Behaviour Problems in Small Animals: Practical Advice for the Veterinary Team by John Bowen & Sarah Heath

Author:John Bowen & Sarah Heath
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Tags: Veterinary Medicine, Dog Behaviour, Dogs
ISBN: 9780702027673
Publisher: Saunders Ltd.
Published: 2005-09-20T21:00:00+00:00

Feline fear, anxiety, and phobia problems

167

Box 13.3

Fear of species other than humans

(e.g., dogs)

The immediate aims are to prevent progression from

escape–avoidance behaviour to aggression, and to reduce

stress.

● Avoid any uncontrolled exposure to fear-eliciting stimuli,

especially in the home.

● Stop all punishment of fearful behaviour. Do not use

restraint or coercion to force the cat to remain in the

presence of the thing it fears.

● Do not hold the cat while it is in the presence of the

object of its fear, as this can produce outbursts of very

aggressive and dangerous behaviour.

● Stop attempts to soothe the cat by giving it attention as

Figure 13.1

Cats that have been socialised with dogs can form very

this may reward fearful behaviour.

strong relationships with them.

● The cat must be supervised at all times when in contact

with dogs.

Diagnosis

● The dog must be properly controlled when in the presence

of the fearful cat.

Diagnosis is based on observation of the behaviour of the

● Provide the cat with one or more safe and readily

cat: its facial expressions, postures and initial attempts at

accessible places to which it can escape. These should

avoidance when in the presence of the fear-eliciting stimu-

contain food, water, resting places and latrines.

lus (Fig. 13.2). However, given that the emphasis should be

● If the cat needs to leave a situation where a dog is

on prevention, it should be assumed that a cat that has not

present, provide it with an escape route through an open

been reared or previously socialised with a particular

door, whilst restraining and controlling the dog to prevent

species is likely to experience fear when meeting members

chasing. DO NOT PICK THE CAT UP TO CARRY IT AWAY

of that species (Box 13.4). For example, cats with outdoor

FROM THE DOG.

access will already have a substantial number of aversive

experiences resulting from interactions with dogs. It is

important to remember that experienced cats, or cats that

odour signals, it is sometimes very effective to use F4

(Felifriend®, CEVA Animal Health) to mark the unfamiliar

Box 13.4

Preventing fear of species other than humans

dog around the head and flank areas. To the cat, the dog

(e.g., dogs)

appears to be marked as ‘familiar’, which may inhibit

escape behaviour by the cat so that the dog’s desire to chase

● Cats that are expected to live alongside dogs should be

is not reinforced. Obviously, this is only safe when the dog

well-socialised with them during kittenhood.

has no history of harming or attempting to harm cats. It is

● Provide the cat with a number of easily-accessible escape

also important to remember that cats that have already had

routes: baby-gates, high perches etc. These enable the cat

experience of being chased or injured by dogs may be

to avoid contact with the dog.

greatly confused by the dissonance between the visual

● The cat should have several locations where there is food,

recognition of threat combined with an odour cue that

water and a latrine so that it at no time feels confined

implies safe familiarity. This can induce panic.

and vulnerable because it cannot access resources.

The cat should be allowed times when it is able to watch

● Pheromone products such as F3 diffusers (Feliway ®, CEVA

the dog and approach from a position of security.

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