Skip to main content

Author Archives: tbe_admin

Older posts
Newer posts

Bird Brain: Learning and Problem-Solving in Psittacine Pets

Rachel Lees, RVT, KPA CTP, VTS (Behavior)Parrots and other psittacine pets can be fascinating additions to a home. They are gorgeous, colorful, charismatic and captivating, and it’s all too easy for potential caregivers to think, “How hard can it be to have a pet bird”?

Then they acquire their new family member and find there is quite a bit to know about living with and caring for them, especially when it comes to dealing with common behaviors that are normal for psittacines but problematic for humans. They frequently turn to the internet for advice on how to “fix” these problems, which can include aggression to humans, vocalizing for attention, and self-mutilation such as feather picking.

As veterinary professionals, it is important that we understand how this species learns so we can educate owners accordingly at their first appointment. Living with a psittacine can be financially, emotionally, and mentally draining.  Building a strong human-animal bond from the start is the best means to help create long-term homes for pet birds.

Learning is defined as a permanent change in the behavior of an animal after being exposed to a stimulus. Although changes may not be immediately apparent, they are real changes that will affect long-term behavior. It is important to communicate to clients that every interaction they have with their bird is a training session, whether they intend it that way or not. Any time a bird interacts with the environment, behaviors either increase, decrease, or become suppressed. Understanding this is crucial to communicating the best training and behavior recommendations based on science to clients with avian companions.

Increasing and Decreasing Likelihood of a Behavior

Operant conditioning is learning in which a behavior is affected by consequences. When a behavior is associated with something the bird wants, the behavior will strengthen. When a behavior is associated with something the bird finds aversive or dislikes, the behavior will weaken. There are four quadrants of learning common to all animals: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment.

These terms are unfortunately misused by clients and even some veterinary professionals. They are defined as follows:

  • Positive (+):  Adding something to the situation
  • Negative (-):  Eliminating something from the situation

The terms reinforcement and punishment are defined as follows:

  • Reinforcement:  strengthening a behavior
  • Punishment:  decreasing a behavior

Below is a table reviewing each definition with an example of each quadrant:

Quadrant Definition Example
Positive Reinforcement Addition of a stimulus to increase likelihood of a behavior or to strengthen a behavior Presenting a finger and when the parrot steps up to station giving a treat. Adding a treat increases likelihood of the “step up” behavior.
Negative Reinforcement Eliminating a stimulus to increase likelihood of a behavior or strengthen a behavior An example of this is forcing a bird to step up by pushing a hand into the chest or prying toes off a perch.  Eliminating pressure or discontinuing handling reinforces the behavior of stepping up to a perch.
Positive Punishment Adding a stimulus to decrease likelihood of a behavior A client’s cockatiel bites when a person reaches out to touch them. The client smacks them on the beak, adding an aversive situation to decrease the likelihood of the biting behavior.
Negative Punishment Eliminating a stimulus to decrease likelihood of a behavior A client’s macaw squawks for attention.  The client turns their back to ignore the behavior. Taking away attention decreases likelihood of vocalization behavior.

Positive reinforcement and negative punishment are the most humane ways to train most animals. However, negative punishment can induce frustration, increasing FAS, so it’s important to use it with caution. Force or aversive methods are not recommended and can damage the human-animal bond between clients and birds. These methods can also increase fear, anxiety, and stress and can create more aggression concerns. They should be avoided.

Breaking Down Unwanted Behaviors With the Problem-Solving Model

Dividing each behavior and problem is crucial in creating a plan to alter unwanted behaviors. There is no single way to handle any particular behavior.  Using the problem-solving model, we can break down the Antecedent, Behavior, and the Consequence to evaluate the trigger and the true problem.  The ABCs in the problem-solving model are defined as follows:

  • Antecedent: stimuli, events, or conditions that immediately precede a behavior.
  • Behavior: actual behavior caused by the antecedent.
  • Consequence: stimuli, events, and conditions that occur after a behavior and influence probability of the behavior recurring.

For example:  A client comes in and mentions that when their dog barks, the macaw (when out) will fly from her perch and chase the dog.

Breaking down this situation can be done as follows:

  • Antecedent: Dog barking
  • Behavior: Flying to chase dog
  • Consequence: Dog discontinues barking

Now that the behavior is broken down, we can determine motivation for the unwanted response. With animals in general we can simplify things and say that behavior is either self-rewarding (i.e., would happen regardless of the owner’s presence) or human-reinforced. In the example above, this behavior is likely self-reinforced, as the macaw’s behavior results in the dog discontinuing the barking. After this, we can figure out how to solve the problem.  Some things to consider:

  • How to manage and prevent the situation from starting.
  • What to teach the macaw to do that is incompatible with flying down to attack the dog?
  • How to interrupt the behavior while it’s occurring.
  • Foundation skills needed by the dog and the macaw to eliminate and modify this issue.

Breaking down one behavior takes time, expertise, and patience. No behavior can be fixed easily as each behavior has many layers. Encourage clients with birds to seek help from a skilled positive-reinforcement trainer, veterinary behaviorist, or veterinary behavior technician experienced with birds if any behavior problem is mentioned.

References: 

Luescher, Andrew. Manual of Parrot Behavior. Blackwell Publishing. 2006

Shaw, Julie K. and Martin, Debbie. Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2015.

Yeates, James. Companion Animal Care and Welfare:  The UFAW Companion Animal Handbook.  Wiley-Blackwell. 2019.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Rachel Lees, an Elite Fear Free Certified Professional, is a veterinary technician specialist in behavior, a KPA certified training partner, and veterinary behavior technician at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She loves helping people create and maintain a strong human-animal bond.
 

Do Cats Want to Work for Their Food? The Answer May Not Surprise You

Steve DaleFor two decades I’ve been speaking at veterinary and animal behavior meetings about the need to enrich indoor environments for companion animals, but most especially for indoor cats. When I began, Tony Buffington, DVM (professor emeritus at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine), and others at around that time had begun publishing studies demonstrating that living in a dull environment increases stress in cats and may cause or contribute to both behavior issues and a variety of health problems.

By enrichment, I mean providing suitable outlets to meet the specific, hard-wired needs of a particular species. For cats, enrichment includes the manner in which they are fed.

There’s no doubt that cats, being the predators they are, have a built-in prey drive. But what is the best way to activate that drive, and do cats prefer to be fed?

Years ago, it was discovered that some laboratory rodents and a varied roster of zoo species prefer to work for their food, a phenomenon known as contrafreeloading, rather than dining from a free-standing food dish.

Mikel Delgado, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist and certified cat behavior consultant, set out to learn if domestic cats contrafreeload in a home environment. The only previous study on cats dated to 1971, with six laboratory cats showing no interest in working for their meals.

Delgado hypothesized that in a home environment, domestic cats would readily contrafreeload and show a preference for eating from a food puzzle compared to a dull tray piled with identical food. She also hypothesized that more active cats would be more likely to contrafreeload.

“I’ve long recommended food puzzles to clients with positive results,” she says. “In nature, cats hunt so I was certain that tapping into what cats are hard-wired to do would be no problem and we’d easily prove the previous study [for cats] wrong. However, science can be funny that way, and yes we were surprised [by the results].”

Those results were recently published in a paper called “Domestic cats (Felis catus) prefer freely available food over food that requires effort” (with Brandon Sang Gyu Han, grad student at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and veterinary behaviorist Melissa Bain, DVM, professor of clinical animal behavior at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine) in the Journal Animal Cognition.

Seventeen cats participated in the study, using one consistent food puzzle (Trixie Pet Tunnel Feeder Food Puzzle) with a food dish next to it.

Surprise: Cats did little contrafreeloading. Instead, they mostly chose the easy meal from the bowl. Most cats ate some food from both sources, but the amount of food eaten from the easy meal on the tray was significantly higher than the amount of food eaten from the puzzle. Almost half the cats consumed less than 10 percent of food from the puzzle. And none of the cats were considered strong contrafreeloaders.

“Though surprising, our findings were statistically relevant,” says Delgado. “There wasn’t a lot of variability.”

However, veterinary behaviorist Theresa DePorter, DVM (who is boarded both in the U.S. and Europe), says, “We’ve actually known for a very long time that domestic cats do contrafreeload – depending on how we define contrafreeload – as very well fed indoor/outdoor cats who clearly don’t require a meal but apparently enjoy the chase and catch and then deliver rodents or birds as live ‘gifts.’”

Dr. DePorter, who lives in a rural setting, says one of her cats – who happens to be very well fed – catches mice.

Liz Bales, VMD, notes another factor: “The seeking circuit was missing in this study. Cats need to go through seeking and finding their prey, the hunt. The pounce and eat is only a fraction of the process, which was represented by the food puzzle but it just sits on the ground next to a food bowl and may not be stimulating enough for many cats who naturally are hard-wired to seek. Also, there’s no movement involved with this particular food puzzle, and movement is stimulating for cats.”

Dr. Bales adds: “In my experience, cats being cats, the acclimation period, four to 12 days, of a novel way to feed wasn’t nearly long enough. I would think the acclimation period to the food puzzle should be months and not days.” And indeed, Bales does have acclimation experience as she is also an entrepreneur who created “hunting products” for cats, notably the Indoor Hunting Feeder (https://docandphoebe.com/).

Cats may be timid, cautious or at least circumspect about anything novel such as a new food puzzle, adds DePorter. “Yes, they may well require more acclimation time, particularly since these cats may have had no prior experience with food puzzles.”

Neither Bales nor DePorter quibble with the notion that this study was well-thought out and important, but both consider it only a start, and Delgado doesn’t disagree.

Delgado’s hypothesis that generally more active cats would be more into contrafreeloading also fell flat.

Delgado suggests: “Perhaps it means lives are so enriched of the cats in the study that their drives to use puzzle feeders was reduced. Perhaps we could have better acclimated and more motivated by using treats at first in the feeders. Also, individual cats may have individual preferences to different food puzzles.”

Delgado, who co-owns a website that sells puzzle feeders (www.foodpuzzlesforcats.com) is in no way suggesting pet parents diminish use of puzzle feeders. “For starters, do understand most of the cats in our study did eat something from the puzzle feeder.”

Bales says “countless times” she has witnessed her puzzle feeders contributing to solve behavior problems, which in some cases has kept cats in homes.

DePorter also remains a cheerleader for puzzle feeders. “I absolutely don’t interpret this study is suggesting not to use puzzle feeders – that would be a mistake. We know puzzle feedings are enriching, help to control food intake, and provide physical and mental exercise and may reduce obesity – which is so common among cats. And, of course, obesity leads to a laundry list of issues.”

Delgado concludes, “Certainly, there’s more to learn, more to do – understanding cats has never been easy.”

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Steve Dale, CABC (certified animal behavior consultant), hosts two national pet radio shows and is on WGN Radio, Chicago. He’s a regular contributor/columnist for many publications, including CATSTER, Veterinary Practice News, and the Journal of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. He’s appeared on dozens of TV shows, including Oprah, many Animal Planet Programs, and National Geographic Explorer. He has contributed to or authored many pet books and veterinary textbooks such as “The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management” and co-edited Decoding Your Dog, by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. He speaks at conferences around the world. www.stevedale.tv.

Telehealth Is a Win for Vets, Pets, and Clients

Steve DaleRoxy’s arthritis had worsened. Because of the 18.5-year-old Devon Rex cat’s history of gastrointestinal issues, her veterinarian and owners had few pharmaceutical options for managing her pain.

For clients, seeing a pet in pain is the worst. Cats are especially adept at masking pain, so when they actually show they are in pain, they are really hurting. That’s where we were with Roxy.

Gabapentin had been prescribed, but all it did was increase her catnap time. I consulted an expert. “Let me hold Roxy’s paw and we’ll slowly increase the dosage,” said Robin Downing, DVM, internationally renowned for her knowledge about pain in pets.

Dr. Downing consulted with my Chicago, Illinois-based primary care practitioner Natalie Marks, DVM, who welcomed Dr. Downing’s contribution.

Downing gradually upped the dose of the gabapentin, and her persistent yet measured effort appeared to bring results without an accompanying significant primary side effect of the drug: drowsiness.

“Multimodal is the best approach for osteoarthritis for nearly all cats,” Downing says. To that end, we began to employ a tool called an Assisi Loop, which uses targeted pulsed electromagnetic field technology to treat pain and decrease inflammation. That not only benefited Roxy’s osteoarthritis, but also had the potential to aid her GI issues. In addition, for arthritis I give her injections of Adequan.

That was in 2018 and Roxy clearly benefited from the collaboration between Drs. Downing and Marks and the multimodal approach. However, about a year ago, I noted that Roxy appeared to be struggling a tad more and asked Dr. Marks for further advice.

“The struggle we have as small-animal practitioners is that we only have certain pain medications that are safe and approved for cats as they age, and many are contraindicated for cats with other conditions,” Marks said. “Our goal for our patients is for them to have the best quality of life and to be as pain free as possible every day. The beauty of veterinary medicine today is that we have a variety of integrative therapies which are readily available, and I thought about medical massage therapy. And technology can deliver a way to demonstrate options as never before.”

She suggested I contact Rosemary LoGiudice, DVM, who is boarded in veterinary rehabilitation medicine and practices in Hanover Park, Illinois. She is at least an hour from my home, not to mention this was all happening at the height of the pandemic.

Marks said, “I think this may be the perfect use of telehealth. And I believe massage therapy may help.” Dr. LoGiudice agreed.

LoGiudice noted that ideally she would want to get her hands on Roxy to feel her flexibility and for heat in the joints. But she was able to communicate with Dr. Marks, who has known Roxy most of her life and had recently examined her.

Using my phone, I took video of Roxy moving in her own element from different angles as directed by LoGiudice, who says, “When I can see the dog, cat, or horse moving in a natural way, I can get a good feel for stride and how the joints are moving. Very few dogs and cats are going to show me in the exam room how they move at home.”

LoGiudice and I jumped on a Zoom show and tell call. Dr. LoGiudice held a plush dog in her lap. She showed me exactly what to do, where to do it and how much pressure to exert when offering massage therapy. Old-school written directions could never replicate Dr. LoGiudice demonstrating, and then watching me and directing me, “Move your hand slightly lower.”

I gradually spent more time every night massaging Roxy. Roxy not only didn’t fend off the nightly spa treatment, she began to request it. Even now, a year later, when I stop, she paws at my face demanding more.

That was no surprise to Downing. “If this was causing Roxy pain or discomfort, or Roxy didn’t enjoy it, she still moves well enough to walk away,” she says.

Watching video of Roxy two weeks after the start of the Dale Spa treatment, LoGiudice wasn’t surprised either by the effect of medical massage to slightly but noticeably increase Roxy’s mobility and interest in exploring or moving to whatever room my wife and I are in. Also, LoGiudice is now inspired by the idea of using video and video chat to support clients in a way she hadn’t previously considered.

Downing agreed. “There’s no substitute for being hands-on with our patients, and for office visits, but you can certainly observe more remotely than what is possible in an exam room. And to schedule time for a virtual lesson in medical massage therapy, acupressure techniques, or teaching animals how to stretch are only a few examples.”

From her perspective of having known Roxy for more than half her life, Dr. Marks says, “I absolutely saw a difference in Roxy. What I really loved about this collaboration isn’t only about considering integrative care, it’s about how veterinarians are being creative to help all involved, especially at this time. And right now, we do need to be creative. I hope this specific type of partnership and using technology in the way we did with Roxy becomes a model, sticking around long after the pandemic.”

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Steve Dale, CABC (certified animal behavior consultant), hosts two national pet radio shows and is on WGN Radio, Chicago. He’s a regular contributor/columnist for many publications, including CATSTER, Veterinary Practice News, and the Journal of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. He’s appeared on dozens of TV shows, including Oprah, many Animal Planet Programs, and National Geographic Explorer. He has contributed to or authored many pet books and veterinary textbooks such as “The Cat: Clinical Medicine and Management” and co-edited Decoding Your Dog, by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. He speaks at conferences around the world. www.stevedale.tv.

Are Your Clients Raising Avian Junk-Food Junkies? What They Should Know About Feeding Birds

The idea that birds should eat all-seed diets likely has its roots in two facts:

  1. Many birds are uniquely adapted to eat seeds and nuts, able to effortlessly crack even the hardest shells and extract the tender insides.
  2. Birds love seeds.

If birds love seeds and are engineered to eat them, doesn’t it follow that the bulk of a pet bird’s diet should be seeds? Absolutely not.

The nutritional needs of our birds’ counterparts in the wild may well be quite different from those of our pet birds, living in luxury in our homes. Also, the nutritional makeup of what they eat in the wild may be quite different from what we feed them in our homes. They’re living very different lives!

All-seed diets make most pet birds sick over time, because seeds deny them the nutrients they need for longer-term survival, add nutritional components that are excessive and unhealthy, and ultimately weaken them to the point where other diseases find it easy to take hold. The fact that pet birds can survive at all on such diets is a testament to the toughness of birds.

An all-seed diet contributes both directly (through malnutrition) and indirectly (by weakening the bird, making it easier for infectious disease to take hold) to a serious reduction in the possible life span of any pet bird – by half or more in many cases.

But birds know what’s good for themselves, right? After all, parrots are very intelligent. Well, so are you, but we bet that fact hasn’t stopped you from enjoying tasty treats that you know aren’t good for you. For birds, seeds are the equivalent of a greasy burger: junk food. And it’s that high-fat component that tends to get them in trouble. Too many pet birds (and people) are junk-food junkies.

Pelleted foods are a solid basis for a bird’s diet, but even pellets, wonderful as they are, probably need to be supplemented with vegetables, fruits, and other such “people food” as bread and pasta. Giving different foods in addition to pellets is a way to replicate the way most psittacines eat in the wild, consuming a wide variety of foods that vary seasonally.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Excerpted from Birds For Dummies, 2nd ed., by Brian L. Speer, DVM, Kim Campbell Thornton and Gina Spadafori, Wiley, 2021.

 
 

Compulsive Behaviors in Cats: How to Recognize and Manage Them

Sandy RobinsIt’s not only people highlighted in reality TV shows who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorders; cats do, too. Repetitive and exaggerated behaviors such as sucking on fabrics and chewing plastics, excessive grooming, or bolt-out-of-the-blue aggression are signs of typical compulsive issues in cats. How a pet parent reacts to and understands these issues can go a long way toward controlling and even eradicating them.

According to feline behaviorists, neither age and nor gender are mitigating factors in compulsive behavior. However, wool sucking along with repetitive meowing has been found to be more common among so-called oriental breeds such as Siamese and Birman cats.

Dr. Nicholas Dodman, president and CEO of the Center for Canine Behavior Studies (they study feline behaviors too), who authored The Cat Who Cried for Help: Attitudes, Emotions, and the Psychology of Cats, ranks excessive grooming, known as psychogenic alopecia, as the most common abnormal repetitive behavior among cats generally. Wool-sucking and pica, the ingesting of weird objects, come in second, and, lastly, Dodman says that feline hyperesthesia, often referred to as twitchy skin syndrome, which results in a cat launching unprovoked attacks or suddenly appearing startled and then dashing away, is often also considered to be a compulsive disorder.

Psychogenic Alopecia

Cats are often mislabeled as independent, selfish, and uncaring creatures. In fact, the opposite applies; they are very caring and empathic and very conscious of their surroundings. Thus, all kinds of changes and conflict in their lives can evoke stress and anxiety. One common reaction to their personal situation is over-grooming.

“Feline psychogenic alopecia may begin as a displacement behavior arising from situations of conflict, frustration, or anxiety, but might in time become compulsive,” says Dodman. In an article published on the CCBS website, he spells it out: “The diagnosis of psychogenic alopecia as a compulsive disorder is reserved for those cases in which no underlying medical problem is evident.

“In most cats, over-grooming resulting in alopecia where they have pulled out chunks of fur and licked their skin raw, has an underlying skin disorder such as an allergic reaction to fleas or other external parasites. Inhalant allergies and even food allergies could be the root cause, and it’s important to seek veterinary assistance to rule all these causes out before the excessive grooming can be diagnosed as behavioral.”

In her book Cat vs Cat, Pam Johnson-Bennett says: “Because cats are such meticulous groomers, a cat parent may assume that the behavior is nothing unusual. Displacement grooming is a normal way for cats to recue their anxiety and calm themselves during or after a stressful situation. You may see this after a cat miscalculates a jump and falls to the floor. Although it may look as if she is embarrassed, it has more to do with her need to get her bearings because she was caught off-guard. Also being denied something she wants like getting on a counter and being repeatedly removed and even scolded can prompt displacement grooming,” she explains.

However, Johnson-Bennett points out that it’s easy to dismiss these small stressors. So, they build and suddenly the cat has huge bald patches!

“Interactive play comes to the rescue yet again,” she writes. “Use it to boost confidence and release endorphins.  Pouncing and play games offer mental and physical stimulation.” And she warns, “if you see your cat sitting in a particular position before she’s about to start compulsively grooming, get out the wand and other toys and play instead!”

But play may not be the complete answer. Sometimes medication is necessary to help break the cycle.

Wool Sucking and Pica

Cats who love to chew on a blanket or a piece of cloth may be likened to young children who walk around sucking on pacifiers or hugging security blankets. This behavior often occurs in kittens who have been removed from their mothers too young and have not had the opportunity to nurse until their mothers properly weaned them. Soft, cuddly fabrics become a substitute for mama cat.

The sucking itself is not a problem, but if the sucking turns into chewing and swallowing, it can lead to problems such as gastrointestinal obstructions. Boredom and loneliness, especially when cats are left alone all day, can lead to separation anxiety and can prompt them to turn to material sucking and chewing to soothe themselves. This can lead to pica, the ingestion of material, plastic, and other non-food items.

Often the urge to suck on fabrics subsides as a kitten becomes an adult. However, problematic chewing can recur in adulthood as a defense mechanism for dealing with a stressful situation such as household tensions between cats or separation anxiety.

In the case study on compulsive wool sucking published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior with which Dodman was involved, two hundred and four Siamese and Birman cats enrolled in the study were tracked for various physical characteristics, current and previous medical conditions, presence of an abnormally intense appetite, and environmental factors. The research ultimately showed that early weaning and small litter size were associated with increased risk of wool-sucking in Birmans only. The presence of a medical condition was associated with increased risk of wool-sucking in Siamese cats. The presence of an abnormally intense appetite was seen in all affected cats. However, no relationship was found between physical characteristics and wool-sucking in Siamese or Birman cats.

Dodman also points out that medical conditions that can trigger abnormal ingestion of inappropriate material include hunger, nutritional deficiencies such as anemia or inadequate dietary fiber, diabetes, or tumors.

Feline Hyperesthesia

“This is a complicated behavioral condition with some features that appear compulsive and others that appear frankly neurological,” says Dodman. “Because of the overlap between symptoms of other issues, it is thought to possibly be a form of partial seizures with compulsive components. There is an apparent sensitivity to touch (episodes may be induced by stroking along the spine), which can trigger attacks and accounts for the name of this syndrome,” he further explains.

Feline hyperesthesia is often referred to as rippling skin syndrome, rolling skin syndrome, or twitchy skin syndrome. Signs include dilation of pupils, excessive skin rippling, and frenetic self-directed grooming that may result in hair loss.  Grooming may be so intense it may manifest as self-directed aggression often focused on the tail (tail-chasing).

Affected cats may emit excessive and unusual vocalizations and appear to hallucinate (act afraid of their tail) and run away. They may appear “manic” (excited look, frantic running, jumping) and are frequently extremely sensitive to touch.  Sometimes aggressive bouts are preceded by attention-seeking and enhanced affection to people. Affected cats are often anxious and restless, constantly wandering and pacing. Sometimes the aggression can be directed at people.

“Almost all aggressive behavior can be traced back to a specific cause. Idiopathic aggression – the name given to totally unprovoked aggression that has no known cause — is rare,” says Johnson-Bennett. “This type of aggression is too difficult and too dangerous for a cat parent to try and correct without professional help.”

Helping Owners

Advise cat parents to be on the lookout for excessive sucking or chewing on fabrics, behaviors such as hunting and pouncing at unseen prey, running and chasing, paw shaking, freezing, excessive vocalization and a manic look, self-directed aggression such as tail chasing, and overgrooming to the point of pulling out fur in patches. While these may start out as signs of conflict or anxiety, if not attended to, they can become compulsive disorders over time.

Ask cat parents about conflicts in the home and whether there are ways to eliminate it. They may need a referral to a veterinary behavior specialist who can help them to recognize and manage such conflicts, whether they are between cats and humans, cats and other cats, or cats and other animals in the home. Other things to try:

  • Environment enrichment may help to distract a cat from compulsive behavior.
  • A tall cat tree or cat condo strategically placed near a window helps keep cats engaged.
  • A fountain not only attracts a cat to drink water but also adds sound and motion enhancements to the environment.
  • Offer the cat an indoor garden of safe plants to nibble on, ideally placed near a water fountain or water dish.
  • Wand toys allow cats to chase, pounce, and play.
  • For cats who enjoy exploring, leash-training can provide safe outdoor excursions. A catio is another option that can provide distractions from self-harming.
  • Suggest puzzles that can be filled with treats or a portion of a meal.
  • If wool sucking or over-grooming are involved, a diet that includes a high-fiber kibble may help redirect the cat from compulsive behaviors to focus on nibbling. A veterinary nutritionist may have suggestions.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Sandy Robins is an award-winning pet lifestyle journalist and author of For the Love of Cats, Fabulous Felines: Health and Beauty Secrets for the Pampered Cat, The Original Cat Bible, and Making the Most of All Nine Lives: The Extraordinary Life of Buffy The Cat.
 
 

The Importance of Managing Pain in the Fear Free Practice

Michael Petty, DVM, CVPP, CVMA, CCRTIf you have ever hit your finger with a hammer, the immediate response is often one of surprise or even frustration. The next day, as you are having trouble using that finger, a common emotion is disappointment at the discomfort you are experiencing and wishing that you had been more careful. What causes that reaction?

The “fear center” and the “pain center” occupy adjacent areas of the brain. The thalamus is the area of the brain that registers pain, and on either side of the thalamus is the limbic system, which is responsible for emotions including fear, anxiety, and the sequelae of stress (FAS).

These two areas of the brain “talk” to each other and send signals back and forth. The thalamus sending signals to the limbic system is what causes your reaction to hitting your finger with a hammer. When this thalamic-limbic crosstalk happens in an animal in acute pain, the animal may lash out at the owner or veterinary staff.

So now consider an animal who is in pain and has been presented to you. If experiencing acute pain, the animal may lash out due to a combination of pain and FAS. If experiencing chronic pain, many of these pets act dull and disinterested. The owner may even comment that the pet just doesn’t socialize and lacks the energy and mobility that she used to demonstrate. Even worse is the animal who has chronic pain, say from osteoarthritis, and now has an acute injury on top of it. The distress in some of these animals is almost too much to bear.

It is easy for us to recognize and treat acute pain, but the diagnosis of chronic pain states can be difficult for a variety of reasons. It takes time to take a thorough history and perform a complete pain exam on dogs and cats. However, there are many resources available to make that task easier, including pet owner-friendly screening checklists for osteoarthritis (Cat, Dog) and expert tips for the OA exam (feline OA exam).

Even with successful diagnosis, the treatment of chronic pain can sometimes be difficult especially if your treatment is narrow in focus. But it is essential to make a timely diagnosis of chronic pain and provide effective analgesia to be successful in therapy. And it is also important that the owner understands your diagnosis, whether through education alone or with the help of radiographs and teaching tools (feline and canine chronic pain). The owner is an essential member of the pain treatment team, both in the evaluation of treatments over time but also in enlisting them in the day to day therapies that might be required.

My approach to the treatment of chronic pain in dogs, for example, is to build a pyramid of treatments, and on the base layer I start with an NSAID. The NSAID I use most commonly is Rimadyl® (carprofen), which I really like for its effects on both pain and inflammation. For many chronic OA cases, there are other factors that can influence the ability to manage both pain and disease progression, and they should all be looked at.

For example, consider the animal next. Is he overweight? One study showed that in an obese dog, losing only about 10 percent of body weight can significantly improve lameness1. In other words, weight loss for an overweight dog can amplify the pain relief achieved with an NSAID alone

What about exercise? Again, one human study showed that one-half hour of exercise 5 days a week for people with knee OA was the equivalent of – you guessed it: an NSAID! So now you have tripled your pain-relieving efforts by building a solid foundation of multi-modal therapies, upon which you can add other therapies as needed.

It is beyond the scope of this writing to discuss all possible treatments: medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, and so forth, but I encourage everyone to read or re-read the 2015 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines for a thorough review of all of the pain management options we have for both acute and chronic pain.

What does the future hold for us? The most exciting thing I have seen on the horizon is the introduction of anti-NGF monoclonal antibodies. NGF, or Nerve Growth Factor, is one of several major “players” in the transmission of pain via the nociceptors. The use of these monoclonal antibodies holds great promise to reduce the sensation of pain in our patients with osteoarthritis. More information about the action of anti-NGF monoclonal antibodies can be found at the New Science of OA Pain website.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR RIMADYL: As a class, NSAIDs may be associated with gastrointestinal, kidney and liver side effects. These are usually mild but may be serious. Pet owners should discontinue therapy and contact their veterinarian immediately if side effects occur. Evaluation for pre-existing conditions and regular monitoring are recommended for pets on any medication, including Rimadyl. Use with other NSAIDs or corticosteroids should be avoided.

See full Prescribing Information at:
https://www2.zoetisus.com/content/_assets/docs/Petcare/rimadyl-prescribing-information.pdf

Reference:

  1. Marshall WG, Hazewinkel HA, Mullen D, et al. The effect of weight loss on lameness in obese dogs with osteoarthritis. Vet Res Commun 2010;34(3):241–53.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.Sponsored by our friends at Zoetis Petcare. ©2021 Zoetis Services LLC. All rights reserved RIM-00324

Repairing a Broken Human-Animal Bond

Rachel Lees RVT, KPA CTP, VTS (Behavior)As a veterinary behavior team member, I strive to strengthen and improve the human-animal bond in every patient and client I encounter. In behavior medicine, though, we are often fighting a losing battle. By the time clients find us, they have exhausted funds trying different training techniques. The relationship between person and pet is hanging by a thread.

These battered bonds are often related to behavior problems such as destruction to the home, inappropriate elimination, and aggression. In a 2013 study by Jennifer Y. Kwan and Melissa Bain, 65 percent of owners relinquished pets for behavior reasons. This study also supported the use of positive reinforcement, finding that use of punishment-based methods resulted in less satisfaction with a pet’s behavior, which can be damaging to the bond.1

The word “repair” means to restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken or to restore to a sound or healthy state. How can we repair a nearly broken human-animal bond?  The role of a veterinary technician or assistant can be crucial in mending and strengthening this bond.

A skilled veterinary behavior professional should be able to demonstrate the prescribed behavioral therapy plans, coach the client through them, and be flexible with both pet and owner learning styles.2 In my practice, I describe my role as “case manager”:  the person with whom each client is in contact with most frequently. It is my job to relay information clearly and effectively to the veterinarian and be sure that the entire behavior team (veterinarian, trainer, and owner) are working toward the common goal of restoring the bond.

Counseling aspects of behavioral medicine and marriage/family therapy have many commonalities.3 One of the most profound similarities is how change occurs in the context of treatment. In behavior medicine, our clients may come in with negative thoughts, anger, and fears associated with their pet. The veterinary technician or assistant’s role in the behavior team is to change the emotional experience of the pet along with that of the pet owner. When a family walks into our practice and their pet has been displaying owner-related aggression, my first questions are the following:

  • How are you feeling about your pet?
  • Do you feel safe in your home?
  • What is your current relationship with the pet?

The client needs to express their concerns if treatment is going to be attempted. Behavioral therapy is essential, but the context and triggers of the problem are less important until people can form a more positive association with the pet. After the veterinarian discusses the behavioral diagnosis, I typically break down the information in a more down to earth fashion so the entire family can understand the mental concerns their pet has developed. In this way, the family can begin to relate to the pet and see things through their eyes, and this can jump-start the process of rebuilding the bond.

A second similarity to human-based therapy is the difficulties and barriers associated with clients.4 Most of our clients walk into the consultation room and expect to be told they did something wrong. They may be defensive, anxious, and closed off, reluctant to give a detailed behavioral history, which can impact treatment.

Sometimes clients are fearful about sharing a pet’s aggressive behaviors because they do not want to euthanize their pet. They feel as if they will be judged and forced to make an unwanted decision. One of my strongest skills as a behavior team member is gaining the trust of clients and building a strong rapport early on. I want each client and pet to have a wonderful experience with our clinic, but I also want to have a strong connection with that client, share empathy, and understand each issue from their perspective.

Clients may be at the end of their rope, but usually there is an inch of that rope left to work with. I think of the rope as the bond between owner and pet. Hang on to that tiny piece as it is still technically intact! Each client walks into the practice for a reason even if there is only a tiny strand of the bond remaining. If you can open them up, connect, and gain their trust, you can begin to reshape the negativity they feel toward their pet and repair the relationship.

One of the most important terms when repairing the human-animal bond is “empathy,” the ability to have a deep emotional understanding of another’s feelings and experiences.5 For veterinary behavior team members, this ability is crucial for success with any client or patient.  They should be able to identify and empathize with the fear and anxiety the pet and client may be experiencing. This is the first step in modifying the behavior of both. Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg stated it best: “When we understand the needs that motivate ourselves and others’ behaviors, we have no enemies.” 6

I think this is important to recognize when working to rebuild or strengthen a human-animal bond. It is important for the client and veterinary behavior team to see things from the pet’s perspective. The client can then learn that the pet is not their enemy. The pet is not performing these behaviors to spite them. The pet is fearful, stressed, or anxious and may be trying to keep themselves safe.  Being able to take a walk in someone else’s shoes, or paws, is a vital step in deepening the human-animal bond.

Mending the human-animal bond is not an easy task. It takes the expertise of a strong, educated, and skilled veterinary behavior team to even begin to reunite and mend the connection between client and pet. When working in a general practice, any sign that the human-animal bond is deteriorating between a client and patient should be brought to the team’s attention so the veterinarian can make a referral to a veterinary behavior practice.

As veterinary team members, we all want to save the lives of pets. This begins with keeping a strong bond between client and pet. Giving appropriate, science-based recommendations on training and behavioral therapy can be the first step in this process, starting with puppy and kitten visits. If we all work toward a common goal, we can make a difference.

References: 

  1. Kwan Y. Jennifer, Bain J. Melissa. Owner Attachment and Problem Behaviors Related to Relinquishment and Training Techniques of Dogs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. 2013; 168-183. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2013.768923

2-6.  Shaw K. Julie, Martin Debbie.  Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. 1st edition.  John Wiley; 2015.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Rachel Lees, an Elite Fear Free Certified Professional, is a veterinary technician specialist in behavior, a KPA certified training partner, and lead veterinary behavior technician at The Behavior Clinic in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. She loves helping people create and maintain a strong human-animal bond.
 
 
|||||||

How Animal Shelters “Catify” to Benefit Cats and Adopters

Jen ReederFor too long, a common refrain uttered by people thinking of getting a new cat was, “I’d go to a shelter but it’s too sad.”

Fortunately, rescue advocates across America are working to change that perception by creating cat-friendly shelters that offer enrichment along with aesthetically pleasing designs.

Kate Benjamin, coauthor of the bestselling books “Catification” and “Catify to Satisfy,” which she wrote with Animal Planet star Jackson Galaxy, and founder of Hauspanther, a company that helps people and organizations design cat-friendly spaces, said “catifying” shelters benefits cats, caregivers, and potential adopters. The overarching approach is to create a space as inviting as a cat café.

“If you can see a cat being a cat – really climbing and scratching and playing and being a cat, not just hiding in a cage – you can picture that cat in your home,” she said. “You can get to know their personality better.”

Cats can feel stress in an unfamiliar environment such as a shelter, where they might not be able to engage in typical feline behavior like climbing, hiding, and scratching. So Benjamin said a top priority is creating hiding spaces, such as installing wooden, painted boxes on the ground or on walls.

“Hiding spaces have been proven in scientific studies to help reduce stress in cats. It gives them choice and control over their environment,” she said. “This is a great DIY project if a shelter has somebody who has power tools and some woodworking skills.”

She noted hiding spaces can be up high to allow climbing and perching, since cats feel safer with a better view of their surroundings. Other design suggestions include the following:

    • Cat trees and towers. Just be sure they aren’t covered in carpet and are painted and sealed for easy cleaning.
    • Shelves and cat hammocks. Benjamin offers hammock designs that can easily be crafted from fleece by volunteers and hung in boxes or mounted to a climbing wall.
    • Ramps. These are terrific for kittens or senior cats with mobility issues.
    • Benches near cat cubby holes. Potential adopters can sit near the cats and have a better chance for interaction.
    • Thoughtful toy storage. Instead of tossing toys in a pile on the floor, Benjamin suggests creating a storage or display system so a visitor can easily grab a wand toy and play with the cats.
    • Catios. These screened outdoor patios give shelter cats protected time outdoors.
    • Color-themed blankets. Matching blankets can be comfortable for cats and make the space more appealing to potential adopters.

    Benjamin emphasized that shelter staff shouldn’t feel overwhelmed if they don’t have much money or space for renovations. It’s fine to start small.

    “You can just buy $4 shelves and install them properly – make sure all the cracks are sealed,” she says.

    If a shelter only has a closet that’s used for out-of-cage time and meet and greets, she says to avoid just putting a folding chair inside.

    “Maybe you only have $500 to work with. Build a bench, put the litter box underneath it, add some shelves, maybe a piece of art on the wall, a hiding box,” she advises. “Somebody just has to be committed to making that happen.”

    Benjamin credits Kate Hurley, DVM, and her colleagues at the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program with helping to fuel the “catification” movement through scientific research, as well as cat lovers who work and volunteer in shelters but may have already catified their homes. (Durability and the need for sanitizing are two big differences between residential and shelter catification.)

    Often working with Rescue Rebuild, a program of Greater Good Charities, Benjamin has helped transform cat spaces at shelters like Santé D’Or in Los Angeles, Calif.;  Dumb Friends League in Denver, Colorado; Liberty Humane Society in Jersey City, New Jersey; and the domestic violence shelter Sojourner Center in Phoenix, Ariz., which has a companion animal program.

    Her latest project is Operation Catification, a training program for shelters set to launch in January 2022. Shelter representatives can apply for the 12-week course, which Benjamin will instruct; at the end of the course, some of the final projects will receive grants, and one shelter will win a full makeover with Rescue Rebuild. (Interested animal shelters can email the program coordinator at OperationCatification@GreaterGood.org to be notified as soon as the application period begins.)

    “The idea is to create an environment that brings out the best in cats because it reduces that fear, anxiety and stress, and shows them off in their best light,” Benjamin said. “Catification is mostly environmental enrichment for cats – then it has this extra icing on the cake of being beautiful.”

    This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

    Award-winning journalist Jen Reeder is former president of the Dog Writers Association of America. She hiked over 1,000 miles to fundraise for Blackhat Humane Society on the Navajo Nation using the Walk for a Dog app.
     Photos, top to bottom: Kate Benjamin for Sojourner Center; courtesy Dumb Friends League; Kate Benjamin for Sante D’Or; courtesy Rescue Rebuild for Liberty Humane Society; courtesy Rescue Rebuild for Liberty Humane Society
     
     

From Hiss to Kiss: Feral Kitten Clicker Training

Nancy PetersonClicker training is a simple and fun way to replace unwanted behaviors in frightened kittens with new, desirable behaviors. A tool called a clicker is used. If the sound of the clicker frightens the kitten, a quieter, retractable ballpoint pen can be used. Here’s how it works.

A kitten hisses as you approach the cage. Wait until she stops hissing, click and toss in a treat as close to her as possible, and quietly step back. It shouldn’t take long for her to realize that she gets two rewards when she’s not hissing: a treat and the scary person steps back.

Even if the kitten doesn’t eat the treat, she’s learning. If she eats, repeat your approach, click, treat and back away for two or three more times. If she doesn’t eat after the first few clicks, come back later and try again. Paws up if she ate the treats while you were gone. If she left the treats, carefully remove them and try again the next day with better treats.

What Makes Clicker Training So Effective?

The click lets you capture the exact moment that is being rewarded, and the kitten will make the association between her action and the click and treat. Once the desired behavior is learned, the kitten will let you approach without a click or treat.

Clicker training puts the kitten in control. She chooses to repeat the behavior because she understands that something positive will follow. In a shelter where she may feel like she has lost all control, this is powerful.

You might wonder why clicking is preferable to a “yes” or “good” to mark the behavior. It’s because the kitten will only hear the clicker sound during training, whereas “good” or “yes” are words she’ll hear in other situations. This can confuse her, and the words may lose their meaningfulness. In addition, people’s speech varies, but the sound of the clicker is consistent.

How Else Can Clicker Training Be Used?

When you’re clicker training, you may “catch” the kitten doing something you want repeated. For example, if your goal is for her to come to the front of the crate, click and toss in a treat if she takes even one step toward the front.

As the kitten begins accepting the click-and-treat game, up the ante by putting the treat nearer to the front of the crate. Step back and let the kitten finish the treat. Then, stand still and watch for any movement toward the front of the crate. Click exactly during that movement, give the treat, and step back. The kitten is learning that she can make you click and treat if she moves toward the front of the crate. Once she understands that a step toward the front of the crate is rewarded, wait for her to take two steps before clicking and treating.

When a behavior is understood, give it a name, or cue, such as “Come.” Once the cue is learned, it’s not necessary to click, and rewards can be given less frequently.

How Long Should a Clicker Training Session Last?

Sessions that are five minutes or shorter and more frequent will be more effective than longer, less frequent sessions. Keeping a training log may be helpful to monitor the kitten’s progress and, if you’re working with more than one kitten, reduce confusion on your part.

What Treat and When?

Pick a time when the kitten is hungry and a treat that is pea-size (you can break up a larger treat) and soft so the kitten can eat it quickly. That way she remembers why she got the treat and is more likely to repeat the behavior.

What’s a Target Stick and How Is It Used?

A target stick can be a plastic spoon (easy to disinfect) with a long handle. The goal is to get the kitten to touch her nose to the end of the handle, which you place near the crate door. Hold the spoon end and the clicker in the same hand. (When the clicker is held in the same hand as the spoon, the noise it makes can seem loud to a kitten. If the kitten is frightened by the noise, switch the clicker to the other hand so it’s farther away.)

If the kitten is scared by the handle, smear tasty canned food on the end. The moment she moves toward it, even if she just turns her face to it, click, remove the spoon and toss in a treat. The moment she finishes the treat, offer the handle again. If she doesn’t make any movement, place the handle an inch or two in front of her. Click and treat when she touches the handle with her nose.

Once she reliably touches the handle, offer it to her at a slight distance, so she has to move toward it. Are we having fun yet? Let the kitten absorb the experience, and train again in a few hours or the next day.

What’s the Best Way to Use the Target Stick?

Once the kitten is eagerly touching the target stick, raise the bar by getting her to follow the stick back and forth across the tabletop or onto your lap.

Do Kittens Need to Be Separated for Clicker Training?

Because they learn from one another, it can be beneficial to initially keep kittens together in their crate and train them together. A more frightened kitten may see her bolder littermate getting treats and decide you’re not so bad after all. On the other hand, it may incite aggression between kittens so observe carefully to determine whether to train them together or separately.

Clicker training is fun. It can be used to teach many practical behaviors, such as come, or tricks, such as “high five.” Practice clicker training with your personal pets to help you get the hang of it so you can effectively socialize frightened furballs. You’ll increase their chances of adoption into a forever home, and that’s worth lots of clicks and treats!

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Nancy Peterson worked as a registered veterinary technician, trainer of dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness, and was Community Cats Program Manager for The Humane Society of the United States. She retired in 2015 and currently serves on the boards of Neighborhood Cats and The National Kitten Coalition. Nancy volunteers as a foster and cat cuddler for her local animal shelter, Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). During COVID, she became an avid birder and is working to protect cats and birds by building bridges between cat and bird advocates.

Resources

“Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats,” by Karen Pryor

“Fearful Kitten Socialization 101”

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/590a7f1303596e669d422f5d/t/5ed50c3595645801a7a41f3e/1591020601625/Fearful+Kitten+Socialization+101.pdf

From Hiss to Kiss: Feral Kitten Socialization

Nancy PetersonSocialization prepares kittens to interact and be comfortable with people, other animals, objects, environments and activities. It can be very rewarding to turn hissing kittens into purring furballs.

However, when there are so many kittens who need homes, socializing those with the best chance of being adopted is important. Generally, the younger the kittens, the quicker they’ll socialize.

Kitten socialization can take from two to six weeks, depending on their age, personality inherited from their mother, friendliness inherited from their father and their early socialization experiences.

Although feral kittens can be weaned at 4 weeks of age, they have the best chance of survival with their healthy mom. For that reason, trap mom and her kittens when they’re 6 weeks old.

At that age, the kittens are still within the primary socialization window, from 2 to 7 weeks of age, when It’s easiest to socialize them. That said, older kittens may still come around since individuals develop at different rates.

Generally, feral kittens older than 16 weeks should be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped (the universal sign of a spayed/neutered cat) and returned to their colony. That frees up cage space and staff time for younger kittens.

Housing the family apart from the general kitten population may be impractical, but options exist. Use a quiet one- or two-person office, which allows the family to become comfortable in an indoor environment and daily human activities.

Place a large wire crate with small openings (so kitten body parts don’t get stuck) on a table in the office. Include a hiding box, facing away from the front of the crate, in the crate. Cover the crate with a lightweight sheet that you retract as the family grows more secure.

Food is one of the best tools for socializing kittens. Kitten kibble should always be available, but toss in small, tasty morsels when you approach the crate so kittens and mom look forward to your presence.

When you feed wet food, first place the bowls toward the back of the crate; stay nearby when you provide wet food and treats to help create trust and positive associations with you. Move closer to the crate each time you feed. Then move the bowls closer and closer to the front of the crate and remain close.

If after three days, mom is still highly stressed and charges you when you approach the crate, spay, vaccinate, deworm, ear tip, and return her to her colony.

Older kittens who have learned to swat and bite and continue doing so 1 and a half weeks after removing mom should be spayed, vaccinated, ear tipped, and returned to their colony.

If the kittens are only hissing and spitting, carry on. However, if one isn’t coming around, house him in another location and work with him individually. You can return him to his siblings once he has progressed.

When they’re eating wet food at the front of the crate, try “petting” kittens on their face and chin with a toothbrush through the crate. Offer your bent forefinger through the crate near their bowl and see if they rub against it.

Don’t offer food on your finger or allow kittens to play with your hand. They may accidentally bite or scratch you, teaching them it’s okay to bite and scratch.

Since most feral kittens are initially frightened by interactive toys, start with one that isn’t too threatening, such as a wand toy, that allows you to play with them from a distance through the crate. Aim for small sessions, while talking on the phone or attending an online webinar, for a total of two hours a day.

Once the kittens allow you to touch them through the crate, try the following while they’re eating in the crate, but not after playing with them as they’ll be too worked up.

  • Rest your hand in the crate.
  • Put light pressure on their sides and gently move them from one food bowl to another.
  • Put gentle pressure on their underside in preparation to being picked up.
  • Lift them slightly, facing away from you, with both hands. Gradually lift them a bit longer and higher.

If there’s no struggling or tension, move one kitten at a time out the door; then quickly return him to the crate. Progress until you can lift the kitten out of the crate to a dish of food placed just beyond the door. If the kitten runs back into the crate, leave the crate door open and see if he ventures out on his own.

Once they’re comfortable outside the crate, briefly cuddle each kitten close to your body so they feel your warmth and heartbeat. When kittens are relaxed being held, cuddle them often. Once they seek your company, have other people provide treats and petting in preparation for the kittens’ adoption into a forever home.

If possible, adopt kittens in pairs or into a home with other friendly cats and no young children whose erratic movements and loud voices would be scary. Inform potential adopters that the kittens were feral and provide adopters with the resources listed at the end of this article so they understand the importance of socialization.

As with all new pets, adopted kittens should initially be confined to a kitten-proofed room with food, water, litter box, bed and toys. Hiding is normal and kittens shouldn’t be grabbed and dragged out. They can be lured with a toy onto their adopter’s lap.

Giving kittens time to adjust by talking, playing, petting and offering special treats will build trust and create a lasting bond.

Resources:

http://torontoferalcatcoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/10-the_behaviour_dept_taming_feral_cats.pdf

https://marketplace.animalsheltering.org/magazine/articles/kitty-their-hands\

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202003/the-cat-human-relationship-and-factors-affect-it

https://catvets.com/public/PDFs/PracticeGuidelines/FelineBehaviorGLS.pdf

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.

Nancy Peterson worked as a registered veterinary technician, trainer of dogs for people with disabilities other than blindness, and was Community Cats Program Manager for The Humane Society of the United States. She retired in 2015 and currently serves on the boards of Neighborhood Cats and The National Kitten Coalition. Nancy volunteers as a foster and cat cuddler for her local animal shelter, Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). During COVID, she became an avid birder and is working to protect cats and birds by building bridges between cat and bird advocates.
Older posts
Newer posts