privilege and responsibility of caring for both animals and people. The ben-efits of living with a pet are now well recognized. By preventing and treating behavioral problems, we havethe opportunity to protect and strengthen the human-pet-veterinary bond and increase the quality of life forboth pets and pet lovers. The goal of the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Feline BehaviorGuidelines is to support veterinarians by providing practical information and client educational materials tosuccessfully incorporate Feline behavioral medicine into every practice that offers Feline continued advances in Feline healthcare, Behavior problems are still the most com-mon cause of euthanasia in pet , including normal cat Behavior thatclients consider unacceptable, cause decreasedquality of life for cats and their problems often lead to family stress ,inappropriate punishment of pets, destructionof the bond between people and their pets, andrelinquishment and euthanasia.

9 Most pets sur-rendered to shelters had been evaluated by aveterinarian in the year prior to Behavior problems causeveterinarians to annually lose approximately15% of their client Patients, clients, and veterinary teams allbenefit from incorporating Behavior servicesinto veterinary practices. Cats benefit byincreased quality and length of life, anenriched environment, and respectful, under-standing relationships. The psychological ben-efits to clients of living with a beloved petinclude companionship, a feeling of beingneeded, and less ,aThe physicalbenefits include decreased blood pressure,reduced chance of a second heart attack, anddecreased triglyceride who live and work with pets gainincreased is evidence for an association betweenpet Behavior and the level of owner positive human-animal bond meansthat clients will seek more regular and exten-sive healthcare throughout their cats lives,which benefits pets, clients, and veterinary pro-fessionals alike.

10 Veterinary practices that incor-porate Behavior wellness attract clients whoseek a high level of care for the pets they cher-ish. Veterinary professionals benefit by main-taining a positive relationship with pets andclients and improved job satisfaction. A posi-tive veterinary-client bond results in clientswho are more likely to turn to the veterinaryhospital with pet concerns and recommendthe veterinary team to friends and belief that Behavior is too time-con-suming to generate profit within the practice isa myth. Client education can be facilitated atall wellness appointments by giving client edu-cation handouts and reviewing them withclients. Teaching staff and clients how toimprove experiences for the cat at the veteri-nary clinic also improves patient staff, less time, and fewer resources areneeded to work with well-behaved experiences during veterinary visitsalso decrease stress and potential injury forcats, clients, and veterinary team , educating veterinary team membersand allowing them to educate clients aboutprevention of Behavior problems has thepotential to increase their job satisfaction,reduce staff stress and turnover, and allow vet-erinarians to use their time more an animal s life through preventionor treatment of a Behavior problem can be asrewarding as saving a life through medical orsurgical procedures.