BEHAVIOR

[From Tufts April 2012 Issue]

How guilty should you feel when you leave your cat alone for a few days?

If your cat is healthy, not very, say the veterinarians at Tufts Cummings School. "You can't be a prisoner in your own home. You can't never go on holiday," maintains the head of our Animal Behavior Clinic, Nicholas Dodman, BVMS. Even Dr. Dodman's own tabby, Griswold, who is deaf but likes to cuddle and comes running to be tickled and petted when he feels the vibration of footsteps, has to make do without housemates when the Dodmans are out of town for a couple of days.

Fellow Tufts vet Linda Ross, DVM, agrees that a cat in good health can be left alone sometimes. "Some of my cats do get lonesome," she says. "And they like to…

Simply put, grief is a reaction that is caused by an abrupt absence of someone or something that provided pleasure, comfort, happiness and reassurance. Much like we do, cats will also grieve following a profound loss. But do cats mourn in the same way as humans? Is their grief as intense as ours? Since we cannot enter into the cats mind, it is virtually impossible to emphatically answer this question. But cats do display their grief…

A pile of cat feces in the corner of the dining room, urine-soaked carpets in a guest room closet - such discoveries get too many cats kicked outdoors for good, or surrendered to shelters. But it doesnt have to be that way. In their scrub-desert habitats in northern Africa, our cats ancestors buried their waste in the ubiquitous soft, sandy soil. Most cats take readily to a properly-prepared substitute for the desert sands: a litter box. Because…

I would like to know if you can provide some specific information regarding Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome. I have a cat affected with this and most of what Ive read is redundant. I am curious about the best way to introduce a new cat into the home when you have a resident cat that suffers from FHS.

When youre walking around the house, hes weaving tight figure eights around your legs. If youre trying to take a catnap or watch some prime-time television, hes happily draped across your neck, purring away. When you close the bedroom door at night to get some well-deserved sleep, he claws at the door and wails piteously. And hes always between you and whatever youre trying to read or eat.

Wise owners understand how even seemingly insignificant changes can affect their cats and disrupt the groups harmony. They also know how important it is to address the effects of changes positively and immediately. If you obtained the cat from a shelter, you might choose to ask the organization if theyd be willing to take the cat back. Obviously, a lot depends on the particular shelter, their management practices and philosophies and how you feel about the shelter. But if youre comfortable with the shelter, and feel that the cat has a good chance at finding a more suitable home through them, this can be a comfortable option.

Sometimes, the motivation to adopt a new cat arises out of loss. The owner feels that a new feline companion would be just the thing to lift a grieving survivor cat or owner out of the dumps after the loss of a long-term companion. And its true that the arrival of a fresh feline face can work wonders, giving middle-aged and older cats a new lease on life. But constant, exuberant overtures from an energetic youngster - however well-intended - can really wear on an older cat, threatening the equanimity of even the most tolerant, settled oldster.

One of the most delightful aspects of our domestic cats is their lifelong love of play. Inside every cat - no matter how pampered, sedentary (or even downright lazy) - beats the heart of a mighty hunter. Many cat owners assume that their adult cats dont want (or need) regular playtime, because they typically show so little interest in the toys that are available to them, or because they spend so much time just lazing…

When youre walking around the house, hes weaving tight figure eights around your legs. If youre trying to take a catnap or watch some prime-time television, hes happily draped across your neck, purring away. When you close the bedroom door at night to get some well-deserved sleep, he claws at the door and wails piteously. And hes always between you and whatever youre trying to read or eat. …

According to Dr. Dodman, the line between clinginess and separation anxiety can be fine. Any of the following signs can indicate that your cat is becoming dangerously dependent on your constant presence: Refusing to eat unless you are present. Spraying or urine-marking on your belongings, especially things you leave near the door by which you ordinarily leave the house. Clawing at door frames and window screens. Frantic attempts to escape if confined away from a favorite human, to the…

Most people - including many cat owners - think its impossible to train a cat. While cats are certainly more challenging to train than dogs, they are trainable - especially using a method called clicker training. First popularized in the 1990s by dolphin trainer Karen Pryor, clicker training works by use of what behaviorists call operant conditioning. Animals initially learn to associate the sound of a metal clicker with a reward, and can eventually be taught…

Petey, a much-loved, six-month-old kitten, has been able to hold his own in a family that includes two active boys and two dogs. Peteys owner, Mindy, was a long-time dog owner; Petey, adopted at just seven weeks of age, was her first cat. One morning, little Petey purred and squeaked in delight as Mindy played with him - rolling him over on his back, and letting him grip her forearm as she stroked his tummy. But…