Tag: cat-friendly home

Look at Me – Cats Communicate with Gaze

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Eye contact is an important part of communication for many people. Face-to-face meetings are thought to be more productive – participants are able to take note of the nuances of facial body language.

It is not surprising that our pets also communicate with us by sight – watching what we do and how we respond to situations. Dogs are well-known for looking and watching us but recent studies show what many cat owners already know – your cat is watching you!

Cats communicate with gaze

One study showed that cats avoid the gaze of a familiar human but another found that cats ate more food offered by humans who gazed at them while calling their names compared to just calling their names (Reference 1).

Cats are able to follow a human’s gaze to obtain food – they watch you turn your head and follow your line of sight as you put the food bowl down. Cats will also follow a human pointing a finger at a container with food (Reference 2).

Cats communicate with Gaze

Dogs are known to attract a human’s attention and direct it toward an object or another person or animal. They do this by first gazing directly at the human in question, then switching their gaze to the object. When confronted with a toy or food that they can’t access, they also alternate their gaze between the human and the hidden toy/food, “requesting help” (Reference 2).

Most evidence indicates that cats have not been found to gaze at humans to acquire the desired food/toy. They will use cues provided but will not “ask” for these cues like the dog with his meaningful stare (Reference 1).

However, a recent study found that cats would look back and forth from the owner to a treat box they could not open. These cats had an acclimation period of 3 days and a training session at the laboratory the day before testing. Caregivers were put into one of two groups: “attentive” and “inattentive” (Reference 3).  Cats with “attentive” caregivers looked to their caregivers earlier and more frequently than those with “inattentive” caregivers.  Cats with “attentive” caregivers were more successful than the other cats.

Cats also have been found to follow our lead as to whether a novel or strange object is safe.  A study used a fan with ribbons streaming from it when turned on as a novel object (Reference 4).  The owners were divided into two groups: one group was instructed to have a “happy expression” and behave calmly with regard to the fan while the other group was told to be “worried” and leery of the fan with its ribbons.

The cats in the “worried” group sought the escape route in the room earlier than the “happy” group, indicating that the cats changed their behavior in response to the emotional message of their owners (Reference 4).

cats communicate with gaze – Emotional Behavior

Other research has analyzed video clips of cats using a system that identifies cats’ facial expressions (CatFACS) and found the following links between gaze and feline emotions (Reference 5).

  • Blinking and half-blinking are associated with fear.
  • Cats often turn their heads and look to the left when anxious.
  • Cats will turn their heads and look to the right when relaxed.

Cat with half-closed eyesthe slow blink

The feline “slow blink” has been likened to a smile; the meme “i slow blink you so much” infers that the “slow blink” is a sign of affection, of positive feelings. It is interesting that the “slow blink” is associated with fear (see above) – after all, cats are more likely to approach an unfamiliar human who has “slow blinked” them (Reference 6). 

At the National Cat Adoption Centre in Sussex, UK, researchers found that cats who blinked back at humans who slow-blinked them were adopted more quickly. These cats tended to be more nervous around humans but gave longer slow blinks in response to human slow blinking (Reference 6).

  • A genuine human smile is one that reaches and wrinkles the corners of the eyes. Perhaps, cats who slow-blink seem to be smiling as they narrow their eyes – they may appear happier and potentially friendlier to prospective adopters.
  • Here’s another thought – nervous cats may view slow-blinking as a way to interrupt a tense, unbroken stare and redirect potential aggression and avoid physical conflict (Reference 6).

Cats communicate with gaze, responding to humans gazing at them and returning the gaze.  They also watch where their owners are looking and pointing to.  There is evidence that cats will look to humans when they cannot access food that they are seeking and will change their behavior in response to  emotional cues from their owners. Gaze gives us another way to communicate with our cats.

references

  1. Koyasu H, Kikusui T, Takagi S and Nagasawa M (2020), The Gaze Communications Between Dogs/Cats and Humans: Recent Research Review and Future Directions. Front. Psychol., 17 December 2020 Sec. Comparative Psychology Volume 11 – 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613512
  2. Péter Pongrácz, Julianna Szulamit Szapu, Tamás Faragó,
    Cats (Felis silvestris catus) read human gaze for referential information,Intelligence,Volume 74,2019,Pages 43-52,ISSN 0160-2896,
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2018.11.001.
  3. Zhang, L., Needham, K.B., Juma, S. et al. Feline communication strategies when presented with an unsolvable task: the attentional state of the person matters. Anim Cogn 24, 1109-1119 (2021)
  4. Merola, I., Lazzaroni, M., Marshall-Pescini, S. et al. Social referencing and cat–human communication. Anim Cogn 18, 639–648 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-014-0832-2
  5. Valerie Bennett, Nadine Gourkow, Daniel S. Mills,
Facial correlates of emotional behaviour in the domestic cat (Felis catus), Behavioural Processes,Volume 141, Part 3, 2017,Pages 342-350, ISSN 0376-6357, https://doi.org/10.563390/ani101222
  6. Humphrey, T.; Stringer, F.; Proops, L.; McComb, K. Slow Blink Eye Closure in Shelter Cats Is Related to Quicker Adoption. Animals 2020, 10, 2256. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122256

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Strategies for Managing Hairballs in Cats

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
Canned food spread on a textured silicone mat can give your cat the enjoyment of licking without ingesting fur.

As you are en route to the bathroom during the night, your foot contacts something tubular and mushy – another hairball! I have lived with over a dozen cats – some I have shaved to reduce the hairball menace; others I have dutifully given the hairball gels, which promise to lubricate the cat’s GI (gastrointestinal) tract to help the hairball pass. But, are hairballs normal, part of something you have to put up with when owning a cat?

Hairballs are rare to non-existent in feral cats and zoo cats. Why do our domestic cats get hairballs? Hair that is ingested during normal grooming activities passes out the intestines in the stool. On average, a short‐haired cat loses about 28 g of hair per kg of body weight each year. Two‐thirds of this hair consumed while grooming is found in the stool (Reference 1). The more the cat grooms herself, the more hair she consumes. Couple this with slower gastric emptying, hair can accumulate in the stomach, forming a hairball.  Here are the “why’s” and “how’s” of managing hairballs in cats.

managing hairballs in cats

If a hairball becomes too large to pass through the GI tract, the cat usually expels the hairball by vomiting. However, if vomiting is not successful, we risk (Reference 2)

  • intestinal obstruction
  • obstruction of the esophagus
  • hair lodging in the nasopharynx (top part of the throat throat just behind the nose) causing sneezing, retching, and nasal discharge

How Common Are Hairballs in Cats? (Reference 2)

  • 73% of cats have never had a hairball
  • 17% cats bring up a hairball once a year
  • 10% bring up two or more hairballs in a year
  • Long-haired cats are twice as likely to vomit hairballs than short-haired cats

When Do We See (or Step on) Hairballs?

  • Flea infestations can lead to increased grooming
  • GI motility is decreased due to food intolerance or gastrointestinal disease
  • The cat is “over-grooming” due to anxiety

What to Do About Hairballs

Chronic gastrointestinal disease, pain, and/or stress can change how fast hair and food move through the GI tract. Your first stop should be your veterinarian’s office. Appropriate management of GI disease can significantly reduce hairball vomiting (Reference 2). Your vet will consider dietary therapy and run diagnostics to detect GI disease.

Diet and Hairballs

Diet may be helpful in managing hairballs in cats. Studies have found that diets containing moderate levels of fiber (11-15% total dietary fiber) can minimize hairball formation, particularly in long-haired cats. Fiber aids in increasing the amount of hair passed out in the stool (Reference 1).

Hairball diets also have larger sized kibbles. Radiographic studies have linked larger kibbles with hairballs exiting the stomach and passing out in the feces (References 1, 2).

Consider feeding more canned food.  Canned food passes through the GI tract more quickly (about 4 hours) compared to dry kibble (14-16 hours) (Reference 2).

The following strategies may help reduce the amount of hair ingested and promote GI motility (Reference 2).

  • daily grooming to reduce loose hair
  • shaving long-haired cats
  • monthly flea prevention
  • increase gastric emptying by feeding frequent small meals rather than large meals
  • use petroleum-based laxatives to lubricate the intestinal tract easing the passage of hairballs
  • prokinetic drugs (metoclopramide, cisapride, ranitidine) promote GI motility

hairballs in cats: environmental modification

The GI tract is very responsive to psychological stress.  Stress, chronic GI disease, and pain are factors that can affect how fast ingesta are processed by the GI system (Reference 3).

Domestic cats spend 25-30% of their waking hours grooming; those kept solely indoors may spend even more time at this task. Grooming may increase when the cat is stressed or bored.

Enironmental modification gives us a way to reallocate the cat’s time budget – giving him/her other activities to do, in addition to grooming. It also helps us reduce the stress perceived by the cat. In addition to providing the requirements for a healthy feline environment, the following strategies can affect the feline time budget.

  • feeding frequent small meals (may also help with gastric emptying)
  • incorporating species specific behaviors in feeding strategies (Why Meal Feed Your Cat)
  • providing outdoor access in an enclosure or on a harness and leash
  • regular interactive play time
  • establish a routine; allow the cat control over his environment by knowing what will happen and when

Grooming is a self-soothing behavior. The use of lick mats (textured silicone mats that you spread food on) can take advantage of the satisfaction cats find in licking without hair ingestion.

Although hairballs may seem to be a nuisance behavior, frequent vomiting of hair balls is NOT normal and can be an indicator of underlying GI disease or stress. A visit to your vet can diagnose medical problems; implementing environmental modification can reduce stress that affects how much cats groom and how fast hair moves through the GI tract.

references

  1. Weber M, Sams L, Feugier A, Michel S, Biourge V. Influence of the dietary fibre levels on faecal hair excretion after 14 days in short and long-haired domestic cats. Vet Med Sci. 2015 Jul 7;1(1):30-37. doi: 10.1002/vms3.6. PMID: 29067172; PMCID: PMC5645811.
  2. Cannon M. Hairballs in cats: a normal nuisance or a sign that something is wrong? J Feline Med Surg. 2013 Jan;15(1):21-9. doi: 10.1177/1098612X12470342. PMID: 23254238.
  3. Rudinsky, Adam https://www.youtube.com/live/CkZsUYhswGk?si=dauNUIjuEBGtSvIx October 4, 2022: YouTube Live: Chronic Vomiting Cats: What Can We Do? Viewed 1-17-24

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Treating Pandora Syndrome in Cats: the Environment

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
An elevated perch allows this cat a good vantage point to survey her surroundings for other cats and people.

Pandora Syndrome refers to cats suffering from multiple medical ailments that do not resolve with appropriate medical treatment. Instead, the symptoms are chronic, waxing and waning in response to environmental stressors. These cats also share a history of traumatic experiences and exhibit an abnormal stress response, partly due to epigenetic changes resulting from the stressful events in their lives (Reference 1).

Pandora syndrome is an “anxiopathy” – a condition resulting from chronic activation of the central stress response system (Reference 1).

Treating Pandora syndrome in cats: the environment

Careful modification of the Pandora cat’s environment (in additional to medical therapies) can reduce the severity and frequency of the cat’s symptoms (Reference 1). One of the first studies to demonstrate the efficacy of MEMO (Multimodal Environmental Modification) studied the response of 46 cats with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) to MEMO. Cat owners were asked to reduce environmental and social stressors using the following suggestions (Reference 2):

  • avoid punishing the cat
  • change to canned food
  • change to unscented, clumping litter
  • improve litter box management
  • provide climbing structures, viewing and resting perches
  • provide audio/visual stimulation when the owner was gone
  • increase interaction with the cat
  • identify and resolve conflict in multi-cat homes

The most commonly followed MEMO suggestions were:

  • increasing the amount of time interacting with the cat
  • changing to a canned diet
  • adding another litter box

During the 10 months of follow-up, no signs of LUTS were observed in 70-75% of the cats. Owners also reported reduction in fearfulness, nervousness, respiratory signs, aggressiveness, and lower intestinal tract signs (Reference 2).

Treating Pandora Syndrome in cats: MEMO

Environmental modification for the Pandora cat needs to:

  1. increase the security of the environment
  2. allow the cat to feel in control of his environment

Treating Pandora syndrome in cats: choosing the memo that suits the cat

The basic blueprint for cats’ environmental needs can be  found at https://catfriendly.com/cat-friendly-homes/what-your-cat-needs-to-feel-secure/.  Treating Pandora syndrome in cats will be most successful when MEMO is tailored to the individual cat.  Here is some additional information to consider once the basic environmental needs are satisfied.

The Fearful, Nervous Cat that Prefers to Stay Alone

For these cats, MEMO will focus on providing safe places and positive, predictable interactions with humans.

  • make plenty of hiding places available – these can be the top shelves of closets or boxes in the bottom of closets
  • increase the number of “vantage points” through the use of shelves, perches and cat trees (Reference 3)
  • increase the security of the floor space: minimize wide open spaces by positioning furniture to create places where cats can rest and hide (Reference 3)
  • use baby gates to limit the access of potential stressors such as dogs or small children to the cat’s area (Reference 3)
  • allow the cat to choose to interact with humans (https://www.felinepurrspective.com/touch-not-the-cat-interacting-with-cats/)

Treating Pandora Syndrome in Cats in the Multi-cat home

In a multi-cat house, Pandora cats may show aggression or become ill when threatened. Successful MEMO requires identifying the social groups of cats in the house and ensuring that plenty of resources are spread throughout the house. Be prepared to intercept aggression when necessary (https://www.felinepurrspective.com/managing-aggression-in-the-multi-cat-home/) – keep the peace!

Separation Anxiety

Some Pandora cats were orphans or abandoned. These cats may exhibit some separation anxiety due to a strong attachment to the owner. For example, some of these cats follow the owners around like a dog (Reference 1). MEMO can be adapted for these cats.

  1. Encourage Kitty to spend “alone time” in an enriched room or space (don’t force – maybe coax her into the room with some treats). Enrichment can be elevated perches near windows, a play tunnel with toys in it, food puzzles with snacks. Cats have a great sense of hearing and many like music – choose music designed for cats when you are not there.
  2. Establish a routine – help your cat to have control of his environment by knowing what is going happen and when it will happen (https://www.felinepurrspective.com/routines-help-cats-reduce-stress-and-anxiety/).

Many cats cope with environments that are not optimal. However, Pandora cats have suffered traumatic events in their lives resulting in epigenetic changes. These cats exhibit an abnormal response to environmental stress. Consequently, they do not cope as well as other cats with changes in their environment and develop chronic illnesses. MEMO allows these cats to feel safer and more in control of their environments, reducing their stress, and, in turn, reducing the frequency and severity of their symptoms.

references

  1. C.A. Buffington DVM, PhD, DACVN.  Pandora Syndrome in Cats: Diagnosis and Treatment; Today’s Veterinary Practice. August 10, 2018, Issue: September/October 2018. viewed on 1/06/24 https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/urology-renal-medicine/pandora-syndrome-in-cats/
  2. Buffington CAT, Westropp JL, Chew DJ, Bolus RR. Clinical evaluation of multimodal environmental modification (MEMO) in the management of cats with idiopathic cystitis. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2006;8(4):261-268. doi:10.1016/j.jfms.2006.02.002
  3. Ellis SL. Environmental Enrichment: Practical Strategies for Improving Feline Welfare. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2009;11(11):901-912. doi:10.1016/j.jfms.2009.09.011

 

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Diagnosing Pandora Syndrome in Cats

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
Some of the Signs that May Indicate Pandora Syndrome

The term “Pandora syndrome” was coined by Tony Buffington of Ohio State University to describe cats with chronic clinical symptoms suffering from health issues involving multiple organ systems. Buffington initially studied a group of 200 cats that had “incurable” urinary tract symptoms (bloody urine, difficulty urinating, urinating outside the box, and urinating small amounts). These cats had other health issues in addition to the urinary tract disease.  Curiously enough, the cats’ symptoms resolved after living in an enriched environment (Reference 1).

Early studies linked the urinary symptoms to diets containing too much magnesium, causing formation of urinary stones. However, dietary changes did not resolve the cats’ urinary issues and they continued to suffer from bloody urine, difficulty urinating, urinating outside the box, and urinating small amounts, frequently in the absence of stones (Reference 1).

diagnosing Pandora Syndrome in cats

What “Pandora Cats” have in common (Reference 2):

  • history of traumatic experiences such as abandonment, orphaning, infection
  • having more than one disease at once
  • clinical symptoms that wax and wane in response to changes in the environment

More About Pandora syndrome in cats

Genetic makeup and traumatic events are thought to contribute to Pandora syndrome in cats. Our genomes (cats and humans) contains the DNA that makes us unique. DNA is made up of 4 building blocks that can be assembled in different orders. The sequence of the DNA building blocks in a gene provides the code for a particular trait such as eye or hair color (Reference 3).

However, there is more to growth and development than just genes that code for a particular trait. The science of epigenetics studies modifications to our DNA that don’t change the order of the DNA building blocks. The epigenome refers to chemical compounds that are attached to your DNA. Exposure to pollutants, what you eat, and stress are some things that can result in certain molecules attaching to your DNA and turning particular genes on or off. This is why genetically identical twins may have different skills, health, or behavior (Reference 3).

The epigenome is reset when the genome is passed on from parents to their offspring at conception. Maternal stress during pregnancy, traumatic events such as abandonment, orphaning, and infection can subsequently affect the epigenome. While many cats recover from these things, others may develop chronic illnesses or behavioral abnormalities (Reference 2).

Pandora cats are inherently “sensitive” cats who have difficulty coping with challenges presented by their environment.  They have a heightened stress response that increases the likelihood of them becoming ill.

Why the name “Pandora” syndrome?
Pandora is a figure from Greek mythology. She was a human woman made by the gods from clay.  She was endowed with many attributes, such as beauty, charm, cleverness, and curiosity. Before sending her to earth, the gods gave her a box, that she was told NEVER to open. Pandora’s curiosity got the best of her one day and she opened the box, releasing evils to plague mankind – disease, violence, greed, old age, death… However, all was not lost. Hope was also in the box to help people survive and cope with the evils in the world.

Like Pandora’s box, “Pandora cats” have multiple problems (“evils”).

diagnosing pandora syndrome in cats

A diagnosis of Pandora Syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion – the symptoms may respond to medical therapies but then recur. Diagnostic procedures do not reveal a root cause. Diagnosis requires an extensive review of the cat’s life history, medical history and home environment. Some sample questions are below. (A more complete history form can be found in the supplementary materials of Reference 2).

Life History

  • where did the cat come from? from a shelter? was he/she a stray? an orphan?
  • are other cats/pets in the house?
  • how many people in the house?
  • indoor only? outdoor access?
  • is your cat fearful? friendly?

Medical History

  • vomiting? diarrhea? coughing? sneezing?
  • using litter box?
  • history of medical problems- e.g. allergies, heart problems?

Environmental Resources

  • safe and secure resting places?
  • multiple, separated litter boxes, feeding stations, water bowls?
  • can the cat interact with people and other pets on his/her own terms?

treating pandora syndrome in cats

Pandora syndrome is treated with medical therapies and MEMO (multimodal environmental modification).   MEMO aims to reduce the cat’s perception of threat and increase his/her perception of control of his/her environment. There is no cure for Pandora syndrome but medical therapies and MEMO can reduce the cat’s clinical signs and increase the time between episodes of symptoms (Reference 1).

The goal of MEMO is to create an OPTIMAL environment for the individual cat.  This will be the subject of the next post.

references

  1. C.A. Buffington DVM, PhD, DACVN.  Pandora Syndrome in Cats: Diagnosis and Treatment; Today’s Veterinary Practice. August 10, 2018, Issue: September/October 2018. viewed on 1/06/24 https://todaysveterinarypractice.com/urology-renal-medicine/pandora-syndrome-in-cats/
  2. Tony Buffington CA, Westropp JL, Chew DJ. From FUS to Pandora syndrome: Where are we, how did we get here, and where to now? Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2014;16(5):385-394. doi:10.1177/1098612X14530212
  3. National Human Genome Research Institute; Epigenomics fact sheet 8/16/20. Viewed on 1/6/24. https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Epigenomics-Fact-Sheet.

 

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The Link Between the Environment and Cat Behavior

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
A cat enjoys the scents of a summer night from his window seat.

I remember visiting the zoo as a young child. Back then, the animals’ enclosures were not the large, landscaped areas that you see today. The animals were behind iron bars with a few hides to go into, water, and maybe a tree or two. It was not uncommon to see the tigers or lions pacing repetitively back and forth along the walls of their enclosures or the giraffes continually licking the chain link fences.

These repetitive behaviors are referred to as ARB’s, abnormal repetitive behaviors. In the past few decades, zoos have found that changing captive animals’ environments to allow more natural behaviors reduces ARB’s significantly. Expressing species-specific behaviors allows an animal to control and modify its environment, ensuring survival and reproductive success. Creating a den (safe place) is an example of how an animal controls and modifies its environment (Reference 1).

Environment and cat behavior

Many cats live predominately indoor lives. Our homes are quite different than the territory of a wild cat. The indoor cat often has little opportunity to engage in typical cat behaviors such as hunting and climbing trees. It is not surprising that some domestic cats indulge in ARB’s to reduce the stress of being unable to predict and control their environment.  Overgrooming, where a cat licks or scratches her fur so much that the area becomes inflamed and bald, is one of the more common ARB’s shown by domestic cats.

Of course, a good, solid medical workup may uncover a cause for overgrooming and itchiness – perhaps kitty has a food allergy or skin infection. But it is not uncommon for some of these cases to be “idiopathic”, meaning we don’t know what the cause is.

environment and cat behavior: ARB’s

The wound on this cat’s neck comes from repeated scratching.

A study published in 2018 (Reference 2) investigated the link between the environment and cat behavior. The study followed thirteen cats who had been diagnosed with Idiopathic Ulcerative Dermatitis (IUD).  IUD presents as a crusted, non-healing ulcer on the neck, head or between the shoulders. Medical therapy including surgical excision is rarely successful. The cat scratches at the wound frequently; the wound will heal if the cat cannot scratch it, say if she wears a collar or bandage. Once the collar or bandage is removed, the cat will scratch the area again and the wound reappears. (Reference 2)

 

The research team asked the owners of the 13 cats to institute the following environmental changes:

  • Leave closets open to allow cats to use them as a hideout
  • Free access to food and water (add a fountain if the cat prefers running water)
  • Free access to a garden or balcony/window – a cat door was recommended
  • Provide access to a secure area where each cat can sleep, eat, use the litter box without competing with other cats (some cats were separated from their house mates)
  • Regularly offer new toys to the cat
  • Stop interactions initiated by owner such as carrying the cat, petting the cat. Allow the cat to initiate the interaction.

As soon as environmental changes were set up, the ARB of scratching stopped within 2 days. All cats except one healed – for this cat, the owners were not able make the environmental changes. Oral medication was given to this kitty for two months but the neck wound did not heal. The other twelve cats did not receive medication.  The research team followed these cats for two years and no relapses were noted in that time.

The environmental remedies in this study aimed to give the cat control over her environment by allowing her to exercise typical “cat” behaviors.  These are in line with the AAFP* recommendations for a healthy feline environment (Reference 3):

  • Provide a safe place <> leave closets open to allow the cats to use them as a hideout
  • Provide multiple and separated key environmental resources<>secure area for eating, sleeping and using litter box
  • Provide opportunity for play and predatory behavior <> offering new toys to the cat
  • Provide positive, consistent and predictable human–cat social interaction <> emphasize interactions initiated by the cat
  • Provide an environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell <>  access to a garden/balcony/window exposes the cat to outdoor scents and smells

Although our cats are a domestic species and have lived alongside humans for over 10,000 years, life in our homes sometimes reduces their opportunity to express behaviors typical of their wild relations. The environment and cat behavior are intertwined.  Improving the cat’s environment to encourage species-specific behaviors can reduce a cat’s stress and, in some cases, cure disease.

Note: I don’t agree with free-feeding cats even in such a situation – I think it is better to meal feed and use feeding as a positive interaction with humans. Using food puzzles and tossing kibble for the cat to hunt down allows cats opportunities to engage in foraging and hunting behaviors.

* American Association of Feline Practitioners

references

  1. Joseph P. Garner, “Stereotypies and Other Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors: Potential Impact on Validity, Reliability, and Replicability of Scientific Outcomes”, ILAR Journal, Volume 46, Issue 2, 2005, Pages 106–117, https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.46.2.106
  2. “From Feline Idiopathic Ulcerative Dermatitis to Feline Behavioral Ulcerative Dermatitis: Grooming Repetitive Behaviors Indicators of Poor Welfare in Cats”, Titeux Emmanuelle, Gilbert Caroline, Briand Amaury, Cochet-Faivre Noëlle. Front. Vet. Sci., 16 April 2018 Sec. Veterinary Dermatology and Allergy Volume 5 – 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00081
  3. Ellis SLH, Rodan I, Carney HC, et al. AAFP and ISFM Feline Environmental Needs Guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2013;15(3):219-230. doi:10.1177/1098612X13477537

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Giving Your Cat a Chance to Play

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
Cat with toy box
Gus investigates a cardboard box with cat toys. Holes cut in the box allow him to pull out the toys.

Giving your cat a chance to play is one of the essentials of a cat-friendly home. In this instance, we are not talking about the social play of affiliated cats – you know, where the cats wrestle and chase each other. This post is about allowing your cat some “hunting practice”.

Giving your cat a chance to play

Object Play

Kittens start to become more interested in playing with objects around 10-14 weeks of age, although they will certainly continue to chase and wrestle with each other. Object play helps develop problem-solving skills they can use in getting food – if they are wild, it will help them hunt. Object play also helps them hone and practice the skills they need to catch prey.

Object play is what it says it is – the cat engages in exploring and manipulating an object. Even if you are holding the “Da Bird” wand, your cat is playing with an object – “Da Bird”. Most of the play that we engage in with our cats is not social play. It is “object play”.

We humans can easily mistake fluttering our fingers and wiggling our feet as invitations to social play with our cats – don’t be fooled: our cats see our hands and feet as objects, and will attack with unsheathed claws and sharp teeth.

Giving your cat a chance to play – toys

Cats are born hunters. In the wild, they spend most of their waking hours seeking food. The object play that they engaged in as kittens helps them pounce and trap mice with their paws.

Crinkly balls, catnip mice, plastic rings – these provide opportunities for exploration and manipulation. Try to arouse your cat’s predatory nature through textures, scents and sounds.  Consider the tactile appeal of the toy – is it mouse-sized?

  • Change toys out regularly to keep kitty’s interest. 
  • “Marinate” sets of toys in plastic boxes with some catnip, silver vine or tartarian honeysuckle sawdust to stimulate your cat’s sensitive sense of smell.
  • Bells and chirping toys can get your cat’s interest.
  • Some cats like pulling toys out of boxes.

Games we can play with cats

When giving your cat a chance to play, mimic how prey moves.  Watch a video on the Internet of mice – they move in short spurts, zigzagging around. 

How to Play the Game

  • If you are using a wand toy like “DaBird”, attach a mouse toy to the clip at the end.
  • Pull it past your cat in spurts; zigzag a little.
  • Avoid flicking the mouse toward the cat – a mouse runs away from a cat!
  • Once your cat grabs the mouse, stay still.
  • He should let up after a while – that’s when the “mouse” makes a run for it and the game is on again.

Giving Your  Cat a Chance to Play – Food Games

Food puzzles elicit foraging behavior from cats. It may take your cat a while to engage in this if he is free-fed. You may want to consider meal- feeding and making puzzle time a meal.

There are many puzzles you can make or buy. Pick one that suits your cat’s personality.

Tossing treats or your cat’s dry food encourages him to use his sight, hearing, and smell to locate the food item. Be sure to include this in his daily calorie count.

If you have more than one cat playing treat toss, assign each cat a “runway”. This will avoid scuffles and ensures that everybody, from young active cats to seniors, successfully hunt down the food.

the emotions of play

Physical play is fun. Your cat enjoys her catnip mouse – it smells good and it is just the right shape and size for her to toss and dance around with. Food puzzles are more like us playing games – they are still fun but depend on some learning and memory. It is still satisfying to get the treat or pull the mouse out of the hole.

Frustration

Play should be challenging but not impossible to get the prize! If the task is too hard, cats, like people, become frustrated, give up, or may become obsessed with trying to get the unattainable prize.

A recent survey-based study looked at the use of laser light pointers for play and the occurrence of “abnormal repetitive behaviors” linked to feline compulsive disorders. The abnormal behaviors included:

  • chasing lights or shadows
  • staring “obsessively” at lights or reflections
  • spinning or tail chasing
  • fixating on a specific toy

The research team found significant links between frequency of Laser Light Play (LLP) and these behaviors. However, only half of the cat owners surveyed actually used a laser pointer to play with their cats and those that did, spent more time playing with their cats using other toys. (Kogan, L.R.; Grigg, E.K. Laser Light Pointers for Use in Companion Cat Play: Association with Guardian-Reported Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors. Animals 2021,11, 2178. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082178)

LLP is thought to be frustrating for cats as they can’t catch the light. In my experience, the laser light is interesting initially and then cats grow bored with it – after all, they can’t catch it.

If your cat enjoys playing with a laser pointer, be sure to end the session with the satisfaction of  catching the prize – direct the light to target a favorite toy or treat.

Using a laser pointer to target a treat
The laser guides Gus to a treat at the end of the play session.

Computer games for cats and videos of mice and birds fall in the same category as LLP. The cat cannot physically catch the prey on the screen and finds this frustrating.  Some comments on these videos often remark that the cat is obsessed with the video!

Giving your cat a chance to play is important for his mental and physical welfare. Engage your cat with toys at the end of a wand or give him the whole body experience of toys he can lick, kick, manipulate and smell. Ditch the computer games and videos – let your cat have the satisfaction of using his touch, scent, vision, and hearing to catch the prize!

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What We Know About Cats and Scratching Part 1

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cat scratching tree
Gus scratches a tree on his morning walk.

One of the topics I touch on in the first session of kitten kindergarten is providing kittens with a cat-friendly home, following the environmental requirements suggested by the International Society of Feline Medicine.

Five “Pillars” hold up a cat-friendly home.  They are:

  • multiple, separated resources (litter boxes, food, water, places to sleep)
  • opportunity for predatory play – those toy mice are good for hunting practice!
  • positive, consistent, and predictable human-cat interactions
  • a place where the cat feels safe
  • a place that respects the cat’s keen sense of smell

All cats scratch – it is normal for cats to scratch. Where does scratching fit into the cat-friendly home?

cats and scratching:why

To maintain their claws: Cats use their claws to hold mice and other prey; they also use their claws to defend themselves. Sharp claws work better for hunting and defense, so cats will often scratch on trees, logs or fence posts when outdoors to shed old claws and expose the new, sharp talons underneath.

To stretch: A scratching post provides a great place to stretch after a nap.

To communicate with other cats: As a cat scratches, glands in her feet release a pheromone. This chemical leaves a scent behind that lets other cats know who left the scratch marks and when. The scent accumulates over time and provides a reference point in the scent map the cat has of her home. She also finds her own scent and the scent of the cats from her social group comforting. We humans also find some scents soothing, like the smell of apple pie in the oven during the holidays, that gives you that “homey”, secure feeling.

Even cats who have been declawed will “scratch” on a post or pad, leaving a scent message behind.

If your cat passes the scratches and detects the scent from an unknown cat or one he doesn’t like, he will stop and take a careful sniff. He may stay away from this area so that he doesn’t encounter this unknown/unfriendly cat.  Cats in the wild avoid fighting and injury in this way.  Cats in multi-cat homes may avoid cats they don’t like in the same way.

You most likely will NOT see your cats attentively sniffing the scratchers unless there is a disturbance in the “Smell”, say from a newly acquired cat or a cat whose scent has changed due to illness.

Cat on Scratcher
This cardboard scratcher doubles as a good lookout post.

Cats and scratching: where to put scratchers

Providing your cat with places to scratch will help maintain his claws, allow him to stretch and establish an olfactory map of his home. Multiple scratching posts around your home can help satisfy his needs and discourage him from choosing your new sofa as a scratcher. Watch which scratchers are used and relocate them as needed.

Doors and Windows

Cats are aware that the doors and windows in our homes lead to the outside world. Placing a scratching post or wall mounted scratching pad in these locations allows your cat to scent mark, which can help her feel more secure, especially if you have neighborhood cats that come to the windows and doors.

If you have persistent outside visitors that are distressing your cat, consider critter spikes on your fence or a motion-activated sprinkler.

 

Near Sleeping Places

It feels great to stretch after you wake up!

Near the Litter Areas

Another place to have a scratching pad is near the litter box – this can have the added benefit of reducing some of litter being tracked everywhere.

Cats and Scratching: Security through Scent

Scratching not only allows your cat to maintain his claws and have a good stretch, it is a way for him to establish a scent map of his home.  This map not only includes his scent but the scents of other cats, if he lives in a multi-cat home.  His own scent and those of the cats in his social group are comforting and help him feel secure.  Scent marking may also promote harmony in multi-cat homes. Scratching is an important part of a cat-friendly home, promoting safety and security through scent in an environment that respects the cat’s amazing sense of smell.

For more information on cats and scratching, see Kristyn R. Vitale Shreve, Monique A.R. Udell,
“Stress, security, and scent: The influence of chemical signals on the social lives of domestic cats and implications for applied settings”, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2016.11.011.

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Routines help cats reduce stress and anxiety

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
Marley looks at the whiteboard with the daily routines for the pet sitter.

The alarm goes off. You tap the OFF button, then stretch and sit up. Another work day. You get up, feed your cats, and grab a quick cup of coffee and bowl of cereal. You breeze through a shower, get dressed and leave for work.

Or you may be packing lunches and making sure the kids are dressed and fed for school.  You are on automatic pilot, going through the motions efficiently. You have done this many times before – you have a morning routine.

A routine is a set of things that you regularly do to get something done. Routines bring order to our day and save us time because we get more proficient at the steps through repetition. They reduce the effort we expend on doing things because they don’t require conscious thought – you can cruise through on autopilot.

Routines help cats: routines reduce stress

Routines help cats much in the same way routines help us – they bring order to a cat’s day and the security of knowing what is going to happen.  In this way, routines help to reduce stress and anxiety.  They are familiar and soothing.

A wild cat colony has routines.  The colony may sleep through the day waking in the late afternoon to get ready to hunt at dusk, when prey such as mice become active. Then follows a sequence of hunting every few hours as their stomachs empty and they are able to eat again, winding down at dawn. Between feedings, the group will snooze, groom each other or sometimes  play with kittens or other adult cats.  (See Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, “Cat Behavior: Social Organization, Communication and Development”, I. Rochlitz (ed.), The Welfare of Cats, 1–22. 2007 Springer)

Our domestic cats are synced to our routines: waking with us, anticipating being fed, watching us go to work, and waiting for us to return home. Obviously, we want to feed the kitties around the same time every day. However food, water and clean litter boxes are not your cat’s only requirements. Cats also need consistent, regular human interaction and opportunities for predatory play. Environmental Needs of Cats

Human interaction and playtime

These are best incorporated into a daily routine, say playtime after dinner or as part of a “bedtime” routine. Routines help cats and owners – the routine makes it easier for you to ensure your cat gets regular interaction (once established, you can cruise through on autopilot); your cat benefits from the fun and enrichment of interaction and playtime.

His little cat brain does not have to worry about what will happen next. This reduces his stress and anxiety, and gives him a sense of control – he know what’s going to happen.  Maintaining his routine can be particularly helpful to your cat in times of stress – playing with a familiar toy not only distracts your cat, it is also soothing.

Make Sure to Maintain Routines

  • when traveling with your cat (as best you can)
  • when entertaining house guests
  • when introducing new pets
  • when you are away, ask pet sitters to follow your cat’s daily routine

Routines help cats from becoming bored

A routine provides a venue to establish some “good” habits and learn new things. Accepting medication can become a habit – cats will learn quickly to accept “dummy” pills in treats if they do this regularly.

Mix up the routine from time to time – change is part of living. For example, in the medicating routine, you may wish to introduce and practice other ways of offering a pill to your cat – say with a pet piller or offering a “dummy pill” in a squeeze up treat.

 

Example of an evening routine

  • medication time (real or practice with treats)
  • treat toss or playing with interactive toys (predatory play)
  • food puzzles (foraging/hunting)
  • brushing teeth

Consider including a training session in your cat’s daily routine. Take some time and make a list of what you want to teach your cat then pick a new skill each week to do. You will be more likely to get it done if it is part of the routine!

Routines not only bring order to our day, our routines help cats by giving them a sense of control and security, reducing stress and anxiety. Take a few minutes to set up a daily routine for your cat – have him learn new things, enjoy some grooming, play time, or food puzzles!

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An Outdoor Safe Place for your cat

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
Cat fence with rollers
Cat in fenced yard with Oscillot roller system. Courtesy oscillotamerica.com

It has become more and more common to keep cats solely indoors. Indoor cats live longer – they are not run over by cars, hunted by coyotes, or injured in cat fights.

However, there is a cost to this safety and security. Indoor cats have fewer opportunities to exercise and don’t receive the mental stimulation from hunting and exploring the outdoors.

Both cats and zoo animals are captives in the environments we provide for them. Like zoo animals, cats need enrichment to maintain their health and welfare. An outdoor safe place is a great way to enrich your cat’s life!

The compromise: Outdoor Safe Places

Do you live in an apartment? Or in a house with a backyard? There are many options available to you and your cat for an outdoor safe place.

 systems with netting – flexible

In these systems, a sturdy net or mesh is attached to rope or wire rope that forms a frame. The wire rope versions have turnbuckles to tension the mesh. Although some more nimble cats can climb this mesh, most cats seem to leave it alone. These systems can be customized to fit apartment balconies and porches, and enclose areas next to your house.

Cat enclosures

A commercial cat enclosure kit has access from a pet door in the sliding glass door.

These are basically outdoor cages. They range from portable to larger dog-kennels to elaborate enclosed systems with walkways linking cat doors to larger enclosures.
You could repurpose a standard freestanding dog kennel to be a cat enclosure but be aware that you have to secure the top with netting or mesh to keep the cat from climbing out and extend the fencing below ground to keep more adventurous cats from digging under the kennel.
Purrfect Fence sells enclosures consisting of a box-style frame with net stretched over it.
Purrfect Fence also markets a freestanding cat yard using supports, gates, and netting. This cat yard could enclose your entire back yard or just part of it. The netting forms a fence and there is no “ceiling”.
Each fence support has an arm that forms an overhang. Each arm is spring-loaded and buckles if a cat tries to climb over the netting fence, dropping him to the ground. Other vendors sell similar systems.

Have a backyard with an existing fence?

There are systems to cat-proof your fence by making it higher (6 feet or more) with an overhang that is difficult for cats to scale. The fence extensions are covered with sturdy netting. The Purrfect Fence extensions come with their spring-loaded arm. Deerbusters also sells fence extensions that are covered by netting.

Cons of netting

  • net can rip
  • clog with leaves or snow
  • trap birds or squirrels?

roller systems

If there is already a tall (6+ feet) fence around your yard, the Oscillot system could fit the bill! Oscillot is designed for fences 6’ and higher and can be adapted to a variety of fence types: wood, chainlink, masonry, wrought iron. The Oscillot System features x-shaped rollers at the top of the fence, that spin and prevent the cat from gaining traction to get over the top of the fence.

So far, we have been concerned with keeping our cats in but what about keeping other animals out?

Other critters….

You don’t have to live out on the range to have problems with raccoons and coyotes. These animals are increasingly becoming urban pests. Raccoons can climb as well if not better than cats and are not above viewing your cat as a snack. Coyotes are capable of jumping 6’ fences, so if you are concerned about coyotes or raccoons, a tall fence is in order and one of the roller systems can be effective.

Purrfect Fence observes that netting is difficult for predators to climb and once inside, they are trapped. They recommend giving a cat-free trial of  a new outdoor enclosure for a few days and see if any predators get trapped. Once trapped then freed, predators are unlikely to come back. Purrfect Fence does not recommend allowing your cat out in the fenced area at night.

Fully enclosed spaces (enclosures) should not have issues with predators although sometimes bats can find their way inside. Bats carry rabies so make sure your pets are up to date on their vaccines.

The low-tech Option…

Perhaps you can join your cat on a morning or afternoon walk in your backyard or neighborhood. After all, getting outdoors is good for us too! It never hurts to have your cat harnessed even in a fenced backyard – this way you can clip the leash on as needed. If you walk your cat in public places, make sure to have kitty in a harness with leash and  have a mobile “outdoor safe place” – stroller or backpack – with you.

 

A final word…

There is no substitute for supervision or training.  It is a good idea to keep an eye on your cats while they are in an outdoor safe place. Teach your cat to come when called. Remember, any time you call and your cat comes to you, make sure to reward him – no recall should ever go unrewarded!

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Touch not the cat: interacting with cats

Posted on by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6
T is for think about where you are touching the cat.

“Touch not the cat bot a glove” : so goes the motto of the Macpherson clan in Scotland. “Bot” means without; the cat referred to is the Scottish Wildcat. The motto warns that you must be careful handling a wildcat when his claws are not sheathed or “gloved”.

The Scottish Wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) still lives in Scotland today, a wild, reclusive cat whose numbers are dwindling.

After 10,000 years of living with humans, our domestic cats may have markers of domestication in their genome but they still share a lot with their wild ancestors and cousins. They still have sharp claws and teeth and need to be handled respectfully.

Dr. Lauren Finka, working with colleagues at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, came up with a simple set of Human-Cat Interaction Guidelines.  These guidelines aim to make cats more  comfortable when they are interacting with us.

These practical guidelines for interacting with cats follow the acronym CAT (easy to remember). Here they are!

 

is for choice and control. Cats are not only predators, they are also prey for larger animals such as coyotes. To survive, they need to be in control of their environment.

Give your cat choice and control –
Allow your cat to CHOOSE whether or not to interact with you.

  • If you can, get on the cat’s level, offer your hand, and allow him to approach you.
  • If the cat wants to be touched, she will rub against your hand. If she doesn’t lean into your hand, don’t pet her.
  • Allow the cat to move away from you if he chooses; don’t follow him if he leaves.
  • Allow the cat to control how much you stroke her. When stroking her, pause every 3–5 sec to see if she wants to continue – does she rub against you to ask for more? If not, let her take a break.

is for attention. Pay attention to what your cat is trying to tell you – watch her body language.

 

 

These signals indicate that your cat is done interacting with you.

 

  • Gus turns to face me and pulls back on his paw during a nail trim – he needs a break!

    She turns her head or moves away from you.

  • His ears become flattened or rotate backwards.
  • She shakes her head.
  • The fur on his back “ripples”.
  • She licks her nose.
  • He becomes still, and stops purring or rubbing against you.
  • She sharply turns her head to face you or your hand.
  • He suddenly starts grooming himself but only for a few seconds at a time.
  • Her tail starts switching back and forth rapidly; usually the tail is horizontal or on the ground.

 

is for think about where you are touching the cat.

  • A friendly cat prefers to be touched at the base of his ears, around his cheeks, and under his chin.
  • AVOID the base of her tail and tummy.
  • If you touch the cat’s back, flank, legs, or tail–watch his body language (see above) to see if he is comfortable with this. Follow the CAT guidelines when interacting with cats for a safer, more enjoyable encounter!

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