Cat Behaviour 2022.pdf

0 Cat • Cat behaviour relatively new area of study: 1956 German- Paul Leyhausen (first scientific publication?) • Interest into understanding the biology, behaviour and ecology of the cats has increased over the decades • And this is manifesting- increased cat popularity…. • Domestic cat have be co...

0 Cat • Cat behaviour relatively new area of study: 1956 German- Paul Leyhausen (first scientific publication?) • Interest into understanding the biology, behaviour and ecology of the cats has increased over the decades • And this is manifesting- increased cat popularity…. • Domestic cat have be come more popular than the domestic dog in many Western countries and society 0 1 Cat Development- Biology (Relatively rapid) • Gestation of domestic cat: 63 days average - 3-7 days longer than wild ancestor (Felis sylvestris libyca –African wild cat) • Eyes remain closed 7-days post parturition • Visual acuity excellent with 1 month post delivery- but it also continues to improve until 3-months • Olfactory, thermal, tactile (main stimulation first 2 weeks) • Orientation complete capabilities : 4 weeks of age- similar to mature cats • Complex motor abilities (walking on plank):10-11 weeks after birth • ‘Body righting in mid air’: complete 6 weeks of age • Voluntary elimination of waste (no other help); 5-6 weeks of age 0 2 1 0 Cat Development- Biology • Weaning: start week 4 and is finished (generally) by week 7 • Wild cats: mother swill bring wild caught prey to young week 4 and kittens will begin to hunt by week 5 • Weaning: a time period form kittens transition from complete dependence to independent of mother support • Precise environmental and genetic factors that affect onset of weaning- still unknown 0 3 Cat Development- Behaviour • Major changes in behaviour: first 2 months of life • Condition responses to sound: day 10 post delivery • ‘Defensive personality’ (ie behavioural responses to challenges by large difficult prey- rodents)- week 4-8 • Mature (adult-like responses) to threatening social stimuli ( ie part of social development – visual and olfactory cues) : 8 weeks of age • ‘Social Play’: begins 4 week of age, declines and stops week 12-14 • ‘Social Play’: week 5-6 crouching and interacting with objects and other kittens • ‘Social Play’: escalates into fight (2-3 month) and can cause injuries- can this be a problem? 0 4 2 0 Cat Development: Socialization &BehaviourPredation complicated process • Predatory and social development is complex and is affected by experience of the kitten • In natural conditions, mothers: training kittens to hunt- first bringing dead prey than live prey to the kitten- progression for hunting. • Mother will also influence the kitten's diet (type of prey brought to the kitten) – influences future hunting preference. • Interesting: Also social environment will affect prey preference and hunting: Kio (1930)- housing kittens with rats- ‘rats were not considered prey’ • Note: ‘Social Play’: Is also considered a requirement for predatory behavior and hunting skills- this is unproven- as kittens can display predatory behavior (11 weeks of age) without socialization. Its been suggested that ‘social play’ may have subtle benefits 0 5 Cat Development: Socialization &BehaviourPredation complicated process • Even with the differences- Its known that all ‘adults cats become’ excellent predators- regardless of development and up-bringing and training (ie equifinality- in the context of predation) • Equifinality- in biological systems (ie living organism)- ‘end of development maybe reached by different staring conditions and developments routes’ • So are all cats the same- are all cat behaviour the same?- why not • All cats can be great hunters, but other behaviours could different effected by different socialization, different levels cat dominance, different food sources- different environments etc Can this affect aggression? 0 6 3 0 Cat communication • Cat communication- an adaptation : the domestic cat is a combination of two process: solidary predation (African wild cat) and domestic socialization (increased human dependency) • Example: cats that are not solidary need to further communicatereduce ‘close quarter’ conflict and interact with people • Forms of communication: olfactory, auditory, visualization, tactile and often communications is complex interaction of serval or all forms of communication 0 7 Cat communication- Olfactory • Cats (especially wild species) often hours with out ‘face-to face’ interaction and use scent ques for communication- this can prevent confrontation during hunting and maybe important for reproduction receptivity detection of females by mature males • Scent signal (amount and timing)- affected by environment (wind moisture) • 1) Urine: • soil and litterbox- scent is rich in i) oxidative amino acid derivatives: felinine & isovalthene; ii) anal gland products • spraying: both males and females spray; Males spray 2.8-9.2 times/hour, the rate is affected by cat density, territory and male dominance 0 8 4 0 Cat communication- Olfactory • 2) Feces- often contain glandular section in fecal material • scent detection- used to determine social information • Feces can be both buried and unburies; unburied feces is used to provide social information; and buried feces to ‘hide’ form more dominant cat threats • 3) Scratching- claw conditioning & and deposit scent form glands in paws • marks territory and travel range and used for avoidance behaviour 0 9 Cat communication- Olfactory • 4) Skin glands- many have sebaceous secretion component of glands • ‘Bunting’ – marking scent with head on objects • ‘Allorubbing’ – unknown cause- may be used to establish social information in groups (ie ‘group odours’); determination of friendly vs hostile cats 0 10 5 0 Cat communication- Olfactory: Facial secretion (not fully determined- but its believed to function) • • • • • F1, F5- unknown, F2- released form tomcats- with female in estrus F3- ranging territory F4- allorubbing- may reduce aggression Commercial product: combination F3 & F4 for behavioural therapy 0 The domestic cat: the biology of its behavior 11 Cat communication-Auditory • Cat auditory signals- difficult to determine if sounds are different or variants of the same sound • Auditory communication: between cats (no human-cat interaction) usually: • -aggression, reproduction behaviour, mother-kitten interaction 0 12 6 0 Cat communication-Auditory: Purring & Miaowing • 1) Purring: occurs during both inhalation and expiration and is generated but build and release of pressure as glottis -opens and closes vocal cords (generates sound). This is controlled by laryngeal muscles under regulation (CNS) neural oscillator (30 msec intervals)gets contiguous vocalization • Purring does not always mean ‘pleasure-happy temperament’, can indicate altered behaviour (ie potential aggression) • Purring has different sounds (ie soliciting from form owners) • 2) Miaowing: rare between cat-cat communications • may be a learned behaviour- to human interaction (ie feeding) 0 13 Cat communication-Visual • Change in appearance (post domestication) has affected visualization communication (different from domesticated canines) • 1) Posture changes + piloerection etc. - will appear to increase size: cat looks bigger for aggression. • Cats not wanting confrontation, look smaller, crouch on ground • 2) Rolling females: sexual receptivity • 3) Tail: mobile structure, used to signal • - between legs- submissive • -tail upright: used for cat colony affiliation (+ve colony membership) 0 14 7 0 Cat communication-Tactile • Tactile is one of the most important form of communication: • Allorubbing (rubbing head, tail, flanks), • Allogrooming (cat licking each other) • Allogrooming- redirect aggression and assert dominance • Counterintuitive: more aggressive and dominant cats lick submissive animals more often than the reversal 0 15 Cat communication-domestic felids vs wild felids • Tail up- appears to be important form of communication and likely associated with domestication (ie cat colonies an human interactions). • Tail up- not seen in wild felines and researchers suggest this the only form of communication associated with domestication • Note: lions will have tail up on occasion • Human-cat communication: different forms of meowing has believed to developed from domestication 0 16 8 0 Human – cat bonding • Urban setting- cats are companion animals (especially 1-person homes, usually in doors0 • Rural setting- more utilitarian (pest control), owners will still care for cats • Query: How can an usually independent animal (solitary) develop a (interspecies) relationship (dyad) with people. These interactions with people are different from interactions with other cats. Some considerations of mechanisms/interactions involved: • 1) the brain has the chemical mediators (oxytocin) – this enables all animals to be capable of social interactions. • The more oxytocin release (ie early socialization with people )- more ‘mesolimbic reward’ (dopamine sensitive – are involved in ‘desire awarding) 0 17 Human – cat bonding • 1) the brain has the chemical mediators (oxytocin) – this enables all animals to be capable of social interactions. • The more oxytocin release (ie early socialization with people )- more ‘mesolimbic reward system’ (dopamine sensitive – are involved in ‘desire awarding) • - social- behaviour network (social behaviour, emotions) -is a component of ‘mesolimbic reward system’ • 2) Strength of bonding- Do the person and cat feel safe (safer perceptionstronger bond) • 3) What are the interactions – routine- ritual behaviours effects bonding 0 18 9 0 Human – cat bonding: Factors 1) Cat genetics (some cats are more intolerant to handling)- can reduce bonding – important factor 2) Age of socialization: earlier socialization- better bond- important factor. -Early socialization- important part for empathy development 3) Husbandry practises (ie housing conditions) 0 19 Human – cat bonding: Personalities • 3 cats personalities have been suggested- and this can effect humacat bonding: • Note personalities are related also to social development and owner personalities and animal genetics • 1) bold, confident, easy going • 2 shy nervous • 3) active/aggressive • Which cats have a harder time adapting to changing environments 0 20 10 0 Cat behaviour: Problems and Solutions Cats are fastidiously clean 1) Inappropriate House Soiling (urination +/- defecation) - frequent urination - defecation is a single spot (in the wild-, ‘nature’s outdoor toilet’) - Localized (ie outdoor) urination-defecation – to keep resting placed clean - Urban setting: litterbox (should have small amounts of defecation) smells directing proper voiding - Note: cat smelling ability far more sensitive to people, so it may be virtually impossible to remove detectable smells from cats- this can lead to soiling problems. i) Inappropriate urination: - aversion to litterbox (urban) - Inclement weather, aggressive animals (cats or dogs) 0 21 Cat behaviour: Problems and Solutions • • • • • • • ii) Inappropriate urination and or defecation: A) Urban -Most Common cause: dirty litterbox (too many solids) -common presentations: straddling box, shaking paws, digging around box, covering feces clean litterbox- mild unscented detergents Clean soiled areas – reduce smells determine which is the litter is the preference for the cat -temporarily use litterbox in a confined space multi-cat household: one more box than the total numbers of cats B) Outdoor-enclosed protection from weather and aggressive animals - used covered roof (ie whether protection) - sandbox ( sandy area) easily cleaned (garden hose) 0 22 11 0 Determining inappropriate urination (inappropriate urination vs urine marking) • 2) Urine marking (spraying)- reflection of marking territory (territory borders) • frequent urine marking- used to keep ‘territorial scent’ active and strong • How to determine spraying? • Spraying- most common on vertical objects (walls, furniture) , rarely on horizontal objects • Mainly male cat problem (10% castrated males vs <5% spayed females) • -intact males (Tomcats) spray more frequently: why • - does castration always work as a treatment in intact males? 0 23 Urine marking: treatment • Castration of intact males (prior to puberty?) – reduce testosterone/androgens – (90% effective?) • Clean litterbox- reduces making- especially females • reduces scents: cleaning, use easy to clean (plastic) carpet runners etc), • use aluminum foil in spraying areas cats don't like to walk on foil • - cover windows- reduce cat aggression associated urine marking • - cat pheromone sprays • prescription behavioural modifying medication • Use individually or in combination 0 24 12 0 Aggression • All forms of aggression not as common a behavioural problem as compared to elimination problems • 1) Territorial aggression- seen in news cats at multi-cat home: can have to permanent aggression between cats • Less common in socialized cats (ie kitten socialization) • Possible resolution:-keep separated and introduce cats to each other slowly (smell and visual ques) , reducing communal litterbox use • 2) Fear-related aggression (displayed to both other cats and people): • -considered defensive aggression, cat has ‘no place to escape’ • Possible resolution:-avoid fear generating events – slow desensitization (+/medication) allow for an escape 0 25 Aggression 3) Inter-male or inter-cat aggression: (both males and females will fight), but this aggression mainly occurs in intact males - See in roaming cats - Castration can eliminate 90% of the problem, best prior to puberty 4) Play-related aggression: playful behaviour (pouncing, scratching biting etc) directed at moving people If the owner encourage playful behaviour at young age- can transform into play - related aggression Possible resolution- redirect behaviours- toy + string instead of person’s leg, aversion treatment- used spray bottle (water) following aggression 0 26 13 0 Aggression 5) Re-directed aggression: highly arouse cat aggressive to bystander (person), Often cat is normally affectionate to owner • - tomcat sees another and will scratch/bit owner • Possible resolution- avoiding ‘aggressive inducing events’ – don’t allow male cats to look outside the window 6) Pet-evoked aggression. Owner is attacked (ie holding) without provocation, cat can appear anxious prior to the aggression • Possible resolution- reduce the amount of time holding the cat 0 27 Scratching furniture (scratching wrong objects) • Natural (nature) feline scratch trees - visual and olfactory cues for territory marking, also removed older claws, for new claw growth • Cats scratch furniture (natural behaviour)- especially furniture with a similar texture-feel as trees • Possible resolution– redirect behaviours- furniture to scratching post • - try to have scent (ie smell for damaged furniture) added to post- will help with the redirection. • -rub cats feet on the post- this will transfer scent for secretory glands in the feet to the post- enhancing scent 0 28 14 0 Eating grass-plants • Eating plants is common and a normal behaviour in wild felids and canids Speculation: (wild) eating grass may be require to expel intestinal parasites, urban (domestic cats)- assist to expel furball • Becoming a more common problem in indoor cats • Speculation: Possible reasons for grass eating in households : - rebalance intestinal bacterial communities (good gut health?) - innate behaviour to eat grass (maintained form ancestors) 0 29 15