Academic literature on the topic 'Cats – Behavior'

Family felidae, the order of carnivores, includes Felis Domestica. Domestic cats can be kept as pets, wild domestic cats typically cluster in close proximity to human settlements. Feral domestic cats typically make use of human food resources that have been left over. As a result, the purpose of this research is to determine the variety of domestic cat behaviors in the area of Gampong Meurandeh and Gampong Teungoh in the Langsa Lama District of Langsa City in Aceh. The method used to observe the average daily behavior of domestic cats is by using survey methods and scan sampling carried out at 15 minute intervals. There were three categories of the observed cat's daily behavior: affiliative behavior, self-preservation, and negative behavior. Based on the study's findings, differences in daily behavior based on Gampong differences and time differences were dominated by self-care behavior, then affiliative behavior and then negative behavior. The morning and afternoon feeding times of the cats and humans in the two villages were not significantly different.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the impact of onychectomy (declawing) upon subsequent development of back pain and unwanted behavior in cohorts of treated and control cats housed in two different locations. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study. In total, there was 137 declawed and 137 non-declawed cats, of which 176 were owned cats (88 declawed, 88 non-declawed) and 98 were shelter cats (49 declawed and 49 non-declawed). All cats were physically examined for signs of pain and barbering. The previous 2 years of medical history were reviewed for documented unwanted behavior such as inappropriate elimination and biting with minimal provocation and aggression. All declawed cats were radiographed for distal limb abnormalities, including P3 (third phalanx) bone fragments. The associations of declaw surgery with the outcomes of interest were examined using χ2 analysis, two sample t-tests and manual, backwards, stepwise logistic regression. Results Significant increases in the odds of back pain (odds ratio [OR] 2.9), periuria/perichezia (OR 7.2), biting (OR 4.5) and barbering (OR 3.06) occurred in declawed compared with control cats. Of the 137 declawed cats, 86 (63%) showed radiographic evidence of residual P3 fragments. The odds of back pain (OR 2.66), periuria/perichezia (OR 2.52) and aggression (OR 8.9) were significantly increased in declawed cats with retained P3 fragments compared with those declawed cats without. Optimal surgical technique, with removal of P3 in its entirety, was associated with fewer adverse outcomes and lower odds of these outcomes, but operated animals remained at increased odds of biting (OR 3.0) and undesirable habits of elimination (OR 4.0) compared with non-surgical controls. Conclusions and relevance Declawing cats increases the risk of unwanted behaviors and may increase risk for developing back pain. Evidence of inadequate surgical technique was common in the study population. Among declawed cats, retained P3 fragments further increased the risk of developing back pain and adverse behaviors. The use of optimal surgical technique does not eliminate the risk of adverse behavior subsequent to onychectomy.

Aggression is an important behavioral problem in cats. This issue can occur as a reaction when there is disease or pain in a normal cat. The aim of this study is to evaluate the behavior changes of cats exposed to trauma using behavior scoring system and demeanour scoring system. In this study consisted of 135 cats of different breeds, ages and genders with high rise syndrome and traffic accidents. These cats were given a detailed clinical and radiological examination. Demeanour scoring system, behavior tests, and visual analog scale were used to identify behavior changes and pain in cats. The findings from this study showed that cats exposed to trauma may experience behavioral changes or agression, and this may result from pain or stress from trauma. As a result, stress from trauma in cats can also lead to a change in behavior, a temporary aggressiveness.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of physical environmental enrichment on the agonistic behavior of 30 cats housed in the "Rescue Mission" shelter. In the pre-enrichment period, a significant increase in agonistic behaviors was observed, such as 205 paw swipes and 184 vocalizations. After implementing crates and shelves as enrichment, a gradual reduction of these behaviors was recorded. Comparison of the two types of enrichment revealed that the cats preferred the 282 boxes over the 170 shelves. As for the relationship between enrichment and sex, age and body condition of the cats, statistically significant relationships were found. Taken together, these results point to the significant influence of sex, age, and body condition on cats' environmental enrichment preferences. These findings highlight the importance of environmental enrichment in improving the welfare of cats in shelters and homes, and provide relevant information for decision making in the management of these animals. It is concluded that the implementation of effective environmental enrichment strategies can reduce stress and improve the behavior of cats, promoting a more harmonious coexistence among felines.

Objective To identify feline and household characteristics associated with relinquishment of a pet cat to an animal shelter. Design Case-control study. Sample Population Households that relinquished cats for adoption (case households) and a random sample of current cat-owning households in the same community (control households). Results Potentially modifiable risk factors with the highest population attributable risk for relinquishment were owners having specific expectations about the cat's role in the household, allowing the cat outdoors, owning a sexually intact cat, never having read a book about cat behavior, cats having daily or weekly inappropriate elimination, and inappropriate care expectations. Frequency of inappropriate elimination and aggression toward people were not associated with declaw status, but these behaviors were more common among sexually intact cats, compared with sterilized cats. Owners of cats in case households were more likely than owners in control households to cite cost of sterilization as a reason a cat was sexually intact. Cats found as strays and cats acquired with minimal planning were at decreased risk of relinquishment. Clinical Implications—The identified risk factors can be modified by cat owners and veterinarians to decrease the estimated 4 million cats euthanatized annually in animal shelters. Owner education programs are needed as well as increased awareness on the part of cat owners and veterinarians of the importance of resolving feline inappropriate elimination problems. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1996;209:582-588)

Correlation of histopathology with the behavior of cutaneous mastocytomas in 85 cats revealed two distinct histologic subtypes which were predictive of biologic behavior. The first subtype comprised 65 cats of various breeds which had solitary, discrete, dermal tumors composed of slightly atypical mast cells. Most tumors in this group were histologically and behaviorally benign. However, seven solitary tumors with marked anisocytosis and mitotic activity recurred or spread to other sites within 2 to 3 months. The second subtype occurred in 18 cats which had discrete subcutaneous nodules composed primarily of histiocyte-like cells with equivocal cytoplasmic granularity after staining with toluidine blue. They were identified as mast cells by electron microscopy. Seventeen of the 18 affected cats were Siamese. The histiocytic mastocytomas occurred predominantly in young cats (<4 years) and were usually multiple. In the four cats of this group for which we have prolonged follow-up data, the tumors underwent apparently spontaneous regression within 2 years of initial tumor detection. Two other cats had tumors which contained mixtures of mast cell and histiocytic morphologies.

This study consisted of an online survey based on a convenience sample among cat owners in Sweden. The aim was to investigate how owner and cat characteristics influenced the perceived behavior of cats, focusing on perceived behavioral or temperamental problems. The relation between owner knowledge, the provided environment, and owner perceived behavior of 3253 pet cats were investigated. Few respondents (18%) reported behavioral or temperamental problems, and consequently 82% perceived no problem whatsoever. Fewer cats with outdoor access were reported to display behavioral or temperamental problems. However, there was no effect of the length of time a cat was left home alone. Having studied animal behavior at university level influenced the perception of some cat behaviors, but not the incidence of reporting perceived problems. Many owners did not believe that it was possible to prevent behavioral problems in cats by training (58.5%), and many owners thought that cats could manage independently on their own (66%). Attitudes like this can cause challenges in the owner–cat interactions. The perception of problems with cats will be influenced by factors relating to husbandry routines such as outdoor access, which in the future could help to implement recommendations for cat husbandry and care.

Practical relevance: Cats are one of the most common companion animals in the world. However, relatively little scientific research has been conducted on cat behavior. With problem behaviors a leading reason for relinquishment of cats to shelters, or abandonment outdoors, solutions to address feline behavioral problems can have important welfare benefits. Because naturally occurring pheromones produce measurable species-specific responses in cats, the use of synthetic pheromone products consisting of the same compounds may activate a specific behavioral response in the receiving individual, allowing humans to better communicate with cats and manage feline problem behavior. Aims: In this article the scientific background for naturally occurring feline pheromones and semiochemicals and their impact on cat behavior is reviewed. This is used as a foundation to explore the three feline synthetic pheromones currently available and the empirical evidence that exists for their effectiveness. From this information, several recommendations for veterinarians and behavior professionals on the application of feline pheromone therapy in the home and veterinary clinic setting are presented. Evidence base: The efficacy of synthetic pheromones as a tool for the management of problem behaviors is a relatively new area of research and only fairly recently has the need to implement more rigorous research methodology been recognized.

AbstrakFeral cat merupakan kucing domestik liar yang umumnya hidup berkelompok di sekitar habitat manusia. Kucing domestik liar cenderung memanfaatkan sumber daya antropogenik dibanding mencari makan sendiri. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membandingkan serta menganalisis perilaku harian dan aktivitas pencarian makan antar kelompok kucing domestik liar di sekitar dua kantin Kampus Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB). Metode scan sampling digunakan untuk mengamati aktivitas harian rata-rata dengan interval waktu 10 menit, selanjutnya metode ad libitum sampling untuk melihat perilaku makan dan interaksi antara kucing dengan manusia dalam mendapatkan makanan. Perilaku harian dibagi dalam 3 kategori, yaitu afiliatif, pemeliharaan diri, dan pertemuan negatif. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, perilaku harian kucing di kedua kantin didominasi oleh perilaku perawatan diri (76,62% dan 65,17%), diikuti oleh perilaku afiliatif (18,06% dan 29,61%) dan perilaku negatif (5,32% dan 5,22%). Tidak terdapat perbedaan signifikan antara perilaku kucing di pagi hari dan siang hari (p-value >0,05). Interaksi antara kucing dan manusia yang memiliki frekuensi tertinggi yaitu perilaku kucing mendekati manusia. Tidak terdapat perbedaan signifikan pada interaksi antara kucing dan manusia di pagi hari dan siang hari (p-value> 0.05).Abstract A feral cat is a wild domestic cat that usually lives in groups around the human habitat. Wild domestic cats tend to utilize anthropogenic resources from humans rather than foraging for themselves. This study aims to compare and analyze the daily behavior and foraging activity of groups of feral cats around the canteens of the IPB University campus. Observation of the cat's daily activity behavior was conducted by the scan sampling method at 10-minute intervals. The ad libitum sampling method was conducted to observe the feeding behavior and the interaction between the cats and humans in getting food. Daily activity behavior is divided into three categories, i.e., affiliative, self-care, and negative encounters. This study showed daily activity of the cats were dominated by self-care (76,62% dan 65,17%), affiliative behavior (18,06% dan 29,61%) and negative encounters (5,32% dan 5,22%). There is no significant difference between the daily activity of the cats in the morning and daytime (p-value >0.05). The interaction between human and the cats were dominated by the behavior of the cats approaching human. There is no significant difference in interactions between humans and cats in the morning and daytime (p-value >0.05).