Picking Up Your Cat- Ask First -Don’t Get Scratched

Posted on January 11, 2025January 11, 2025 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

This post was originally published on 9/11/22. This newer version has been updated to reflect recent changes in handling and training cats.

Picking up your cat can be frightening for him. Imagine being suddenly snatched up by a giant from your favorite chair. You are lifted up into the air, your legs flailing as you try to maintain your balance. Scary, huh?

Some of the more exciting scenes in fantasy movies include the hero or heroine being snatched up and taken away. In the Wizard of Oz, a troop of flying monkeys swoop down and grab up Dorothy and her dog, Toto, taking them to the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West. A giant ape carries Ann Darrow up the Empire State Building in the movie “King Kong”, as the audience shrieks and squeals.

But, you say, I pick my cat up all the time and he does not seem to mind. In certain circumstances though, he might redirect his fear as aggression and bite or scratch you, if you try to pick him up, say, to move him away from the vacuum cleaner.

Okay, so maybe you can coax him to go where you need him to by using treats or a target stick. But there still will be times when picking up your cat is necessary – for example, you may need get him out of the way of a car. What can you do?

Picking Up Your Cat – ask first please and don’t get scratched!

Gus, a street cat caught in a live trap, would thrash and flail, biting and scratching when he was picked up. Gus responded well to training so I wondered if I could teach him to be picked up, in the same way he learned to sit and target.

Picking up a cat involves the following steps:

Slide one arm under his chest and the other over his hindquarters, supporting his back legs underneath.
Lift and carry.

I broke down the process of being picked up into the following steps:

Tell the cat that you are going to pick him up. “I am going to pick you up” or “OK to pick you up?”
Count to 3 before reaching out to touch him.
Get next to the cat and slide your arms around him, like you are going to pick him up. Give the verbal cue “UP”, then say “DOWN” put him down as you release him. Say “Good” and reward.
The next step is to pick him up briefly, lifting him off the ground, with the cue “UP”. Say “DOWN” as you put him down on his feet. Say “good” and reward.
Increase the time you hold the cat after picking him up. Be sure to mark picking up with the cue “UP” and putting down with “DOWN”. Let kitty know he’s done well by saying “Good” and rewarding him.

Key points to take away

Go slowly – if your cat starts to flail or squirm, go back to the step before: hold him for a shorter period of time or don’t lift him as high.
Be sure to alert your cat to the fact he will be picked up. Whenever possible, give your cat time to process that he is going to be picked up – count to 3 before reaching to pick him up.
When training the “pick up” behavior, allow the cat a few seconds to process what has happened before lifting him higher or for longer – give him a break between trials.
Don’t hesitate to “talk” your cat through the process, telling him what is going to happen and what is happening. The sound of your voice and what you are saying will keep him consciously engaged in the process, instead of panicking and flailing, because he is fearful of the outcome.

Picking up your cat does not need to be traumatic. Training Gus to be picked up was so successful that I taught all my cats this. Gus still squirms sometimes when the hold is taking him somewhere he does not fancy going… but, the biting and scratching has stopped! And he is rewarded for his patience with treats or head rubs when we arrive at our destination.

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Cats Grooming Other Cats – Allogrooming

Posted on December 22, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats not only groom themselves, they will groom (lick) catnip toys, people and other cats. Cats grooming other cats is called allogrooming – allogrooming refers to members of the same species grooming each other.

Allogrooming occurs in many social species – it is a way for animals who live close together to reinforce social structures and family links, and build companionship. It can be a maternal behavior or a means of conflict resolution (Reference 1).

cats grooming other cats – allogrooming

Cats grooming other cats (allogrooming) is considered an affiliative or friendly behavior among cats (Reference 2, 3).
A cat’s first experience with grooming is when she is born. In the first 3 weeks of life, her mother cleaned her nose to tail many times a day, stimulating the kitten to void her bowels and urinate. When the kitten reached 4 weeks old, she started grooming herself, and also grooming her litter mates and mother.

Allogrooming persists in family groups as the cats mature. Studies have shown that cats belonging to a family group are more likely to groom each other than cats who were not raised together (Reference 3). However, cats are “socially flexible”, and can adapt to different group living situations with other cats and other species. So, you will find cats grooming other cats in groups of unrelated cats.

the behavior of allogrooming in cats

A study of the allogrooming behaviors of a group of neutered cats (4 male cats and 11 female cats) in an indoor environment made the following observations (Reference 4):

Allogrooming is an affiliative behavior

Cats seek out their “preferred associate” to groom – they don’t just groom the cat that is closest to them.

Allogrooming in general is directed at the head-neck area.

Allogrooming Takes Two Cats

There is a “groomer” and a “groomee”. Groomers are usually cats with a more dominant personality, and so are higher ranking in the pecking order.
Groomers typically adopt higher positions – standing, sitting upright – where groomees are often sitting, lying down.
The grooming session does not always end peacefully – there may be some swatting or the cats abruptly back away from each other. One thing that can happen is that the groomer will use his/her incisors too exuberantly, chewing and nipping at the groomee. This is a tactic to work on small mats of fur or removing fleas or other parasites. This is not always acceptable to the groomee, who may abruptly end the session.
Groomers often groom themselves after grooming their partner.

Allogrooming and Conflict Resolution

Allogrooming is a way for cats to redirect potential aggression and avoid physical conflict. Cats, being solitary hunters, prefer to avoid fighting. Fighting can result in injury, making a cat unable to hunt and feed himself.
In urban cat colonies and in multi-cat households, the abundance of resources makes it possible for many cats to live close to each other, with abbreviated, overlapping territories. More cats closer together increases the likelihood of aggressive encounters.
Allogrooming gives cats a way to redirect aggression with a few quick licks to the head, soothing a would-be combatant and avoiding a fight.

Benefits and disadvantages of cats grooming other cats

The benefits of allogrooming to cats:

Allogrooming in cats reinforces social groups.
Allogrooming is essential to the health of kittens in the first few weeks of life.
Grooming is effective in reducing parasites such as fleas on a cat. A study looked at two groups of cats: one group wore E-collars, to prevent grooming; a second “control” group in the same environment did not have E-collars and were able to groom themselves. Flea counts on cats with E-collars were twice those of the “control” group of cats (Reference 5). The “groomer” can help remove parasites from areas that are difficult for the “groomee” to access – the head and neck.

A downside of allogrooming is that the groomee is at risk of contracting diseases such as Feline Leukemia, calicivirus and herpes virus that may be transmitted in the saliva of the groomer.

references

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, November 18). Social grooming. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:19, December 21, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Social_grooming&oldid=1258124225
Vitale KR. The Social Lives of Free-Ranging Cats. Animals (Basel). 2022 Jan 5;12(1):126. doi: 10.3390/ani12010126. PMID: 35011232; PMCID: PMC8749887.
Terry Marie Curtis, DVM, MS; Rebecca J. Knowles, MS; Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, DVM, PhD. Influence of familiarity and relatedness on proximity and allogrooming in domestic cats (Felis catus). Am J Vet Res 2003;64:1151–1154, 2003
Van den Bos, Ruud. The Function of Allogrooming in Domestic Cats, J. Ethol. 16:1-13 1998
Eckstein, R. and Hart, B. Grooming and Control of Fleas in Cats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 68 2000 141–150. Accepted Janaury 5, 2000.

The Social Lives of Domestic Cats

Posted on December 8, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Scientists have marveled at the “behavioral plasticity” of the domestic cat – that is, its ability to adapt to new environments (Reference 1). The domestic cat can live a solitary life or in structured social groups, with other cats or humans.

The ancestor and closest relative of the domestic cat is the African Wildcat, a solitary hunter, coming together to mate and raise kittens (Reference 2). About 10,000 years ago, some of these wild cats began to cluster around human settlements. Humans were leaving their hunter-gatherer existence behind, and beginning to grow crops. Stored grain attracted rodents, providing a reliable food source for wildcats who were bold enough to approach the settlements. Wildcats who could tolerate other wildcats shared the feast. Cats began to form social groups centered around these food sources.

Aided by humans, cats spread throughout the world and today, can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They have adapted to many different environments, ranging from the Subantarctic islands southeast of New Zealand to rural and urban areas worldwide (Reference 1).

the social lives of domestic cats

the solitary hunter

Unowned cats in areas like the Subantarctic Islands live much as their ancestors did. They do not depend on humans for food. The social lives of domestic cats in these areas is basically mating. The male cat may occasionally have to defend his territory (and access to female cats) from competing males. Otherwise, these cats are spread out and don’t have much to do with each other. They have individual territories – male cats have larger ranges that often encompass the smaller territories of several female cats (Reference 1).

rural living – a compromise

Rural unowned cats also live like their wild ancestors although they supplement their diet with food from humans. Typically a male has a large territory which includes the home ranges of two or three females. The social lives of domestic cats in rural areas can be solitary but sometimes closely related cats form small groups, around human dwellings, where they are fed. The core of these groups is typically a mother cat, her sisters, and/or her daughters. These females share the care of the kittens – they nurse each others’ kittens and even help each other give birth. These “barn” cats will still hunt rodents and other prey, a behavior helpful to the human landowners (Reference 1).

the urban colony

In urban environments, unowned cats form structured, stable groups of male and female cats called colonies. These cats may or may not be related. These colonies are typically organized around sites where human caretakers regularly put out food. The territory a colony occupies is defended by all members of the group. Over time, dominance hierarchies (“pecking orders”) develop among the male cats and the female cats in the colony (Reference 1).

The “pecking order” is maintained through social cues rather than aggressive interactions. When encountering a more “dominant” cat, a lower ranking cat may look away, turn its head away, or change its path to let the other cat pass. The “dominant” cat may stare at the other cat, assume a stiffer posture, and raise the base of the tail, while leaving the rest of tail low (like a “comma”) (Reference 2).

The cats in the colony live in harmony if each cat respects its place in the group. Within the colony, you will see affiliative (friendly) interactions:

greeting (nose-nose contact with tail up)
reciprocal rubbing
allogrooming (cats grooming each other)

Most colony members show aggression towards unfamiliar cats. Non-members of the group are not allowed to approach and enter the group. Both males and females will band together to protect the group, particularly the kittens, against threats from other cats or animals (Reference 1).

the pet cat

The pet cat lives in a human household which provides them food and shelter. Many pet cats live exclusively indoors. Others may be allowed to come and go through a cat flap. Still others may go on leash walks or access the outdoors in protected enclosures.

Pet cats may live with humans (children and adults), cats, dogs and other species. Within the household, cats will form smaller social groups with animals or humans they prefer to associate with. They can exhibit affiliative and dominance behaviors similar to those of cats in urban colonies.

About 40% of people acquire their cat from a friend or family member. About one third of cat-owning households have adopted stray cats at least once. Less than 1/5 of cat owners get their cats from animal shelters, and only 3% of cat owners get their cats from breeders (Reference 3).

As a species, domestic cats are remarkably adaptable and can change their behavior to meet the challenges of new environments. The social lives of domestic cats can be limited to mating and defending territory in the case of solitary hunter. In areas near human homes, cats may live with other cats or in human households.

references

Natoli, E.; Litchfield, C.; Pontier, D. Coexistence between Humans and ‘Misunderstood’ Domestic Cats in the A nthropocene: Exploring Behavioural Plasticity as a Gatekeeper of Evolution. Animals 2022, 12, 1717. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12131717
African Wildcat. International Society of Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada. Updated 2018 (https://wildcatconservation.org/wild-cats/africa/african-wildcat/) Viewed 12/2024.
Sources of Cats in U.S. Households. © 2024 Alley Cat Allies. All rights reserved. Alley Cat Allies is a 501(c)3 organization. https://www.alleycat.org/resources/sources-of-cats-in-u-s-households/ Viewed 12/2024.

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Caring for the Coughing Cat with Asthma

Posted on November 10, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A cat receives medication for asthma using a inhalation chamber.

Does your cat cough? Are you waiting for a hairball to appear? If this is a frequent occurrence – say daily, a few times a week, even just once a month – it may be time to pay your veterinarian a visit.

A phlegmy, wet, productive cough often accompanies viral or bacterial infections. A hacking cough, where your cat crouches down during the coughing episode is typical of feline asthma.

the coughing cat with asthma

Feline asthma is an allergic response to something in the environment. Untreated, asthma can result in changes in the lungs that block air flow. The coughing cat with asthma who is not being treated can end up at the ER, breathing through her mouth (very un-catlike), panting and using her abdominal muscles to help push the air out (Reference 1).

Although the asthma cough is described as “coughing up” a hairball, remember that hairballs are hair that is ingested by the cat as she grooms. Hairballs are swallowed and end up in the stomach. The cat must vomit them up. This is a different motion than the pushing done by the abdominal muscles to clear the lungs of air during an asthma attack.

the vet visit

Be prepared to describe your cat’s cough:

Is the cough wet or dry?
How frequent is the cough?
How long has your cat been coughing?

diagnostics (Reference 2)

After taking a detailed history and performing an examination, your vet will recommend some diagnostics to help rule out other diseases that share similar clinical symptoms with asthma. These include heartworm disease, bronchitis, and viral, parasitic and bacterial infections.

Blood work to assess major organ function
Chest x-rays
Fecal assays and heartworm testing

Occasionally, additional testing is needed.

Bronchoscopy – a specialist will examine the cat’s airways with a small camera
Samples of bacteria and cells in the airways can be collected during the bronchoscopy

treatment for feline asthma

If your vet is able to rule out viral, bacterial or parasitic infections, the next step is to initiate treatment for feline asthma. Treatment aims to help the coughing cat with asthma breathe better by reducing the inflammation and constriction in her airways. Untreated asthma can result in structural changes in the airways (Reference 1, 2).

The go-to therapy includes:

oral corticosteroids such as prednisolone
inhaled steroids that your cat can breathe in
bronchodilators to decrease airway constriction. These can be given by injection (terbutaline) or by inhaler (albuterol).

Steroid therapy is lifelong for the coughing cat with asthma. Typically, your cat will start on oral steroids. If her cough responds to oral steroids, your vet will most likely recommend transitioning your cat to inhaled steroids, given by a metered dose inhaler.

benefits of inhaled steroids for cats with asthma

Although cats in general tolerate oral steroid therapy well, there are side effects to long-term administration:

increased thirst and urination
increased risk of infections
weight gain
muscle wasting
diabetes

Taken by the oral route, medications are processed by the GI tract before entering the bloodstream and then going to the lungs. Inhaled steroids are delivered directly to your cat’s lungs; very little steroid enters the bloodstream, and side-effects are greatly reduced.

ADMINiSTRATION OF INHALANTS TO CATS

Unlike humans, who can place an inhaler between their lips, and breathe the medication in, the coughing cat with asthma, like young human children, must inhale the medication from a chamber.

The chamber is a cylinder with a port for the metered dose inhaler on one end and a valve with a soft, silicone mask on the other. The inhaler is actuated, the medication sprays into the chamber, mixing with the air in the chamber. The cat can then breathe in the air/steroid mixture via the mask. A valve keeps the medication in the chamber until the cat takes a breath.

Per Trudell Animal Health (Aerokat), the medication is available in the chamber for 30 seconds. The cat must take 7-10 breaths to empty the chamber and get his medication.

training a cat to use an inhalant chamber

Training a cat to use one of these chambers is a multi-step process that may take a month or more. The oral steroid medication will overlap this training period. Visit “Teach Any Cat Aerokat” for a 5 step training program.

Environmental changes

Feline asthma is thought to be an allergic reaction to inhaled allergens. Treatment with steroids is the first step, but you can also keep your cat more comfortable by minimizing her exposure to irritants such as smoke, aerosols, and dust. Consider using HEPA air purifiers and humidifiers indoors (Reference 1, 2).

Feline asthma is a diagnosis of exclusion. Once viral, parasitic or bacterial infections are found to be unlikely, treatment with corticosteroids and bronchodilators can begin. These are lifelong treatments but the prognosis for a treated feline asthmatic is good.

references

Garrity S, Lee-Fowler T, Reinero C. Feline asthma and heartworm disease: Clinical features, diagnostics and therapeutics. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2019;21(9):825-834. doi:10.1177/1098612X18823348
Deininger K., “Understanding Feline Asthma”. Veterinary Health Center, University of Missouri. Uploaded 10/2016. https://vhc.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/feline_asthma.pdf, viewed 11/2024.

What my cat sees

Posted on October 19, 2024October 20, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats can see wavelengths in the blue-violet and greenish-yellow ranges, but they are mostly red-green color blind. See photo on right.

What my cat sees is different than what we humans see. Cats don’t share our discriminating color vision and are much more tuned into things that move quickly, like mice and birds. Cats have some color vision, see well in low light (Reference 1) and can recognize human facial expressions (Reference 2).

This post was originally published May 2020. It has been updated and new material added.

What my cat sees

the visual field

The visual field is how far up, down, left and right your eye sees when you’re staring at something. Cats have pretty large eyes for their size – they are almost as large as a human’s eyes. Like humans, they have front-facing eyes that gives them a large visual field in the front; there are two smaller fields on the side for each eye (peripheral vision) (Reference 1). They have a slightly larger field of vision than we do (200 degrees). If a cat were to lose an eye, their visual field drops by 30 degrees – they mainly lose some peripheral vision on the side of the missing eye.

what my cat sees – color vision

Humans have more “cone” cells in our retinas than cats do. Cone cells are responsible for color vision. The intensity of color vision is determined by the number of cone cells. The number of shades of color seen are due to the frequencies of light the cells absorb. We see 3 colors: red, blue and green. We have some cone cells that respond to red light, others that respond to blue light, and still others that respond to green light. Cats have cone cells that are sensitive to blue and yellow light, but not red or green light. A cat’s world is “faded” and “blurry” compared to ours, without the vibrant hues that we see. Take a look Here.

Motion Detecting

We can see that treat lying on the carpet partly because we are better at detecting different shades and hues of color than a cat is. If we toss the treat, the game changes, and kitty pounces on it. Cats are much better at detecting fast motion – cats’ eyes construct more than 60 visual images per second, which is 2x as fast as our human brains.

Closeup

Cats are not able to see things closer than about 25 cm or 10 inches. You may think this would handicap the cat when hunting but his super sense of smell and sensitive whiskers take over to hone in on that treat or mouse.

What my cat sees in the dark

Cats’ retinas have many more “rod” cells than cone cells. These cells are very sensitive to light and allow the cat to see well where there is not much light – around dawn and dusk, when cats are out hunting. The cat’s pupils can vary from slits to large dark circles, regulating the amount of light reaching the sensitive rod cells.

Ever noticed how your cat’s eyes seem to glow in the dark? The cat has another set of specialized cells in its eye. Behind the retina is the tapetum lucidum, a layer of cells that reflect light back through the retina so that the cones and rods have a second chance to process the light. This helps the cat see when there is not much light. Light shining into the pupils of the cat’s eyes will be reflected by the tapetum lucidum, giving the eerie “eye shine” of cats in the dark (Reference 1).

What my cat sees when he looks at me

Cats don’t have great visual resolution – what they see would look blurry to us. The tapetum lucidum causes light to scatter, reducing the sharpness of the image. Fewer cone cells also reduce visual resolution (Reference 1). In spite of these shortcomings, studies have shown that cats are able to recognize human emotions from facial and vocal expressions. Human volunteers were videoed smiling and laughing and also frowning and grumbling. Cats showed more stress-related behaviors when viewing “angry” recordings than “happy” ones (Reference 2).

What does this mean for you, the cat guardian?

Greet your cat by extending a hand to him and saying his name, so that he can confirm who you are by scent and voice.
Use toys that keep your hands and feet away from him. Don’t play games that have you moving quickly like a prey animal.
Avoid staring directly at your cat – a direct stare between cats is often a distance-increasing message – one cat telling the other to back off. Instead, most cats appreciate a “slow blink” (for more about “slow-blinking” see “Look at Me – Cats Communicate by Gaze“).

Cats’ vision is well adapted to their role as hunters. They see well in the dawn and dusk conditions when their prey such as mice are most active. They are good at detecting motion which helps them spot prey. Their color vision is limited to blues and yellows but they still are able to identify human facial expressions, allowing them to communicate and bond with their human owners.

references

1. Ofri, R.,Vision in Dogs and Cats, American Veterinarian®August 2018, Volume 3, Issue 6, August 17, 2018, https://www.dvm360.com/view/vision-in-dogs-and-cats, viewed 10/2024.
2. Quaranta, A.; d’Ingeo, S.; Amoruso, R.; Siniscalchi, M. Emotion Recognition in Cats. Animals 2020, 10, 1107. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10071107
3. Takagi, S.; Arahori, M.; Chijiiwa, H.; Saito, A.; Kuroshima, H.; Fujita, K. Cats match voice and face: Cross-modal representation of humans in cats (Felis catus). Anim. Cogn. 2019, 22, 901–906.

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Better Vet Visits: Carrier Training for Your Cat

Posted on September 29, 2024September 29, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats love boxes and a carrier is just another box! However, your cat may have a love-hate relationship with her carrier – when the carrier comes out, she runs and hides under the bed. On the other hand, she may be relieved to enter it at the vet clinic at the end of her visit.

This post was originally published on February 12, 2023 as part of the “Better Vet Visits” series. This post has been updated and new material added.

Carrier Training for your cat

Why your cat may not like her carrier:

It only takes her to the vet
The carrier is not comfortable – maybe it too small, too big or too open like a cage?
The carrier is an unfamiliar object and does not smell like her – smell means a lot to cats who use odors to communicate.

One of the reasons to do carrier training is to try and give your cat some positive associations with her carrier. We want our cats to feel safe in their carriers. It should be a little piece of home that travels with them.

carrier training for your cat: the carrier

SIZE MATTERS

Your cat should be able to stand up and turn around in her carrier. If she can’t, it is time for a new carrier. For tips on choosing and maintaining a carrier see https://www.felinepurrspective.com/tips-for-choosing-a-cat-carrier/

SCENT MATTERS

Start by cleaning the carrier.

Hard, plastic carriers: clean with a mild detergent, rinse and wipe dry.
Fabric carriers: Launder the “slipcover” on the pad in the bottom. Wash the carrier with mild detergent (unscented if possible) and water, then rinse and let dry. If you are concerned about urine in a fabric carrier, be sure to use an enzymatic (biological) laundry detergent.

Most laundry detergents these days contain enzymes to break down protein and fat based stains in fabrics. However, there are detergents designed to clean materials such as wool and silk that do not have enzymes. Check the list of ingredients on your detergent to see if enzymes are listed.

Once the carrier is clean, place a towel, blanket, or cushion in it. Select something that your cat sleeps on. We want something with her scent on it in the carrier. Place the carrier in a quiet place where your cat hangs out.

carrier training for your cat: the basics

You might be able to simply leave the carrier out with your cat’s blanket and some catnip or treats in it. Your cat may go and take a nap in the carrier. Other things you can do to make the carrier a homey place is to play games around the carrier and offer your cat treats or food in the carrier.

If you have worked with your cat and trained him to relax on a mat or blanket, use this mat/blanket in the carrier (see Reference 1; also “Miso Relaxes on his Blanket” )

carrier training for your cat: what happens next

The next steps are coaxing your cat to enter the carrier, having her stay in the carrier, and moving the carrier. Here Zelda the cat demonstrates this process. If your cat already enters the carrier or you have a one piece carrier, start at step 3. Each of these steps make take several days or more to complete. Your cat must feel confident that she is not trapped, and will be able to come out soon.

Step 1 : Top off

Coax your cat into the carrier bottom with a trail of treats or target stick.

Step 2: Door off

Assemble the carrier leaving the door off.
Lure your cat in with a target stick or treats.

Step 3: Door open

Put the door on the carrier.
With the door open, coax kitty into her carrier with treats or catnip.

Step 4: Close the door

Lure Kitty into her carrier and close the door.
After a minute or so, let her out.
Repeat, once or twice.

Step 5: Move the carrier

With your cat in the carrier, pick the carrier up and move it to another room.
When you arrive in the other room, open the door and let her out.

All done!
Celebrate with a yummy treat!
See “Carrier Training Your Cat“

The next stage of the vet visit is the car ride. Like carrier training, this is a multi-step process. This will be the subject of the next post: “The Vet Visit: Help Your Cat Cope with the Stress of the Car Ride“.

Don’t have Time to Train?

Life often gets ahead of us. Suddenly, you may realize that your cat is scheduled for her dental cleaning next week! Don’t panic!

Even if you just have a week, bring out the carrier and let your cat get reaquainted with it. Be sure to clean it and put comfy bedding in it. Start with taking the top off (if you can) and offering yummy treats or food in the carrier.

Ask your vet about pre-visit medication. Bonqat is a feline friendly formulation of pregabalin. This can be offered to your cat an hour or so before she has to get into the carrier. It is a liquid and can be mixed in a small amount of food. Bonqat works by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters that carry messages of anxiety and fear (Reference 2).

A few hours before you have to leave (or the night before if your cat is fasting and must be dropped off early), coax your cat into a room where there are no beds to crawl under or other hiding spaces – a bathroom or walk-in closet can work. Give her the pre-visit medication about an hour before putting her in her carrier.

If you have a two piece carrier, see if you can coax her into the bottom half, and “build” the carrier around her. If she is really anxious, cover her with a blanket or towel, place her in the carrier and put the top on. Cover one piece carriers to make them dark and appealing. Above all, stay calm and be patient during this process.

Carrier training for your cat requires time and patience. Ideally, your cat would know how to relax on a blanket or mat on cue before entering the carrier and being transported in the car. But even if you are not able to complete such a program, leaving the carrier out where your cat can nap in it or play games around it, can help make the carrier a little piece of home. Pre-visit medication such as Bonqat helps reduce fear and anxiety and can make traveling in the carrier easier for your cat.

references

Bradshaw, J. and Ellis, S. The Trainable Cat, pp 167-171, ©2016 Basic Books, New York.
Lamminen, T.; Korpivaara, M.; Aspegrén, J.; Palestrini, C.; Overall, K.L. Pregabalin Alleviates Anxiety and Fear in Cats during Transportation and Veterinary Visits—A Clinical Field Study. Animals 2023, 13, 371. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030371

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Look at Me – Cats Communicate with Gaze

Posted on September 8, 2024 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.

the 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

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
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.
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)
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
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
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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If You Don’t Talk to Your Cat, Who Will?

Posted on August 25, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The idea of being able to talk to animals appeals to many people. The famous Dr. Doolittle, the central character in a series of children’s books, preferred animals to people and was able to talk to animals in their own languages. Nowadays, there are people who bill themselves as animal communicators and will “talk” to your animal for a fee.

It is not uncommon in western cultures for people to talk to their pets (in human language) and some scientific studies indicate that your cat or dog is listening to you. But do they understand what you are saying? Should you talk to your cat?

If you don’t talk to your cat, who will?

Cats Recognize Their Owners’ Voices

A 2013 study observed cats’ behavior to voice recordings of strangers followed by those of the their owners. The cats showed a stronger response (ear movement and head movement) when they heard their owners’ voices. (Reference 1).

Cats Learn the Names of Their Companion Cats

Still another study measured the response of house cats to the spoken names and pictures (on a computer) of familiar cats in their environment. In a second experiment, the house cats were presented with spoken names and pictures of human members of their household. The house cats were able to match their companion cats’ names and faces and to a lesser extent, matched their human family members’ names with faces (Reference 2).

Cats Know When Their Owners are Talking to Them

A 2023 study found that cats reacted more quickly to a human experimenter (stranger) using a visual cue or a combination of visual and vocal cues than vocal cues alone (Reference 3). A later study found that cats discriminated between speech directed to adult humans (Adult Directed Speech or ADS) versus speech directed to themselves (Cat Directed Speech or CDS) when spoken by their owners – they did not distinguish between ADS and CDS spoken by strangers. These findings indicates that cats may put more emphasis on vocal cues with familiar humans but favor visual cues with strange humans.

How do We Talk to Our Cats?

When talking to pets and young children, people tend to speak more distinctly, use shorter phrases and sentences, and repeat things more often. Charlotte De Mouzon found that both men and women speak in a “higher” voice (higher pitch) in CDS compared to ADS (Reference 3).

Should you Talk to yOur Cat?

Cats respond to people, particularly their caregivers, talking to them. Cats appear to know their own names and possibly those of the humans they live with. Talking to your cat helps establish a relationship that is unique to you and your cat.

The jury is still out as to how much of what we say can be understood by our cats but cats can be trained to perform a given behavior in response to a verbal cue. When working with cats, I tend to default to a combination of verbal cues and hand gestures, although recently I have been verbally labeling more and more of what I do with my cats as I am doing it. For example, I have been naming their head and shoulders as I put on their harnesses to prepare for going out for the morning walk.

This seemed to pay off the other day when I was shaving my Maine Coon, Zelda. I touched her right side and told her if she would lay on her side, then I would give her some Churu treat. She laid down on her right side and then, looked up meaningfully at the Churu I had in my hand. Time to pay up!

Scientific studies indicate that cats recognize their owners’ voices and possibly the names of other humans in the household. Vocal communication may be part of the closer cat-owner relationship while cats favor visual cues when interacting with strange humans. So, talk to your cat in whatever language you speak – your cat is listening!

references

Saito A, Shinozuka K. Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats (Felis catus). Anim Cogn. 2013 Jul;16(4):685-90. doi: 10.1007/s10071-013-0620-4
Takagi, S., Saito, A., Arahori, M. et al. Cats learn the names of their friend cats in their daily lives. Sci Rep 12, 6155 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10261-5
de Mouzon, C.; Leboucher, G. Multimodal Communication in the Human–Cat Relationship: A Pilot Study. Animals 2023, 13, 1528. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091528

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Use Group Behavior Sessions to Manage Conflict between Cats

Posted on August 4, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Two cats having a behavior session on the bed where they have had conflict.

Your cats seem on edge lately. There is more hissing and growling going on. Two of your cats used to snuggle together and that has stopped. You have been finding tufts of fur in the hallway. These are signs that all is not well in your feline household.

If conflict between your cats is severe, a visit to your veterinarian to identify health and behavioral problems is in order. He or she may refer you to a veterinary behaviorist if:

if there is active physical fighting going on
there has been injury to other cats, pets or humans
fear/anxiety leads a cat to not use the litter box
a cat is hiding more than 50% of the time

In these cases, separation followed by a gradual reintroduction is recommended. But what about the situations that are not so bad? There is conflict but it is mild. No one has been hurt and all the cats are eating and using the litter box normally. Careful assessment of the environment and making some changes (more cat trees, feeding cats separately…) can help restore harmony (Reference 1). Another way you can encourage cats to tolerate each other is to use Group Behavior Sessions to manage conflict between cats.

Use Group Behavior Sessions to Manage Conflict Between Cats

Group behavior sessions feature playtime and other interactions between the owner(s) and resident cats. The goal of these sessions is to teach the cats that they can be calm (not aroused) when the other cat(s) are around. Toys and treats help cats make positive associations with the presence of the other cats. The presence of the owner(s) can help make a cat feel secure when the other cats are close by.

Group Behavior Sessions (reference 1)

part of the daily/weekly routine
all cats in the household can choose to take part in these sessions if they are comfortable
sessions should be short (5-20 minutes)

Where should I do Group Behavior Sessions?

These sessions can take place in different areas in the house. Start with those areas that are “calmer”, where there has not been an instance of tension/conflict. Work up to “problem areas”, say where an outdoor cat came to the window, after successful sessions in the “calm” places.

What do I need for a Group Behavior Session?

Have a variety of toys ranging from interactive toys to electronic and stuffed toys. It would be wise to avoid catnip toys as some cats can get pretty “wound up” with these.
Treats can be useful to get the group together and to end the session on a positive note. These should be treats that are not available at other times.
You may want to make sure there are some cat trees or boxes in the session environment for cats who prefer to observe and not play.
Make sure to have some pillows or a sheet of cardboard to intervene if a cat becomes aroused (see Managing the Indoor Cat Fight).

What is my role in the group session? (Reference 1)

Start the session by scattering a variety of toys around.
Call the cats – you may need to lure them to the area with some treats.
It is important to actively interact with each cat, one at a time, using toys or grooming them.
If your cats have been trained to relax on a blanket or mat, have some of these around – you can offer cats who prefer not to play a massage (see Touch Can Relax Your Cat and Reduce Anxiety)
Be sure to monitor each cat’s body language (see Touch Not the Cat). Be prepared to separate cats and end the session if tensions are on the rise (see Managing the Indoor Cat Fight).
End the session on a positive note with some treats. Offer treats to each of the cats individually – be calm and don’t toss these; avoid having a more boisterous cat “steal” treats from a more timid cat.

A variety of things can trigger conflict in a multi-cat home. In the event that aggression is mild and cats don’t require separation, you can use group behavior sessions to manage conflict between cats. These owner-supervised play and interaction sessions help cats associate good things with their roommates and learn to be calm when they are together.

references

Rodan I, Ramos D, Carney H, et al. 2024 AAFP intercat tension guidelines: recognition, prevention and management. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 2024;26(7). doi:10.1177/1098612X241263465

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Strategies for Keeping Your Cat from Running Outside

Posted on July 7, 2024 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

You are juggling your keys and a few bags of groceries as you approach your front door. You turn the key in the lock and open the door. In that instant, your cat slips out and melts into the darkness. Several scenarios run through your mind, each worse than the one before: she’ll get lost, hit by car or eaten by a coyote. How do you keep your cat from running outside?

KEEP YOUR CAT FROM RUNNING OUTSIDE

The outdoors holds many attractions for a cat: butterflies to chase, grass to munch on, and sights and sounds that call to a cat’s “inner hunter”. How do you keep your cat from running outside?

physical barriers

There are extra tall cat gates to block doorways that lead to that appealing front door. But these only work if humans keep them closed.
PetSafe markets an electronic barrier that beeps then gives a low static “correction” (shock) to contain both cats and dogs in certain areas of the home.
Although there have been several studies concluding that electronic fences do not reduce a cat’s quality of life, cats have been known to run through a barrier while chasing prey, then be reluctant to return through the electric field. Also, electronic fences won’t work if the power is out (References 1, 2).

teaching substitute behaviors

Teaching your cat to do something else when the door opens can help keep your cat from running outside.

Place a high cat tree near the doorway and train your cat to go to the cat tree when she hears the jingle of keys in the hallway. She can await your return and a reward! (see “Desensitizing Your Cat to the Sound of the Doorbell”)
A remote treat dispenser such as a PetCube can also help – when you are close to the door, you can cue your cat to go get a treat in a place away from the door.

TEACHING YOUR CAT TO MANAGE HIMSELF OUTSIDE THE HOME

We fear for our cats’ safety when they dash out the door. In rural and urban areas, predators such as coyotes abound. Busy roads can spell death to an unlucky cat. Spilled antifreeze is very toxic to cats resulting in kidney damage even if they are treated promptly. The shorter the time the loose cat spends on the run, the better.

Outdoor cats create a scent and auditory map of their home territory so that they can return to that place where it is safe to eat, eliminate and rest. There is some evidence that cats may be able to use the earth’s magnetic field to locate their home (Reference 3).

So, if possible, supervised walks near your home (or even in your apartment hallway if it is permitted) can help your cat form this mental map. The walks can also satisfy your cat’s curiosity about what’s on the other side of the door. The harness and leash are a cue that she is going out and can help keep your cat from running outside.

An essential skill for any cat is recall – train your cat to come when called. This can be invaluable if the worst happens and he somehow gets away. He most likely will hide and not respond at first – give him some time to calm down and let his training kick in. Keep calling him or giving him his recall cue.

tux, an escape artist

One of the clinic cats at the vet clinic where I work is fond of the outdoors. After a few forays outside with one of our assistants, Tux saw that the front door opened frequently and that there was often enough time for him to slip through as a client struggled though the door with a cat carrier. This began to happen more frequently resulting in someone stopping by to tell the receptionists that there was a black and white cat sitting on the grass outside the clinic door!

A Plan for Tux

Restrict Tux from the lobby (and the front door) (physical barrier).
Allow Tux supervised walks on a leash and harness (train a substitute behavior).
Build an association with the harness and leash and the outdoors – the harness would be the cue to let Tux know it is walk time (No harness – no outdoors).
Use the side door to go on supervised walks on a harness and leash (reduce the association with the front door and the outside).

As the weeks have passed, Tux has begun to take charge. He comes willingly to be harnessed and aims for the side door. He enjoys the fresh air and grass. A few Temptations help guide him along. With regular walks, he is not monitoring the front door as much – if the interior doors to the lobby are open, he does not always make a beeline for them.

Physical barriers can help keep your cat safe. Electronic “fences” are available to contain your cat but are a bit controversial. These barriers are not foolproof – they depend on keeping the gate shut or the power being on. Giving your cat the experience of what is outside the front door can help satisfy her curiosity and help keep your cat from running outside. If your cat does slip by, she is familiar with the territory and should be able to make her way back.

references

Kasbaoui N, Cooper J, Mills DS, Burman O. Effects of Long-Term Exposure to an Electronic Containment System on the Behaviour and Welfare of Domestic Cats. PLoS One. 2016 Sep 7;11(9):e0162073. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162073. PMID: 27602572; PMCID: PMC5014424.
Santos de Asis, L and Mills, D. Introducing a Controlled Outdoor Environment Impacts Positively in Cat Welfare and Owner Concerns: The Use of a New Feline Welfare Assessment Tool. Front. Vet. Sci., 10 January 2021. Sec. Animal Behavior and Welfare Volume 7 – 2020 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.599284
Mitchell, Sandra C., Can Cats Find Their Way Home? petMD updated August 18, 2022, petMD. https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/can-cats-find-their-way-home, viewed 7/2024

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