 |
No More Homeless Pets Forum
May 19, 2003 Cat Behavior |
Cat behavior: How can you keep cats in their homes and make shelter cats more adoptable? Traci Shreyer, applied animal behaviorist of Animal Behavior Counseling Services, offers her advice on managing cat behavior problems to keep cats out of the shelter and to prepare shelter cats for adoption.
Introduction from Traci Shreyer:
More cats are put down by veterinarians, or simply abandoned by their families and then killed at shelters, because of some kind of behavior problem than for almost any other reason.Clients are typically referred to me by their primary veterinarian. I may consult with them by telephone, house call, or at my office at The Ohio State University's veterinary teaching hospital. Office appointments provide an opportunity to teach students about behavior before they enter practice, but my favorite way to see a feline case is by house call. A house call allows me to actually see the individual's environment and is usually the least stressful option for the cat.
My work as an animal behaviorist is never dull, and often rewarding. I often have clients who have been referred to me as "a last ditch effort" by their veterinarian. Some will even tell me they've already scheduled a euthanasia appointment. I also see clients who are so committed to their relationship with their pet that they've been suffering with their pet's behavior problems for some time, even years. This is particularly the case with my clients who have cats. "I thought my choices were to live with Fluffy the way she is or get rid of her. . . which is not an option!" they say. People typically believe that unlike dogs, cats are inflexible and untrainable. Although the methods may be slightly different, over the next week we will see that neither is the case when it comes to feline behavior.
Questions
Inappropriate elimination
Over grooming
Enriching shelter cats lives
Transitioning an outdoor cat to live indoors
Cats not eating
Constant vocalizations and meowing
When cats in a multi-cat household don't get along
Spraying questions
Declawing and other options
Cats destroying plants
Nipping behavior
Using the litter box sometimes and laundry sometimes
Moving a cat to a new house
What shelters can do to help behavioral issues
Inappropriate elimination
Question from Crystal:
"Inappropriate elimination" is the number one reason (so I've read) why cats are given up by their guardians. If one's cat decides to "think outside of the box" so to speak, what is the next step to take besides getting kitty to the vet for a thorough checkup and keeping a pristine litter pan?Response from Traci:
You are right in suggesting that the first step is to go to your veterinarian. Not only could it be a urinary tract problem or a stone, there could be hip or back pain that would prevent the cat from getting into the litter box.It is also important to make sure the cat is having true litter box problems and not spraying. This is a totally different problem with different treatment. When we refer to litter box problems, this means toileting behavior where animals are leaving stool or totally emptying bladders.
Keep in mind that cats typically do not like change so if you have a cat who was using the box and suddenly stops, see if you have made sweeping changes to your box. If you want to try a new litter or new litter box location, try it first with a secondary box rather than your cat's primary box.
I'm going to include my Litter Box handout, which has 10 key tips. When I have clients who call me, this is the first thing I ask clients to review. If they are not doing these tips, I encourage them to try these first. These are also good basics to give those who are adopting a new cat. Feel free to use these tips in your shelter for new adopters.
If you have a problem cat and have met all criteria on the handout, and worked on these tips for a month, then I suggest you have a behaviorist talk to you about your case because there is some small idiosyncratic thing that needs to be addressed. I always recommend setting a timeframe for people to try new things such as a month so that they do not try something for a few days, see no results, and give up and want to get rid of the cat.
If there is not a medical issue involved and it is truly litter box problem, the national average among behaviorists with a cure is 97%. These tend to be happy cases to work out with for clients because we know that we have good success rates.
Over grooming
Question from Amy:
How do you know if a cat is suffering from allergies or stress? One of my cats over grooms to the extent that her tummy and inside her legs are bald. I've tried everything - changing her diet, fatty acids in her food, antihistamines, cortizone shots, Rescue Remedy, Nutricalm, vitamins, everything I can think of. Even the vet is stumped. Is my next step an allergist, a behaviorist, a dermatologist, or what? She is a very small cat, very timid and shy. She came from an animal shelter at eight weeks of age, and I don't know what happened during that short time, but she never grew much bigger than she was at about six months, and doesn't want anything to do with people other than myself. She is very affectionate towards me. I feel sorry for her and want her to be comfortable.Response from Traci:
It sounds like you have tried a lot already with this little girl, but she may still have an undiagnosed medical problem. Over grooming in cats is like a puzzle where the owners need to work closely with their veterinarian to rule out every possible medically based condition.Cats do sometimes over groom because of stress, or psychogenic alopecia (hair pulling due to stress), but it is a diagnosis of exclusion. Before a cat should earn this diagnosis, everything else should be ruled out. It would be wise to speak to a dermatologist who will have all that is needed to address allergies as well as other possible issues with her skin. I also recommend you speak to your primary veterinarian about a problem called idiopathic cystitis or IC. Although I am not a veterinarian, because of research going on at Ohio State University where I see clients, and because of my behavioral ties, I am very familiar with this problem. Some of her history, particularly the pattern of the hair removal, makes me very suspicious of IC.
These cats have a bladder disorder, their bladders are inflamed and sore and there may be a lot of blood in the urine but they do not have infection. These cats pull out all the hair on their bellies as well as the insides of their thighs from the referred pain. Dr. Tony Buffington at OSU, in collaboration with other veterinarians in California, is studying cats as well as woman with this problem.
There are good management strategies for this illness, if this is the problem. I encourage you to visit the Indoor cat initiative Website at www.nssvet.org/ici/ which has resources about IC, but also on how to enrich the lives and reduce the stress of all indoor cats. This site includes ideas for more activities and less stress, books on cat behavior, and more. If you want to get in contact with Dr. Buffington or his technician, you can reach them this way too. This is a great resource for indoor cats whether your cat has a problem or not.
If indeed you rule out all the possible medical issues and are left with a diagnosis of psychogenic hair pulling, please have your veterinarian help you with a referral to a behaviorist He or she can help you identify stressors in your cat's environment, as well as put together a treatment plan to address all her individual needs.
Enriching shelter cats lives
Question from Laurie:
It has been well documented that many cats are surrendered to animal shelters due to some form of behavior problem. However, how common is it for cats to develop behavior problems as a result of being sheltered? Can cats go "kennel crazy"? If so, what are the signs and symptoms? Are any measures being taken to help prevent this and/or rehabilitate this? It seems many cats suffer silently and the symptoms of behavioral stress are subtle. Have there been any studies done to address this?Response from Traci:
This is a great question! I think it is critical that if you are housing animals, whether you are a humane organization or a vet hospital, you must address the individual animal's welfare and species-specific behaviors.A barren enclosure with no stimulation can absolutely lead to a variety of behavioral problems and make the animals incredibly stressed.
Because there is no governing body overseeing shelters, it is up to each shelter to decide how to address cat behavior and housing issues. More and more shelters are getting help from behaviorists on exactly this issue.
I recently attended a lecture by Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Amy Marder, of the MSPCA, who works a lot on shelter issues. She provided many recommendations on how to set up environment so cats were less stressed such as:
not housing cats and dogs together, and instead having a quiet area for cats away from the dogs barking,
providing cats with not only a litter box but a box set up on end so cats could hide in it or perch on top
environmental enrichments such as puzzles that cats have to figure out to get treats out of
toys that are rotated and changed often
Remember, it is only enrichment if the animal is using it. There is no point in placing toys in their cages if they are not using them. So get creative!
You can come up with really fun, interesting things like Kitty Kongs stuffed with treats, or buster cubes that have dry treats inside and the cats have to bat the cube around for a piece to fall out. These don't have to be expensive either. You could make a buster cube out of a whiffle ball. You could make a puzzle out of a men's shirt box by cutting holes in the top and oblong shapes in the side so cats can slide their paws in to slide treats out.
Or you can purchase "Pavlov's cat" which is a scratching pad that delivers food when cats scratch on it. Not only is this stimulating, but it also encourages cats to scratch in the right place instead of on their new guardian's couch!
Whatever types of stimulation that you develop, it is important to allow cats to have space to hide and get away.
Transitioning an outdoor cat to live indoors
Question from Rene:
We have been taking care of an outdoor cat for the last 5 years, ever since we moved into our house and the previous owner abandoned her. Now, my husband, dog and myself are moving in a few weeks, from a house to an upstairs apartment. I don't want to leave Tiger, and want her to come with us. My husband is against it because he says you can't train an outdoor cat to stay inside and she'll just run away and get killed.I disagree--she used to be an indoor cat when the previous guardian lived at our place, only the cat got kicked out once some indoor dogs came into the picture. Tiger is 7 years old and she and our dog get along fine. She's a mellow cat, and doesn't even like to hunt. I plan on taking her to the vet and getting her all cleaned up and ready to live indoors.
Any hints on how to make this transition easy?
Traci's response:
If we as guardians are going to keep cats indoor only (and there are a lot of reason this makes sense including reduced risks), then it is our job to give them enough physical exercise and environmental enrichment to keep them happy.This applies whether we are moving a cat inside or getting a new cat. It is true there are some cats who have been outside who are difficult to move inside, especially if these cats which are used to hunting and running are moved into what I consider to be a barren environment, where they are just given food once a day and they sit around the other 23 hours.
What is positive about what you have mentioned in this case is that this cat is pretty low-key and doesn't seem to have a high prey drive. Those who are busy all the time outside are the hardest ones to acclimate indoors. This cat used to live inside so this will help a lot with re-introducing her to the indoors.
Getting her checked out by the vet and spayed is a good first step.
What will help the cat stay in the home is if your husband is comfortable with her. You mentioned he is worried that an outdoor cat can't be trained to be indoors. Find out specifically what his concerns are so you can address them upfront before they become a problem.
One thing that may irritate your husband is if the cat inappropriately eliminates, so create an interesting, attractive litter box for her. Set the cat up to succeed. For ideas, you can look back at my Litter box handout from a previous post.
If the cat has been eliminating on a particular surface outdoors like gravel, soil, or sand, then choose the type of litter you provide based on that. If she is used to going in soil, you may start out putting potting soil on top of the clay litter in her litter box. You may not have a problem with this, but it is good to give the cat some different choices of litter to see what she likes.
When first introducing the cat to your new apartment, confine her near her litter box so she won't go hide somewhere and can't find the litter box or is afraid to come a long distance to it. The confining period should be brief and the introduction to the rest of the house somewhat gradual......confinement just insures she's using the box and knows how to find it before she has to return from some distance away
Provide her with appropriate scratching post/area. What makes a good scratching post is something that cat can leave a mark on such as pressed cardboard, bark, or loose fabric that will rip and tear. Don't choose hard carpet that a cat can't rip at all. The scratching post should also not tip over which can surprise the cat. If the post is upright, it should be tall enough that the cat can stretch out fully and scratch. Placement will encourage use. Put the post near where she will rest because cats often like to wake up from a nap and stretch and scratch.
A big part of settling her in her new home is making sure she gets exercised, because theoretically she was getting a lot more as an outdoor cat as she is indoors. I recommend a good 20 minutes where the cat is running and moving. You may want to visit the Indoor Cat Initiative website I mentioned earlier for different toys and activities.
Here are a few exercise tips:
- Da Bird, feather toys, fishing pole with a toy tied to a string for the cat to bat. Figure out if you cat likes feathers, streamers, fake mice to tie on the end.
- When the cat is running and chasing, incorporate jumping over pieces of furniture, or up and down steps.
- Change toys during the play session to keep the cat interested
- Try a laser pointer. Cats who like to hunt bugs often like these.
- Some cats can be taught to wear harness and go outside for walks
Put up perches inside and birdfeeders outside so the cat can watch birds
Cats not eating
Question from Melinie in CA:
We have a cage free cat adoption center. We feed a variety of foods for the cats while they are with us. We also feed a variety of canned food twice a day and make sure every cat eats some food. Even though most of these cats come from our foster care program, some cats stop eating when they are at the center. We have a chart that we use to monitor their food intake, health issues, and use of litter box on a daily basis.If we have a problem, the cat is removed to a foster home and monitored while we get it to eat, etc.
The problem is once they are adopted, they some times stop eating in their new home. As you know, this can be a death sentence for a cat. We do follow up calls but some times those are a week later.
Response from Traci:
With mammals, a good barometer for how stressed an animal is whether they will eat food. If you have a type of food you know a cat loves to eat and they won't eat it, then this is a good indication they are stressed and are going into fight or flight mode so are not concentrating on eating.So why are they stressed? The room may be stressful because of the number of cats, or interactions with other individual cats and their personalities. If the cat goes to a foster home and starts eating again, this may reconfirm the cause is stress related. If the cat does eat well in foster care, find out what food the cat was eating so you can share this information with the new adopter.
You are correct in monitoring cats closely to see if they are eating. Cats can get fatty liver disease if they are not eating, which can be fatal. You will notice I often mention in my posts to visit the Indoor Cat Initiative website because it has great ideas for enrichment ideas that can help make the room as stress free as possible.
There has been some research on free-range populations of cats that highlights when cats will tolerate large volumes of other cats like on fishing wharfs and in barns. One common thread in these types of places is that they are rich environments with lots of resting spots and food sources, so cats will tolerate a higher density of cats. You can duplicate these places in your cage less cat room by making lots of resting spots, lots of hiding spots, food stations, water stations, litter boxes, and offering a lot of vertical space (which in addition to being favorable to the cats also doubles your space).
Cats who are also stressed with new adopters may have a pre-disposition that when they get stressed, they don't eat. Talk to the new adopter about typical stressors such as introducing the cat to another pet, litter box tips, and how to ensure the new home is as least stressful as possible. One idea may be to talk to a veterinarian about Feliway, which is a non-invasive, non-drug option that reduces stress in cats. It comes in a plug in or pump spray.
As a general statement, cats are often neo-phobic, which means that they don't want to try anything new. So, whatever a cat has been fed early on is what they tend to stick with. It is helpful when an animal is surrendered to your shelter that you ask the former guardian what the cat was eating at home so you can feed that to help reduce initial stress.
Some vets are recommending that kittens early on are given different types of meat sources so they are exposed to a variety and don't become stuck on one brand. This will also help so that if they ever become sick, they can be tempted by multiple foods rather than just one type.
Constant vocalizations and meowing
Question from Laurie:
I was hoping you could help me figure out why my 4 year old, neutered cat meows in the morning/day/night and/or evening seemingly for no reason. I know first thing in the morning it's to be fed. But he'll be sleeping and all of a sudden he's up and looking at me meowing like he's in distress.I check the food bowl, water dish, litter box, have a play session, trying all the options.... but if none of that works, he'll still meow. I know that's the cat's speech so of course he'll meow sometimes just to talk... could this be the reason all the time? Do I just have a chatterbox? Otherwise he is a healthy cat.
Response from Traci:
Since you don't feel there is a specific pattern, this is a cat who may need a good, thorough examination with a veterinarian. It could possibly be that the vocalizations are due to pain or a physical problem.If the cat is determined to be healthy, I recommend you try what I tell my clients whose animals are showing what they feel to be unpredictable behavior. Make a log and write down whenever this is happening. With my clients, if I know how often this is happening, and start a treatment strategy, I then can see if we are making progress. You can also see patterns that you might not see if you were not writing things down. This is helpful in making treatment strategies.
Since I don't know why this cat is vocalizing, I will talk in general terms.
It is important to first make sure the cat's needs are being met (ideal litter box, plenty of food, fresh water). Some cats only like fresh water. I actually got my cat a dish that has constantly recycled, running water.
Make sure the cat has enough exercise.
Make sure the environment is enriched. Try hiding treats or food all over the house so your cat has to go looking for it. Keep him mentally stimulated with enrichment toys & activities.
You may be inadvertently rewarding vocalizations because as the cat meows, you react by checking everything and giving him attention. If you know everything is taken care of such as enough food and fresh water, stop responding when he vocalizes.
You may want to try clicker training and refer back to a previous post that gives a website for clicker training information. When you catch your cat being quiet and doing another activity, click and give a small treat. You are ignoring excessive vocalizations, and are rewarding the right behaviors.
Dr. Nicholas Dodman's book "The Cat Who Cried for Help," has a chapter about excessive vocalization called that might find interesting. It is a great collection of case histories about feline behavior problems.
When cats in a multi-cat household don't get along
Question from Heather:
We have 3 cats: Mo, an 8 year-old male Siamese mix; Percy, a 5 year-old nervous female tabby who is from the shelter; and Jane, a 3 year-old formerly feral cat who is a hermaphrodite. We refer to the latter as a female. Apparently, from what our vet told us, there were parts belonging to both sexes in the one cat, but none of them were functional. She is our problem kitty. Besides having the usual problems a cat would exhibit having lived on her own for two years, she stalks Percy relentlessly.Luckily for Percy, Jane isn't very coordinated and can't jump up to high places, but this behavior has taken a toll on Percy. Jane was just hospitalized for 4 days because of a growth in her throat, during which time Percy was very relaxed, playful and happy. Upon Jane's return the stalking resumed, and Percy is quite upset. Unlike Mo, Percy will not hold her ground, and Jane has a great deal of fun charging at her, staring at her, and stalking her. She is dog-like in her obsession and manner, Can you offer any advice on how to help these two get along? Jane is charming and funny and sweet and is a real success story in many ways, but her introduction to the house a year ago has been the un-doing of Percy.
Response from Traci:
Inter-cat aggression cases are all very different with lots of nuances. So, it is important to visit with a behaviorist to sort through of your individual details. I don't have all of the information I need to give you full, detailed advice, but I can share some general thoughts.Cats are generally a territorial and semi-solitary living species. They are not A-social, but are different than dogs. Dr. Shoron Crowell-Davis in Georgia is doing a lot of wonderful research about the social lives of cats living in outdoor groups. Her research is actually reshaping the way feline social structure is discussed. Typically if there is a feral group, they have specific relationships with each other and come together for mating, or raising kittens, or because they are related, but give themselves plenty of space. It seems to be difficult for cats living indoors to live in high densities. We need to be respectful of individual personalities and their combinations. There is good evidence that multi-cat households can be stressful.
One study found that for each cat you have, the risk for having inappropriate elimination (either spraying or toileting) is exponential. So, if you have 8 cats, you have an 80% chance than somebody is not eliminating, as they should. Cats also do not seem to have a lot of signals or postures in their behavioral repertoire, like dogs, to de-escalate conflicts & help each other calm down. So if trouble starts it can get very heated quickly & stay so for some time.
There can be several types of aggression. One is re-directed aggression where one cat gets agitated by something (like an outdoor cat) and can't get to it, so attacks the cat sitting beside him, even if they have always been friends. This can lead to fear aggression where the cat that was attacked starts hiding and behaving fearful which elicits more aggression. Fear aggression is often associated with hissing.
There is also territorial aggression, which involves a period of stalking where a cat is actively trying to drive another cat out of the territory. Cats may growl or caterwaul during these displays.
The protocol for treating these types of problems typically includes desensitization and counter conditioning exercises. The cats are brought together for brief periods of time, making them comfortable and relaxed by offering them a delectable treat, and doing this very slowly so that neither shows any fear or aggression.
Feliway, which is a non-drug option that reduces stress in cats, can also be used. It comes in a plug in or pump spray. Medication can be used during the treatment plan to keep either the fearful cat from running, or inhibit the bossy cat from attacking, or both. Pharmacological intervention in these cases can be tricky, and I always try to utilize it as a last result.
There are two resources I recommend on this subject. Dr. Karen Overall has written a book that is geared toward veterinarians, but has specific protocols that may be helpful. It is called "Clinical small animal behavioral medicine". Dr. Nicholas Dodman also has a chapter on this in his book "The Cat Who Cried for Help".
One of the most important things to note is that the introduction of cats to each other needs to be done properly to begin with. It may be a very slow introduction period that takes up to 6 months if that is what the cats need. The cats should not be allowed to get aroused or agitated, and should be able to see or smell each other a little more every day. There is a good article written by behaviorist Dr. Suzanne Hetts called "helping cats co-exist". An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
As mentioned in a previous post, cats will do better tolerating a higher density of cats if the environment is lush. This means having lots of food dishes, water bowls, litter boxes, etc. Since Jane cannot climb very well, it may also mean giving Percy a lot of vertical space to climb.
Sometimes people choose to make separate territories in the house if certain cats get along really well and others don't. Often, nervous cats will be happy in a large bedroom/bathroom where they can still get social interaction, but don't get picked on by a bigger, bolder cat. This is something you will need to consider on an individual basis.
Spraying questions
Question from multiple members:
We received multiple questions on spraying and how to stop it. Because there were so many, we didn't want to just pick one so Traci responded with a general overview that we hope would help give some ideas for everyone facing this problem.Response from Traci:
We need to first define spraying. It is absolutely critical when treating inappropriate elimination that you know if you have litter box/soiling problems or spraying. Even though both involve urine, they are different behaviors and have different meanings, treatment strategies, and success rates. A study by Dr. Benjamin Hart's group at UC-Davis indicates that the #1 factor for veterinarians successfully treating inappropriate elimination is whether they figured that question out.Spraying is a marking behavior and is typically associated with some type of stress in the cat's territory. If you saw your cat spraying, it would look like the cat is standing on all four feet, tail straight up in the air quivering, and urine would shoot out the back of the cat and hit some vertical surface, run down and puddle. It is typically less volume than a full bladder empting would produce.
If you didn't see your cat spray, but are finding evidence, you will always find it dripping downsome vertical surface, and the spot where it started would be about 8 inches off the ground.
Some of the main reasons why I typically see cats spraying are:
"I hate my roommates"(i.e. not getting along with cats in the house)
outside cats are bothering inside cats
"I'm sick" (ex. could be anything from urinary tract issue, to back pain/arthritis)
"I'm very frustrated" (ex. the cat is on a diet & waiting for food to come, was once allowed outside and not anymore)
It is always important to rule out medical problems first by taking your cat to a veterinarian.
If you have multiple cats in your household, make sure you know which cat is spraying. There may be more than one. If you are not sure which cat is spraying, you can rotate cats into different parts of the house, use a video camera, or use a urine tagging protocol. Flourescine dye given in a rotation among the cats will make the offender(s) urine fluorescent. Your veterinarian can find this protocol listed in, "Readings in Companion Animal Behavior" by Dr. Voith/Borschelt.
I have people send me maps of their homes, and mark where the cats are spraying. You can often see a pattern. If I see a pattern where spraying is by the back door or windows, and generally on the perimeter of the territory (house), then I am immediately suspicious of outside cats. If it is all over the inner parts of the territory, then I am suspicious that household cats are not getting along.
People should NEVER punish a cat, even if the cat is caught in the act of spraying. Because this is an anxiety driven behavior, punishing will only make it worse.
It is critical to figure out what the stressor is and remove it. For instance, the #1 reason I see clients whose cats are spraying is that outside cats are bothering inside cats. So, if you have outdoor cats you are feeding, create a place that is not as near your house. Move the shelter or feeding location clear to the back of the property & then discourage them from approaching the house. If you are not caring for them, don't make your yard an ideal territory.
There are several products that are humane and keep strays away such as alarms that are movement activated. If the cats are coming up on your back patio to sliding glass doors, the sound alarms will startle the cats away (ex. Scraminal, tattletale, critter getter). A product called the "Scarecrow" turns on a stream of water when movement is detected, which scares off the cats. You can also block the indoor cat's visual access to the outside by closing off an area, putting up a barrier or covering a window.
Make sure indoor cats are getting lots of exercise. This is the best non-drug stress reliever available.
If the cat is an intact male and you get him neutered, this will help the most in reducing spraying. However, it is not true that once they are neutered they are unable to spray. Even spayed female cats can and do spray.
The goal is to get cats to mark in alternative ways such as scratching (even if declawed, a cat can rub the scent from the inside of their paws), and cheek marking (rubbing brow ridges and cheeks on things). Cheek marking generally marks people and things inside the territory where they are comfortable. Spraying is sending anxious messages.
Kitty combs can be purchased to encourage cheek marking. You can also use Feliway, which is a non-invasive, non-drug option that reduces stress in cats. This is a chemical replication of the cheek marking pheromone. Cats typically won't urine spray over a place where they have cheek marked. So you can try putting this over the spot where they are spraying, or just use the new plug in option.
It may also help to try feeding, or playing with the cats in these areas. Instead of bad things like spraying or fighting with other cats, the association is changed to yummy treats, petting, and fun.
Lastly, even though this is not a toileting problem, a study by Dr. Hart's group found that spraying is reduced if people were told not to punish the cat, to give them treat once a day, and shown how to make an ideal litter box. I believe this helped because so many people had punished and stressed their cats out that giving treats helped associate the owner with something positive again, and reduced stress. In addition, it seems that a "bad" litter box can be a stressor for cats, therefore removing it can reduce spraying. This often will not take care of the problem completely, but is a great start.
People also need to be sure they are cleaning up urine spray appropriately. Use an enzyme odor eliminator to break down the bacteria in urine. The best ones come from veterinarians but you can also get them from pet stores.
There is a warning that you should not use enzymes and then put Feliway on the spot right afterwards or the enzyme will break down Feliway, so you should read the directions carefully. Never use ammonia to clean up. This may mimic the smell of urine and lure the cat back to spray there again.
Recent studies about the use of medications have found they can help treat spraying. These are not the old drugs we were using that sedated animals and made them tired and "drugged". These are anti-depressant medications that elevate a neurotransmitter called serotonin, and should help the cat feel less anxious. The intent is to use these medications during a period of time to reduce the stress while you fix the problem, and so the animal can learn a new behavioral pattern. There are no "magic pills"; you have to use them in combination with a behavior protocol to be successful. This course of treatment generally takes 8 weeks before the cat can be weaned off the medication.
Declawing and other options
Question from a member:
We get people who want to adopt from us but want to declaw. We don't want to adopt to anyone who declaws but don't want to deny a cat a good home. What can we do to discourage people about declawing and encourage them to try other means first?Response from Traci:
My opinion is that declawing is such an invasive procedure, if it is utilized, it should be used as a very last resort. If I had a client who had tried everything to get a cat to scratch appropriately, yet the cat was still damaging things, and this put the cat at risk for being abandoned or euthanasia, then I would support declawing. I would then encourage people to seek out the least painful method and make sure the cats are given pain medications. It is important that all options, and there are some new advancement, are thoroughly discussed with a trusted veterinarian.It is unfortunate that a lot of cat owners are not educated about how to get their cats to scratch appropriately, because it is oftentimes is not that hard to do. Instead, I often see people doing declawing because the cat reached a certain age or is already under for spay/neuter surgery, even if there is no problem.
Cats scratch to keep nails sharp and in good condition, but it is also a species-specific behavior used as a marking strategy. Cats leave a mark or give out territorial information by way of the visual mark scratching leaves, as well as leaving scent through the glands in the pads of their feet.
We need to look at how can we get these cats to do this behavior but do it in a way that is acceptable. Give them a surface that helps them meet the goal of the scratching - that is to leave a mark. I mentioned in a previous post how to give a good scratching material that allows them to leave a mark. I like pressed cardboard or wood because of the bark. The scratching post needs to be stable because cats will not use it again if it falls on them and surprises them. Make sure it is tall enough for the cat to stretch up fully upon. Placement is important. Place in areas where the territory changes in meaning for the cat, such as where the cat goes to eat, to sleep, eliminate, or areas where the cat may be exposed to other cats like on the edge of where other cats live if you have them separated.
If I had a cat who had a problem already, I would place a really appealing scratching post right by the inappropriate spot they are scratching because the cat already has a habit of going there for this activity. It helps to change the texture of the item I don't want them to scratch (like putting tape on it so it is slippery now, or foil, or sticky tape). The trick is to make the old thing unappealing and the new post very appealing.
Once the cat has had about 30 days to form this new habit, you can move the scratching post slowly to a new area if you wish. Only move a couple of inches a day.
You can also do some things to encourage your cat to scratch. Cats can be rewarded for behaviors with clicker training. A good website is Karen Pryor's site www.dontshootthedog.com. If you are using clicker training, and catch your cat on the right post, then click and give him a treat. You can also purchase Pavlov's cat which automatically dispenses food for scratching.
There are other ways to encourage your cat to come to the scratching area:
- If your cat enjoys catnip (and is not negatively affected), rub catnip on the post.
- Take water from a tuna fish can and rub that on the post.
- If you have a cat that is doing a lot of scratching, check to see if there is some kind of stress in their territory. For instance, I had a case where a woman had grass wallpaper on her walls and the cats were shredding the walls up as high as they could reach. It turns out the wall was directly across from where stray cats would come up on her porch. The outdoor cats agitated them so they were using scratching instead of spraying to express their resistance to the territorial invasion. All cats do a level of scratching, but a high level could be a sign of stress.
- Lastly, let people know there are also alternatives to declawing like trimming cats nails, or talking to a veterinarian about using Softpaws.
Cats destroying plants
Question from Ann:
We love our cat and would get rid of the plants before getting rid of her, but is there a way to keep her out of them? She attacks them in spurts, destroys them, then leaves them alone until I get them back to health and looking good, and then starts all over. She actually will climb up and sit in them, or lay in them, eat the leaves or just rip them off. I keep her litter box clean and accessible, she has a wonderful cat tree and toys and I am at a loss. At first I thought that telling her NO, and showing her the plants made a difference, because she stopped for a short time. Is there anything I can do short of clearing the house out of all green living things?Response from Traci:
The very first thing I would recommend is making sure that no plants in your house are poisonous. You can get a list of toxic and nontoxic plants for cats through the ASPCA's poison hotline at 888-426-4435 or website. Many people don't know which plants can be toxic to cats, such as Easter lilies. You don't want to have something that will inadvertently hurt your cat.A lot of cats really do enjoy playing with and eating plants. I would do what works best with most cat problems, which is to figure out how to allow the cat to do this behavior in a more appropriate way and how to make the current plants unattractive.
Keep your cat entertained and busy. It's good you have cat toys for her to enjoy. You may want to look back at previous posts about enrichment toys and activities and make sure she is getting enough physical exercise too.
Offer her a good alternative. You can purchase or make cat grass pots. This is basically rye, or other safe, fast growing grass that you could keep planting so the cat has fresh new grass to use. You can replant or get out the next pot as needed.
She may also enjoy lettuce or other safe greens. She may not like these as well, but it is worth a try if she does.
To make plants that you don't want her to eat unattractive, avoid using punishment that your cat perceives came from you for two reasons:
Your cat will learn to do the behavior (in this case eating plants) when you are not in the room, and this is a behavior you want her never to do
punishment degrades the relationship between you and your cat because it stresses the cat. Cats don't live in social groups where one cat punishes the other, so your cat may see it as you just randomly attack her unpredictably.
It is better to establish remote punishment. This creates the perception that the plant "gets" the cat or that location is bad rather than you. There is a brand new product by Premier called "Scat". If cats get close enough, it gives out a puff of air. It is a hissing sounding and startling but very humane. You could keep this near the plant or in the pot. So now the cat sees this plant as scary and the cat grass as safe and really attractive because it's on a nice comfy spot for her to enjoy.
There are also boundary sprays you can spray in an attempt to keep the cat away from a spot, but I don't know these to be very effective. Some people do find that citrus smells repel cats. You can also try products like "bitter apple", but this only works if she is chewing the plants because it tastes bad. It won't affect her if she is sitting on them or batting them around.
Although this is not the case with this cat, a lot of people will complain that cats use large potted plants as a litter box. For that, there is probably a reason why the cat is out and about looking for a new spot to eliminate, so it is important to review the litter box handout and make the litter box more appealing. One way to make the pot less interesting is by covering the dirt with screening, allowing the plant to come up through middle, or by placing very lightweight chicken wire just barely under the soil so you don't have to look at it but the cat won't like the feel under foot.
Nipping behavior
Question from Kathleen:
Is there a way to minimize or deter nipping behavior in cats? As a cat foster, I occasionally encounter cats who have a tendency to nip or put their teeth on your hand, although it rarely results in an actual bite. This obviously is not desirable behavior, and can reduce the adoptability of the cat.Response from Traci:
A very typical type of aggression is what we refer to as "petting related aggression", meaning that the guardian is in some way stroking or petting the cat, and the cat nips them. Sometimes this can escalate to where the skin is broken but more often it is where teeth touch the skin, but do not break it.I think there is an ethological reason or drive for this behavior - when cats are grooming each other, a very typical way for a cat to signal they are done and want no more grooming is to turn around and nip the other. Humans don't have the coat to protect our thinner skin.
Another important thing to note is that cats are easily over stimulated. Unlike dogs, they don't have a lot of good signals built into their behavioral repertories to calm each other down. Cats also have a lot more "touch receptors" on their face and head than dogs, also possibly leading to easy over stimulation. They may be enjoying the petting, but then it becomes too much very quickly.
A lot of times people will describe that they can see this coming. The cat's pupils dilate (more of the whites of their eyes may also show), people feel the cats muscles or body stiffen, or ear posture changes (like rotating back and flatten), and/or they see the cat's tail start to flash (not the soft wavy tail - more like whip). The whipping of the tail is often one of the last cues you get before a bite.
Learn your cat's cues. Watch your cat and make a log of this behavior. Once you learn the situations and behavioral signals that precedes nipping you can stop petting when you get those first signals, and avoid the over stimulation and therefore the aggression. If you can't tell those signs, estimate how long you can pet before being nipped (i.e. 3 strokes or 5 minutes), and then have a rule where you only stroke your cat under that threshold.
If you stroke the cat several times and they don't bite, then give them a small treat, and stop. This rewards the cat, and the more you pet the more treats they get.
I also see some cats that will run and chase and nip owners walking down the hall, or when wiggling their feet as they sit on the couch. This is more typical of play aggression. For this, you need to focus on providing a lot of environmental enrichment and playtime. These tend to be young cats who need to be kept busy. See pervious posts for ideas regarding both.
Don't encourage this type of rough play. For example, some people put their hand on the cat's belly and rub really hard and the cat bites their hand. You don't want to play rough with them or encourage they put their mouths on you. It is too hard for a cat to learn when it is ok and when not. Many people make the mistake of starting rough play with tiny kittens then are very sorry once they have a large mature cat.
If you have a cat that seems to be very nippy, and you are trying these things and the issue is not resolving after a month trial period, then you need to see a behaviorist to work through it and make sure you have right diagnosis and treatment plan.
If you are a shelter, and trying to adopt a cat who is easily over stimulated easily or doesn't like to be petted, it is very important to make a good match in the beginning by asking potential adopters what their expectations are. If a person wants a cat to be social and carry around, or to sit on their lap and watch TV while being petted for hours, then you don't want to place a cat like this in that situation. The cat will not be able to live up to that expectation. The cat would be much better in a setting with someone who allows the cat to come to them when he wants to be petted, and doesn't expect much close contact. Asking questions up front allows for the best chance of placing a cat in a forever home.
Using the litter box sometimes and laundry sometimes
Question from multiple members:
We had multiple questions about cats that are using their litter box only some of the time or are using other inappropriate areas such as laundry and clothes.Response from Traci:
I can't ask the questions to each person that I need in order to get the specifics of each case I'd need, but I can give some basic information that may be helpful to many. It is extremely typical when a client calls me about inappropriate elimination that their cat is using the box partially. It is very A-typical that a cat is not using the box at all.I always begin by asking if it is stool or urine, and how often the cat is going outside the box?
The kinds of patterns I see often relate to the fact that there are some daily differences about the box (ex. how long has it been since you dumped it, who else has been in that box today if it is a multi-cats household, or if you are using scented litter how long the litter has been out of the bag etc). The litter box may fluctuate on a daily basis, as well as its attractiveness to the cat, making you wonder why sometimes cats use it and sometimes not.
The typical pattern cats use to eliminate stool is to get in, dig a big hole, and spend time covering. Eliminating urine may require a smaller hole and less time in the box to cover up.
If the cat perceives the box to be very dirty (even if you don't), all that digging is going to get their feet dirty because they will hit other stool or urine pockets as they dig, so you may see just stool outside the box. A significant number of cats show that even when boxes are cleaned up, they like to urinate in one box and eliminate stool in another. You may try two boxes to see if this is the case with your cat.
There is a list of questions I ask clients that make me strongly suspicious there may be some problem with the litter box:
- if people say when the problem first started their cat was going right over the edge of the box but very close to it. This tells me the cat went to the box, and said "yuck, I am not getting in".
- if people can see or tell by the way the urine is running down that the cat is perching on the edge of the box. This says the cat knows where to go but is repulsed with actually touching the litter with his feet.
- if a cat does not cover their elimination consistently and people see the cat spending very little time digging in the box. This tells me the cat doesn't want to get something on their feet, which could be excrement or a "new fresh scent".
- if there is displacement digging - instead of digging to cover, cats dig on the side of the pan or on the wall. They want to complete this part of the elimination sequence but don't want to do it in the box.
hurrying out of the box
If your cat is telling you, "I hate my box", you will correct the problem when you make the box appealing.
Lastly, here is another typical scenario. For some time the litter box hasn't been ideal. Then, for instance, there is a "tipping point". Perhaps the door got shut to the basement where the box is, or pet sitter didn't show up and the box got full while you were on vacation. The cat tried eliminating on something new like laundry, a soft bath mat, or pile carpeting. Now, the cat has preference tested other surfaces and developed a substrate preference. They really like soft cushioned fabric. So, even if you keep the box clean, but are using hard clay, they may not go back. Try to figure out what type of surface the cat likes now and duplicate that in a second box (remember I mentioned earlier never try changes in the main box). The softest grain, sandy type litter you can find is often preferred by individuals who have been eliminating on soft fabric etc.
Offer the new attractive litter, and remove the things you do not want them to eliminate on for at least 30 days. This will begin to break up the habit - pick up the rug, or laundry. It takes about 90 days to really cement a new habit, whether it is a good or bad one. You can put rugs or laundry out slowly and under close supervision to prevent an accident. Try feeding the cat treats or soft food on the surface you don't want them eliminating on so they associate something different with it - now it is the food bay instead of the toilet.
I must stress that you can't just do one piece of this - you can't just put food out or just fix the litter box without picking up rug. You need to be holistic in your approach…. make one option good for them and the other thing unattractive, all at the same time.
Moving a cat to a new house
Question from Renee:
We are moving to a new apartment and are taking a cat that has always been outdoors with us and making her indoors. What is the best way to take her to the vet, and then a week later move her to our new apartment without traumatizing her? She currently sleeps and hangs out around her Kitty Carrier, but I've never actually locked her inside and taken her anywhere in it. Any hints?Response from Traci:
Sometimes cats can be more attached to territory than the people who live in it, so you need to be sensitive to that when moving a cat. A move can be tricky and difficult for some individuals.I would recommend getting Feliway spray or a plug in to put in the new apartment first so the introduction to the new territory has positive new smells from the pheromones.
Shield the cat from the hustle and bustle of the move. Have her stay in one spot (either at your old house in a carrier or confined room, the new house in either scenario, or perhaps a vet hospital for boarding) until things are settled. Some cats are very stressed by a lot of strangers in the house, or motion going on, and a lot are lost during moves because so many doors are open and they slip out.
You want to bring the cat into a quiet, calm house. Consider setting up the main room where the cat will spend a lot of time with the same configuration of furniture as your last house, i.e. sofa across from coffee table etc., at least for a while so she has some familiarity. You can start to slowly move things where you ultimately want them to be, or get rid of items after the cat is comfortable in her surroundings.
Keep the cat confined close by the litter box long enough so she knows where it is and is comfortable getting to it. This is also a good way supervise her enough to tell if she is eating and drinking normally which is very important.
Again, make sure the cat has enough exercise and good environmental enrichment at your new house.
If you are going to utilize a carrier, whether to just take to the vet, or to keep her in it for a while to avoid the hustle and bustle of the move, start to desensitize her to it. Feed her in there with yummy food like tuna while the door is open and slowly shut the door and extend the time she can comfortably spend inside. Stay with her while you do this to watch for any signs of stress. Also, keep the carrier out for a while, not just when you are going somewhere. You may want to take the top off so she can rest in it until you are ready to use it.
If you are going to board her during the move, then you could coordinate so she will have any procedures (exam, vaccines) done while at the vet hospital. That way she doesn't have to go back twice.
What shelters can do to help behavioral issues
Question from Nanci:
We talk to many owners that need to give up their cats due to behavior problems like urinating on furniture, biting people & destroying wallpaper & furniture. We would like to find ways for people to correct these behaviors and keep their cats. Is there a link to any sites that we could add to our web site?Response from Traci:
I really think that when adopting out animals, no matter what species, the more we can do to support the new adopters with behaviors, the more successful the animals tenure in the home will be. The more shelters shift and become a resource for behavioral help, the more people may call to get help regarding keeping the animal in the home verses just calling to get aid with surrender.Sticking with cats, I would love to see every cat go home with litter box recommendations - it doesn't have to mine - but something to try to prevent a problem. The #1 behavior problem that gets cats turned into shelters is inappropriate elimination. So, everyone should go home with a list of rules. They should also be told what type of litter the shelter was using and whether the cat was utilizing it. This may make an easier transition at home if they begin using the same or similar litter.
It would also be nice if shelters could give free samples or sell an enzyme odor eliminator so if it happens, they have it handy to use for cleaning up right away. This prevents a mounting problem while the product languishes on the grocery list. Scent can attract an animal to a spot again.
Whether it is a veterinarian who is doing the next kitten visit for shots, or the shelter doing the follow up call, it is important that you ask whether the cat is using the litter box. Be sure the way you ask this allows people to tell the truth. It should not be asked like "the cat's using the box isn't he?" but rather as "how many times since you got this cat has the cat gone to the bathroom somewhere he shouldn't?". If they say 17 times you know you need to get them help. This allows them to tell you a true answer, as well as quantifies the problem for you.
If the cats are not declawed, then I recommend the guardians go home with information about how to set up a good scratching post. This helps prevent the problem before it gets started. See previous posts for tips.
Give out an article on the appropriate introduction of a cat to a new environment as well as to other pets in it. There is a great article by Dr. Suzanne Hetts that I mentioned earlier, "Helping cats co-exist."
I also like to see workshops for staff as well as the general public given by behaviorist visiting a shelter. Ideally a shelter would also have a behaviorist as an employee on site.
Not every shelter can afford to do this, but if you can offer a behavioral hotline, where the public can speak to a live person during set hours or leave a message and get a return call, it is extremely helpful. You don't have to and shouldn't treat full-blown behavioral cases over the phone, but you can be a resource. Services may include sending handouts, giving the names of behaviorists and humane trainers, listing low cost spay/neuter sources, providing grief information, and references for appropriate books, websites, lectures, and other resources.
A referral to a behaviorist is critical if the animal is a risk to itself, if the animal could hurt someone or another animal, or if the owner perceives it as such a big problem that it puts the animal at risk to be abandoned or euthanized. Behavior is only a problem if it is perceived as such by the owner. Remember not to use what you would tolerate as a measure.
The tricky part about finding someone to do behavior work is that there is not licensure for the field like there is for veterinary medicine. This means that there is nothing to stop someone from saying they are a behaviorist even if they do not have the appropriate educational background. So a client has to be educated well enough to know what a behaviorists background should be. There are people who are boarded veterinary behaviorists, meaning they are veterinarians who have gone into a special residency in behavior just like if they were doing residency in surgery or ophthalmology and then have passed boards or taken tests. You can find a list of veterinary behaviorists by going to www.avma.org.
There are also some small animal veterinarians who will treat behavior cases. Typically these are people who have done continuing education like a short internship with veterinary behaviorists or taken continuing education in the area, Unfortunately most veterinary colleges include little to no behavioral information in their standard course work. They don't call themselves behaviorists, as veterinarians save the "ist" ending to denote a boarded specialist, but rather say they have a special interest in behavior.
Other academic behaviorists are typically affiliated with the Animal Behavior Society and have a background in psychology (or related field like biology), and have a graduate degree (advanced education in ethology, animal learning, animal cognition, and neuroscience). A person can also become certified by the Animal Behavior Society. Certification requires a graduate degree, and that one has contributed to the scientific literature, taken particular course work, worked under the direction of another behaviorist as well as seen a number of cases independently, and presented case histories for a panel review. You can get a list of certified people on the website www.animalbehavior.org. Checking for ABS certification (be careful of other "certifications" playing on that name) helps you wade through an individual's credentials.
So in summary, I think the more resources such as websites, classes, book and video titles, recommendations for trainers and behaviorists, the shelter can offer, the better.
Some of my personal favorite resources are:
Dr. Dodman's book "The Cat Who Cried for Help"
Dr. Suzanne Hetts' article "Helping Cats Co-exist"
Indoor cat initiative website www.nssvet.org/ici
Dr. John Wright's book "Help! Is my cat crazy?"
