|
Behavioral Problems Associated with Feline Aggression |  |
|
Aggression due to lack of early experience has the following necessary condition: consistently displayed, abnormal, out-of-context threats, contest, or attack demonstrated by cats toward people in any circumstances in which people approach or attempt to care for the cat. The following condition is sufficient: as above, and exhibited in cats known to be unexposed to people until at least 14 wk old. Experimental evidence indicates that early exposure to people is essential
for cats if they are not to avoid people; however, confounding factors include the genetic effects of less versus more friendly cats and early traumatic and potentially fear-provoking circumstances. This diagnosis should be used only for cats that have an entire range of abnormal social responses, even given later extensive exposure to people. These cats can behave normally with other cats but always seem to view people warily. Although they can learn to interact with some people
relatively normally, these responses do not tend to generalize to other people. |
|
Status-related aggression has the following necessary condition: abnormal, inappropriate, out-of-context aggression (threat, challenge, or attack) consistently exhibited by cats toward people under any circumstance involving passive or active control of the cat’s behavior or the cat’s access to the behavior. The following condition is sufficient: intensification of any aggressive response from the cat upon any passive or active correction or interruption of the cat’s
behavior or the cat’s access to the behavior. This is a discrete definition of what has been called the “leave-me-alone bite.” It is truly the analog (not homolog—canine and feline social systems are not homologous) of the canine condition and is defined in terms that are relevant to feline social systems. Unlike the analogous situation in dogs, this diagnosis in cats is not often comorbid with other aggressions associated with resources such as food (food-related aggression),
toys (possessive aggression), or space (territorial aggression). The keys are control and access—most of the problems with diagnoses arise from our misunderstanding of feline social systems, feline signaling, and feline anxieties. |
|
Treatment of Behavioral Problems Associated with Feline Aggression: |
| Treatment of feline aggression is similar in principle and practice to that of canine aggression (
Behavioral Problems Associated with Canine Aggression). Cats, too, will work for food rewards in counterconditioning programs. Avoidance (physical, visual, and preferably, olfactory separation of cats who are fighting) is paramount, and early intervention is best. Cats will share time and space and can be encouraged to do so sequentially as part of a comprehensive behavior modification program. |
| Because feline aggression can be covert, clients and veterinarians may underappreciate the importance of unwitnessed threats that may occur multiple times a day. The cat behaving most appropriately should have free access to the home while the aggressor is humanely confined to a less desirable, protected area and provided with water, food, and litter. If this is not possible, access can be rotated between cats. All cats should still have regular individual interaction with
clients. Treatment with tricyclic antidepressants and some newer anxiolytic medications can help tremendously, but concerns regarding extra-label drug use must be communicated to clients (Table:
Drugs that May Be Useful in the Treatment of Feline Behavioral Diagnoses). |
|  |
