The Behaviour - Cats Protection

1 TheGuideBehaviour2021 EDITION, VERSION 12 XXThe Behaviour GuideWith grateful thanks to our sponsor for their support in the production of this guide3 The Behaviour GuideCONTENTSINTRODUCTION 4 PROMOTING NORMAL CAT Behaviour 9 Understanding cats needs and domestication 9 Development of feline Behaviour 12 Kitten socialisation 15 Communication 20 Pheromones 25 How cats learn 27 Essential resources and placement 30 Feral cats 33 Behaviour IN THE RESCUE ENVIRONMENT 38 Behaviour -friendly accommodation 38 Essential resources and settling a cat into rescue care 40 Behavioural processes within Cats Protection 46 Cat handling 48 INFORMATION FOR CAREGIVERS 53 Cats living together 53 Integration

2 57 Travelling with cats 59 Indoor and outdoor cats 63 Kitten care 65 Elderly cats 67 COMMON CAT BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS 69 Managing cat Behaviour 69 Stress 71 Frustration and depression 73 House soiling 75 Toileting issues 75 Spraying 77 Aggressive Behaviour 77 Hiding and avoidance 80 Scratching 83 Despotic cats 84 Other problem behaviours 86 Overgrooming 86 Attention-seeking Behaviour 87 Juvenile behaviours 88 Pica 88 Nocturnal activity 88 CASE STUDIES 89 GLOSSARY 93 REFERENCES, FURTHER READING AND CATS Protection RESOURCES 97 Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)VET_51574 XXThe Behaviour GuideINTRODUCTIONThis guide has been written for the Cats Protection network to provide an introduction to cat Behaviour .

3 The Behaviour Guide is part of a series of informative guides which have been created specifically for Cats Protection users, including The Welfare Guide, The Veterinary Guide and The Feral guide has been written with particular reference to the shelter Behaviour approach, however many of the principles covered by the guide can be applied to cats in environments other than rescue. While it is aimed primarily at Cats Protection people, as well as the vet profession that are involved in the care of Cats Protection cats, it is hoped that this guide will also be useful for other animal welfare charities and boarding catteries as well as veterinary, vet nurse, Behaviour and animal welfare students and other cat professionals. 5 XXThe Behaviour GuideThe guide is divided into four main sections. Promoting normal cat Behaviour Cat Behaviour in the rescue environment Information for caregivers Common cat behavioural problemsIt is not within the scope of this guide to attempt to resolve behavioural problems.

4 Each Behaviour case is unique; an evidence based, scientific approach tailored to the individual cat is required. The guide is intended to provide general guidance and where necessary will link to other Cats Protection resources and reliable external information. The aim of this guide is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of basic cat Behaviour principles for those people working with is cat Behaviour ?Cats are fascinating animals. Images and videos of domestic cats make up some of the most viewed content on the web. At the heart of our affection for cats lies the pleasure we experience in observing their Behaviour and in our interactions with Behaviour is defined as the way in which a cat behaves in response to a particular situation in their environment. Behaviour is an external expression influenced by the cat s internal, emotional state at that moment in time. Their relatively recent domestication from an ancestor shared with the African wildcat underpins the natural range of cat behaviours specifically associated to and necessary for a solitary hunter.

5 Despite being emotional animals, they lack some of the emotions specific to humans, which can lead to misunderstandings. You can find out more about normal cat Behaviour in the section called Understanding cats needs and domestication in the next chapter. As well as evolutionary behavioural features that make a cat a cat, an individual cat s Behaviour is influenced by inherited genetic factors (nature). A cat s Behaviour is also influenced to a great degree by their environment (nurture); most critically environmental factors during the early learning period of kittens from two to seven weeks of age known as the socialisation period . For cats, many of their specific behaviours are influenced by their previous experiences. >6 The Behaviour GuideINTRODUCTIONH umans are a predominantly social species. Conversely, cats are a predominantly solitary species. As such, we often find the interpretation of cats Behaviour difficult.

6 Cats live in a much more scent-sensitive world than we do. They use scent to orientate themselves in their environment as well as to detect and hunt prey. Cats also leave signals in the form of scent for the purposes of distant communication with other cats. Cats don t have the ability to display complex visual signals such as facial expressions in the same way that we do as humans; they find visual communication tricky, particularly in times of conflict. As a result, cat fights can escalate quickly and can commonly end with fight wounds and cat bite of a cat s Behaviour can lead to a breakdown in the relationship between owner/carer and cat, and a potentially unrecognised poor quality of life for the is cat Behaviour important to Cats Protection ?According to the PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) report in 2020, there are around million owned cats in the UK. Around a quarter of all UK households own at least one cat.

7 Inevitably, with so many cats in the UK, there is a knock-on pressure on rehoming charities. The first step in dealing with a behavioural problem is to ensure that the cat undergoes a full health-check by a vet. This is needed to specifically rule out any underlying medical conditions that could have led to the Behaviour . Any changes in the cat s normal Behaviour need to be discussed with the vet, even if it does not seem directly relevant to the behavioural problem at hand. The health-check needs to take place shortly after the change in Behaviour started, even if the cat was deemed healthy at a prior vet visit or at the time of coming into Cats Protection the vet ascertains that the problem is behavioural, then they may wish to send the cat to see a qualified behaviourist. For owned cats, Cats Protection recommends contacting the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) to find a local qualified behaviourist.

8 These behaviourists see Behaviour cases when these cases have been referred to them by a vet. They have studied to a high level with relevant experience and adhere to a professional code of ethics in order to meet the requirements of the Animal Behaviour and Training Protection s centres and branches have access to our very own in-house Behaviour team. Cats Protection s qualified behaviourists are on hand to help with Behaviour queries regarding cats in the care of Cats Protection and for those cats recently homed by the charity. The Behaviour team can be contacted on 01825 741 991 or at PROBLEM? THINK VET CHECK BEHAVIOURIST Around 150,000 cats are reported to enter UK welfare organisations each year. Around one third of these cats are rehomed or reunited by Cats Protection . Cats are relinquished for a number of reported reasons, including abandonment or straying, a change in owner circumstances, unwanted kittens, or due to human allergies.

9 Among these reasons, it is important to recognise that many cats are relinquished annually due to unwanted feline Behaviour . The most common reason for cats to be returned to Cats Protection following adoption is that the cat is not settling, often due to poor integration with the resident cat. Other behavioural reasons commonly cited include aggressive Behaviour towards people or other cats and house soiling, which includes inappropriate toileting and spraying. Cats Protection s approach to promoting feline Behaviour is vitally important; if we can get this right, we can not only improve the welfare of individual cats but also help to reduce the numbers of cats needing to enter rescue care nationwide. >Cats also leave signals in the form of scent7 XXThe Behaviour GuideThe behaviourist professionBehaviour counselling for companion animals is a discipline that has been gradually developing and has slowly grown into its own specialist profession.

10 Historically, the work of behaviourists has been largely unregulated and this has resulted in many different and potentially conflicting ideas cropping up within the profession. There is a wide range of different standards of expertise among those currently working in the field. Very few practising behaviourists are affiliated to a professional body or are working to uniform standards of practice. However, the relatively recent introduction of professional standards means that this is set to change. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) was set up in 2010 and is the regulatory body that represents animal trainers and animal Behaviour therapists. It is the only animal welfare charity that is primarily concerned with protecting the psychological welfare of animals. Cats Protection is one of the founding members alongside the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB), the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and many major professional organisations in the veterinary, rehoming, Behaviour therapy and animal training sectors of the ABTC sets and maintains the standards of knowledge and practical skills needed to be an animal trainer, training instructor or animal Behaviour therapist.