 |
BEHAVIOR & TRAINING TOPICS
DOGS:
Bark Collars
shock collars
Coprophagia
in the Canine
Parmacologic Treatment of Separation
Anxiety
Behavior Modification: Departures
Behavior Modification: Relaxation
Behavior Modificaition: Uncouple
Departures and Departure Cues
Leash training an adult dog
Is my dog senile?
CATS:
Kitten
behavior and training
Toilet Training your Cat
Feline Agression
Inappropriate Elimination
GENERAL:
Fears
and Phobias
Destructive Behavior
Compulsive Behavior
OUTSIDE LINKS
www.greatpets.com
www.gentleleader.com
Pet Partners Program
Canines Unlimited
Capital Kennel Club
|
|
|
|
FELINE
AGRESSION
Author Debra
F. Horwitz, D.V.M.
Subject Animal Behavior
Day 2/12/01
Time 14:30:00
Western Veterinary Conference
Introduction
Feline
aggression can take many forms and be disruptive and
dangerous in a household. The most common categories of feline
aggression are: aggression resulting from lack of
socialization, play aggression, fearful aggression, intercat
aggression, maternal aggression, predatory aggression,
territorial aggression, redirected aggression, and
status-related aggression.1 These categories can occur as
cat-to-cat aggression or cat-to-people aggression. Here, the
focus is on the aggressive behaviors most commonly seen in
behavioral practices.
Discussion
FIGHTING
BETWEEN HOUSEHOLD CATS
Redirected
or Misdirected Aggression
Misdirected or redirected aggression arises when a cat is in
an aggressive or agitating circumstance but is unable to vent
the aggression on the causative agent.2 A typical example is
when a cat indoors looks through a window and sees another
cat. The inside cat may become very agitated and begin to hiss
and growl. If the owner or another animal walks into the room
and diverts the first cat's attention, either accidentally or
purposefully, that person or second animal may become the
recipient of an aggressive attack. When this happens between
resident cats, the cats may no longer tolerate being together
and fight whenever they see each other, thereby continuing the
aggression. Usually this behavior is fear-induced aggression.
First, owners must separate the fighting cats until they both
calm down. The best way to calm an agitated cat is to put the
animal in a darkened room with food, water, and a litter box
and leave it there. Some cats may be so agitated that picking
them up is dangerous. For those situations, "herding" the cat
by using a broom, lifting the cat with heavy gloves on, or
throwing a blanket over the cat so it can be lifted is safest.
The agitated
cat may need to be kept in the dark for several
days until it is calm. The owner can go in, turn on the light
only to feed the cat, and then leave. After the cat begins to
approach the owner calmly and with relaxed body postures, the
cat may be ready to be let out of confinement. Long periods of
time may be necessary for some cats to calm down. Premature
and/or early reintroduction may cause fighting to resume and
the problem to worsen. It is inappropriate to try and bring
the cats close together immediately. The most common error
owners make in attempting to resolve intercat fighting is to
put the cats too close together too soon.
Treatment
focuses on counterconditioning and desensitization
exercises to reacclimate the cats to each other. Introductions
are best done slowly, using food to facilitate calm,
nonanxious behavior (counterconditioning). The cats need to be
far apart physically, so that they are relaxed
(desensitization). Each cat is then offered a delectable food
treat, which it will eat. For safety and control, it is often
advisable that each cat wear a harness and leash.
If the cats will not eat, then they are too anxious and
probably too close together and should be moved farther apart.
If the cats still will not eat, then they should be separated
until the next feeding. If the cats do eat at that time, they
can remain together while they eat and then be separated. At
the next feeding, the same distance between cats can be
maintained. If the feeding goes well, at the next feeding the
dishes can be moved closer together, but only 6 to 8 inches
closer.
If the cats
are comfortable during a feeding, sometimes they
can be left together leashed and under supervision so that
they can groom, and then they are separated. Clients need to
be cautioned that this is a slow process and that they must
not rush it. Allowing the cats to interact in an aggressive
manner sets the program back. The cats are separated except
for introductions and always supervised when they are
together. It also may be helpful to switch litter pans between
the cats. Another technique that may help is to rub the cats
with towels and switch the towels from one cat to the other to
mix their scents.
If the cats
will not eat when they see one another, then it
may be possible to get the cats to eat food treats while on
opposite sides of a closed door. If the cats will eat at that
time, then nonvisual introductions are used for a few days,
followed by trying to feed across the room again.
Another introduction method involves use of a crate. One cat
is placed in the crate while the other cat is loose in the
room. After the cats become comfortable in each other's
presence, the next time they are together the cats' positions
are switched. If the cats are uncomfortable while one is
loose, both cats can be placed in carriers.
A third way
to integrate cats is with play therapy. If the
aggression has not been severe, it may be possible to
reacclimate the cats to one another through play using a
Feline Flyer®. With each cat on either side of a slightly open
door, the owner introduces the Feline Flyer to determine if
they will play with each other.
Fighting
between cats can occur over territory and/or social
status. Cats may fight when a resident cat reaches social
maturity, which occurs between 1 and 2 years of age, or when
an aging cat leaves the home or loses the ability to control
the other cats.
Cats do have
social interactions and a social structure.
However, it is not based on the same threats and deference
system seen in dogs. Threats between cats can be more covert,
such as blocking access to locations, staring, or supplanting.
Chasing and such overt aggressive threats as growling,
hissing, and biting are possible.3 Cats show submission by
crouching, turning their ears down, and avoidance.3 Often cats
do not share space equally, and additional cats in the
household may result in some cats not having access to food
bowls, resting places, and litter boxes if placement of these
resources is limited or restricted. Another possible theory is
that cats fight to increase individual distance between
themselves and not about territory.
In territorial
disputes, one cat (the aggressor)usually chases
another (the victim). These chases are often accompanied by
vocalizations, such as hissing and growling. This can result
in one cat living in a restricted area to keep away from the
aggressor. It may be necessary to create separate areas for
food, separate resting places, and litter boxes for each cat
to achieve harmony. When territorial aggression is severe,
cats may need to be separated at all times to avoid injury; or
it may be necessary to find alternate living arrangements for
some of the cats in the home. Drug therapy alone is rarely
curative, and in many cases the prognosis for severe
territorial aggression is poor.
In cases
of social status aggression, there may be only
occasional fights if access to litter boxes, resting places,
and food bowls is adequate. Some studies indicate that cats do
not share space equally and that within a group of cats,
certain individuals appear to be dominant.6 The behavior was
most evident in the use of and access to certain resources.
Misdirected
Play Aggression
Misdirected play aggression is an extremely common behavior
problem in young cats and kittens. The onset of the problem is
usually at about 12 weeks of age, and it seems to arise from
predatory play behavior. Predatory play is an integral part of
feline play behavior and early learning.7 Play in a kitten is
often aggressive and intense, and the kitten uses multiple
objects as prey items.
Feline play
behavior consists of stalking, pouncing, jumping,
biting, and clawing.5 During play, a kitten may use anything
that moves, including family members, as the prey items. When
this occurs, the behavior can become injurious. Signs include
attacking the owner's moving body parts or surprise attacks
and perhaps biting hands when petted. The problem most
commonly occurs in households with single cats under 2 years
of age, or when cats are housed with other animals that will
not play. It can also occur in cats that are left alone for
long periods of time during the day.8 Treatment protocols focus on channeling
the normal playful energy of the kitten toward appropriate play and discouraging
inappropriate play. This is accomplished with the proper use of toys:
hanging toys; cat fishing rods; small wads of paper; and items that move
easily, wiggle, and jump. Owners should be discouraged from using their
hands to play and wrestle with
the kitten, because to do so encourages the kitten to use
humans as play objects.
The second
component of a treatment plan is to make attacking
the humans in the home aversive to the cat. This is best
accomplished through the use of noise distracters that startle
the cat, such as a noise maker, a can of compressed air, a
shaker can, or an air horn. A sprayer bottle with water may be
an effective deterrent for some cats.
Third, to ensure a successful treatment plan, the owner should
become aware of where and when the attacks occur and
anticipate them. A journal may help identify locations and
times when attacks are likely. Then it may be possible to
change the environment to prevent the attacks or to distract
the cat before an attack takes place.
Last, it
is important to know where the cat is at all times. A
bell on a breakaway collar may help owners know the location
of the cat and use the other techniques already mentioned.
Harsh physical discipline is always contraindicated. Not only
can it make the problem worse, but it can also create a cat
that becomes anxious and fearful of people, which is an
extremely undesirable side effect. If because of previous
physical reprimands the cat begins to fear people reaching for
it, the cat may then bite in situations other than play. It is
important to redirect the behavior not punish it. In addition,
the cat must be rewarded for the appropriate behavior with
attention and treats.
Fearful
or Defensive Aggression
A cat may display aggression to some family members in the
home but not others, or to new people in the home. The cat
assumes a fearful or defensive posture (crouched; ears flat;
pupils dilated; piloerection; and hissing, spitting, or
growling) and may bite if touched.5 This type of aggression is
best treated with a counterconditioning and desensitization
program similar to that used for cat-to-cat introductions.
When humans are involved, they need to set up situations where
the cat is calm and then slowly work at getting closer to the
cat. A starting place is to offer the cat some tasty food and
try to be sitting calmly and quietly near the cat while it
eats.
Distance
from the cat is an important factor in the behavior
modification plan, and the person may need to be relatively
far away for the cat to remain calm. If the cat continues to
eat in the presence of the person, then the person should try
moving slightly closer. However, the individual must watch the
cat and stop moving closer if the cat growls or ceases to eat.
The situation must progress slowly until the cat eventually
accepts the person petting it while it eats. As in the
cat-to-cat modification plan, it is very important to move
slowly and allow the cat to be calm and nonanxious or not
fearful during sessions. If possible, the person needs to
avoid the cat at other times. The goal of treatment is for the
cat to experience proximity to the person without experiencing
the fear. Play therapy may also be helpful in these cases.
If the fear is toward visitors who come to the household,
counterconditioning and desensitization can also be
implemented. The cat should be on a harness and leash for
safety or in a crate or carrier. The owner can start with
people that the cat knows and reward the cat for being around
them by using tasty food treats. As in the previous examples,
distance between the cat and the visitors is an important
factor and should be manipulated so that the cat is not
anxious or fearful. Gradually, the person can move closer.
After the cat has mastered the technique with people it knows,
the process can progress to less familiar people.
Counterconditioning and desensitization is a very slow
process, and care must be taken to proceed slowly and only
reward calm, nonanxious behavior. If the owner is unwilling or
unable to carry out a desensitization program, for everyone's
safety, the cat should be confined when visitors are in the
home.
PHARMACOLOGICAL
TREATMENTS
For
some cases, the addition of psychotropic medication can be
helpful in resolving feline aggression. Drugs that are
presently being used are not approved for use in cats;
therefore, administration of these drugs is extralabel. Prior
to use, the animal should be given a physical examination;
laboratory screenings for liver and kidney function; and, in
some cases, an electrocardiogram. Signed consent and release
forms are advisable. Owners should be informed of potential
side effects and should plan to be home to monitor their pet
for the first 1 to 2 days of treatment.
Several classes
of drugs have been used to treat aggression in
cats. In the past, benzodiazepines (especially Valium--Roche
Products; 1 to 2 mg every 12 hours)had been shown to be useful
in treating aggression; but care needs to be taken to watch
for potential hepatotoxic reactions.9 Also, cats on
benzodiazepines could disinhibit and the aggression increase.
Recently, reports of hepatotoxic reactions have surfaced and
this drug class should be used with extreme caution.10
Amitriptyline hydrochloride(Elavil--Zeneca Pharmaceuticals), a
tricyclic antidepressant, has also been used for treating
aggression in cats. Amitriptyline is a serotonin reuptake
inhibitor and also inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine. In
addition, it has antihistamine actions. Amitriptyline can also
interfere with thyroid medications. Common side effects
include tachycardia, urinary retention, sedation,
gastrointestinal tract upset, mydriasis, and dry mouth.
Because of potential increases in heart rate, caution should
be exercised in patients with cardiac disease and an
electrocardiogram prior to use may be prudent. Common dosage
is 0.5 to 2.0 mg/kg orally every 12 to 24 hours.11 Recently,
some veterinary behaviorists have used selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine (Prozac--Dista
Products) and paroxetine (Paxil--SmithKline Beecham
Pharmaceuticals), to treat aggression in cats.
Summary
Feline
aggression is often treatable after a good history
helps identify a diagnosis. Then a treatment plan can be made
to help integrate cats to other cats or people and minimize
further aggression.
References
Overall KL. Feline aggression, part 3. Feline Pract.
1994;22:16-17.
Beaver B. The Veterinarian’s Encyclopedia of Animal
Behavior. Ames,Ia: Iowa State University Press; 1994:224.
Crowell-Davis SL, Barry K, Wolfe MA. Social behavior and
aggressive problems of cats. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim
Pract. 1997;27:549-568.
Barry K. Intercat aggression in the household [AVMA
Convention Notes]. Veterinary Software Publishing;1999.
Marder AR. Diagnosing and treating aggression problems in
cats. Vet Med. 1993:736-742.
Bernstein P, Strack M. Home ranges, favored sports,
time-sharing patterns, and tail usage by 14 cats in a home.
Animal Behavior Consultants Newsletter. 1993;10.
Bateson P, Martin P. Behavioural development in the cat. In:
Turner D, Bateson P, eds. The Domestic Cat: The Biology of
Its Behaviour. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University
Press;1988:9-22.
Borchelt PL, Voith, VL. Diagnosis and treatment of
aggression problems in cats. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim
Pract. 1982;12:665-671.
Marder AR. Psychotropic drugs and behavioral therapy. Vet
Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1991;21:329-342.
Center SA, et al. Fulminent hepatic failure associated with
oral administration of diazepam in 11 cats. J Am Vet Med
Assoc. 1996;209:618-625.
Overall KL. Pharmacologic treatments for behavior problems.
Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 1998;27:637-665.
Key Principles
Feline
aggression is potentially harmful and dangerous.
Good histories
aid in diagnosis and formulation of treatment
plans.
Psychotropic
medication can be an adjunct to treatment, but
prescreening is a good idea.
|
