By Dr. Nicole Fulcher, Director, Animal Medical Center of Mid-America You’ve probably seen the funny videos on social media. A dog, high off second-hand smoke, starring into space in their owner’s hazy living room. Maybe the pup is off-balance stumbling a bit when it walks. While this may appear to be harmless fun, comparable to giving a cat catnip, the …
How to Recognize Pain in Aging Cats
As cats age, we generally see changes in their behavior. The wild and crazy playful activities we associate with kittens gives way to adult cats sleeping in the sun and prowling around the house. We commonly presume senior cats will take even longer naps in the sun or on our beds. It is important, however, to differentiate normal feline behaviors …
Cat Behavior Problems — Obesity and Behavior
My cat is overweight, and I have tried putting him on different diets from the veterinarian but without success. Is there anything else I can do to help him lose weight? Losing weight is often a difficult process and animals, like people, often take weeks or months to shed those unwanted pounds. Feeding a prescription weight reduction diet is certainly …
Cat Behavior and Training — Neutering and Behavior
Most male animals that are kept for companionship, work, or food production (stallions, dogs, tomcats, bulls, rams and boars) are neutered (castrated) unless they are intended to be used as breeding stock. This is a common practice to prevent unacceptable sexual behavior, reduce aggressiveness, and prevent accidental or indiscriminate breeding. The intact male (tomcat) is likely to roam, fight with …
Behavior Counseling — Compulsive, Stereotypic and Displacement Disorders
What is a displacement behavior? Displacement behaviors are usually normal behaviors that are performed at an inappropriate time, appearing out of context for the occasion. Displacement behaviors arise from situations of either conflict or frustration. Conflict refers to the situation in which an animal is motivated to perform two or more competing behaviors (e.g., approach or withdraw, greeting but fear …
Behavior Management Products
What products are available to help prevent undesirable behavior? There are numerous products on the market that have been designed to help prevent undesirable behavior in pets. Leashes, harnesses, and head halters are needed to keep pets under control, especially when outdoors. A crate, cage or X-pen provides a safe comfortable home for the dog when the owners are not …
Behavior Problems — Getting Started
Why might my pet have behavior problems? Jumping up, pulling and lunging, digging, garbage raiding, stealing, chewing, barking, house soiling, and even some forms of aggression such as possessiveness and territorial guarding may all be normal for a dog or cat, but are unacceptable behaviors to most owners. Treatment of these problems will focus on environmental management and behavior modification, …
Cats and the Perils of Outdoor Living
Many cat owners worry that making their cats stay inside is unnatural and deprives them of their need to roam, explore, and meet other cats. However, in our modern world, the risks of an outdoor life are far greater than the benefits. This handout answers some of the questions you may have about letting your cat spend time outdoors. I …
AVSAB Position Statement — The Use of Punishment for Behavior Modification in Animals
AVSAB’s position is that punishment (e.g. choke chains, pinch collars, and electronic collars) should not be used as a first-line or early-use treatment for behavior problems. This is due to the potential adverse effects which include but are not limited to: inhibition of learning, increased fear-related and aggressive behaviors, and injury to animals and people interacting with animals. AVSAB recommends …
Aggression in Cats – Toward Other Household Cats
What is the best way to safely introduce (or reintroduce) a cat into the household? In order to ensure that there are no injuries and that all introductions are positive, a desensitization and counterconditioning program is the best way to ease or re-introduce a cat into a household. Begin by confining the “new” cat to a separate room or portion …
