BEHAVIOR

[From Tufts April 2011 Issue]

A few years ago, I lured a stray cat into my housebecause I felt sorry for her withwinter approaching.I named her Smokey. I had my veterinarian spay her and give her all the necessary vaccinations.However, there is a problem. My neighbors approached me and told me I have to keep her inside (she was killing chipmunks and birds) or they would notify animal control and have her picked up.

I realize that it is better for Smokey to be inside because she once became quiteinfested with ticks and fleas.Now, she sits in the bay window and watches the squirrels and birds, but when a cat comes into my yard and I approach her, Smokey turns on me.She hisses and growls and a few times, she was ready to attack me.I show her that I am not afraid of her, but her behavior is quite annoying.I tried to spray her with water, but that makes matters worse.

[From Tufts January 2010 Issue]

My cat plays rough. I have limited recent experience with cats. I adopted Grigino, my personable 2-year-old cat, when he was 2 months old. Every once in a while he tries to gently bite my hand. When he does this, he will hit at the hand with his paw, probably to control the hand or line it up, before he bites at it. Fortunately, he never bites hard, and almost always retracts his claws. However, he does occasionally draw blood. He is neutered. Should I be concerned and how can I break him of this habit?
Al Cavagnaro

[From Tufts Febuary 2010 Issue]

I have had my two cats since they were just a few days old. They were bottle-fed until they could eat regular food. They are now 1.5 years old. One is obsessed with rubber bands and the other chews any shoe that has a soft sole. Both chew cardboard boxes.

To try to break this habit, my veterinarian suggested giving them dog chew bones and crunchy food. Neither worked. They still chew on inappropriate objects. Do you think this behavior is because they were not properly weaned? Any advice?
Linda Carlen

[From Tufts June 2011 Issue]

Perplexed by cats protruding tongue
Sometimes my male cat sits around with his tongue sticking out of his mouth. What is the reason for this? I have not noticed my female cats doing it.
Mary Ann Myers

Dear Mary Ann: As a feline practitioner, I have heard many stories and have seen my share of cats who, during the normal course of their day, happen to sit around with their tongue sticking out a little. In most cases, there is nothing to be concerned about. It is simply the cats own personal quirk, and it is actually kind of endearing.

[From Tufts July 2011 Issue]

[From Tufts August 2011 Issue]

I have a cat who is a purebred Pixie-bob that has a propensity to lick portions of his body until they are devoid of hair. He has no weight loss, a good appetite, no hairballs and no cutaneous infections. He has been neutered and is 8years old.

I do not want to give him medications if possible. Is there something else, like a diet change or an environmental alteration that I could make that would improve his condition? If he went untreated, could he cause significant damage with his incessant licking behavior?

[From Tufts September 2011 Issue]

I am a new subscriber, and have limited recent experience with cats. I have Grigino (Italian for nice little gray tomcat), a very personable 21-month-old cat whom weve had since he was 2 months old. He has been neutered. Every once in a while, he tries to bite our hands. When he does this, he will hit at the hand with his paw, probably to control the hand or line it up, before he bites at it.

[From Tufts October 2011 Issue]

Editors note: Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, is a renowned animal behaviorist and best-selling author.

Many years ago, a cat was brought to me who was severely mutilating her tail. The self-directed attacks occurred in bouts in which the cat seemed transformed, possessed, manic and focused on fleeing from or viciously attacking a terrifying enemy-from-behind - her own tail.

The cats owner, Patricia Calida, arrived at my behavior clinic with not only the cat named Katie Kat, but with graphic videotape of her cats destructive behavior. In the video, Katie Kat, a slight in build, grey-and-white cat with a shortened stump of a fluffy tail, sat hunkered down on Calidas kitchen floor growling under her breath. The growling intensified and then Katie Kat sprang up as if stung by a bee, ran wildly around the kitchen, stopping momentarily to glance over her shoulder and eventually laid into her tail as if her life depended on it. The cycle repeated itself a few times culminating only when Katie Kat leapt at the camera lens and the video suddenly went blank.

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

[Editors note: This article is part of an occasional Catnip series that debunks common misconceptions about cats and explains puzzling feline behaviors.]

The phenomenon of purring has fascinated people for ages. Veterinarians and animal behaviorists agree on why cats purr, but the mechanics of purring and whether purring triggers self-healing continues to stir debate.

Cats purr for many reasons - when feeling contented as well as while under stress.

Mother cats often purr when nursing their kittens and their kittens often purr when nursing, says Nicholas Dodman, BVMS, veterinarian and director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Many also purr when they are afraid or in pain. That helps explain why some cats purr when being examined at a veterinary clinic or when they are recovering from an injury.

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

Frustrated by cats litter box avoidance

My indoor neutered male 3-year-old domestic short haired cat was diagnosed with cystitis last October after I found him urinating outside his litter box. He was placed on Clavamox for 10 days and the crystals and blood in urine disappeared. He was fine until recently when he started to urinate again outside the litter box.

There are no other cats in the house. I live alone and have changed nothing in the household routine. My veterinarian is also at a loss for his behavior. Because there were a few crystals showing in his urine recently, she deemed it unnecessary to prescribe antibiotics again. I did ask her to issue the Clavamox again for 10 days. She also prescribed seven doses of prednisolone (5 milligrams.). Her technician suggested replacing the towel under the litter box with a puppy pad, which might work better because it is softer.

[From Tufts November 2011 Issue]

Last fall, we first noticed that our 7-year-old female cats underside/nipple area was bright pink. During her annual examination, our veterinarian mentioned that our cat had licked herself bald there and on hind legs.

This cat is very mellow and laid back. Her only issue seems to be jealously/territorial issues with the other female cat of the house. A friend had suggested allergy testing. Im concerned about the cost of allergy testing. What should we do?

S. Konkel

[From Tufts December 2011 Issue]

Our 10-year-old domestic shorthair Stormy, who has been a loving companion and highly affectionate since we adopted her as a stray when she was 6 months old, recently had a bad cough and was sneezing perpetually. Our veterinarian diagnosed it as a cold. He gave us some antibiotics, which my husband administered faithfully twice a day.