Your Pets Daily - Cat behaviour

Decoding common cat behaviours - From joint stiffness and frustration to feeling the love, what is your cat trying to tell you?

Tom Stone — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

With their sophisticated body language and reputation for being more independent than dogs, cats may seem a bit harder for humans to read. But could it be that we’re just missing the cues?

‘Cats have different moods and emotions just like us, but there is usually a reason for a cat’s emotional state and a trigger for any change in behaviour. Behaviour can tell us a lot about how our cats are feeling’, says leading feline behaviourist Lucy Hoile.

‘A cat experiencing joint stiffness will show a reluctance to run and jump, they may also start hiding away more and being less social. Reduced grooming and uncharacteristic toilet accidents are other warning signs, as is them becoming irritable or less willing to be handled or stroked.’

TV vet Dr Scott Miller explains why cats are so good at concealing the signs: ‘Being solitary animals, cats don’t have the same social relationships that dogs do, so they hide any weakness which could expose them to predators in the wild. The trouble is, this makes changes to joint health harder to spot and some cats might spend over half their life experiencing undetected joint stiffness, as a result.’

‘From a veterinary perspective, about 60% of cats over the age of six have some level of joint change, including joint stiffness, and that's where I feel supplements are so important to help keep them healthy and happy.’

Other common cat behaviours and what they mean by Feline behaviourist, Lucy Hoile.

Chattering teeth - Usually a sign of frustration. Commonly when they are looking at a prey animal out of reach, such as spotting a bird through the window.
Rubbing against you - Positive, affectionate behaviour. Can also be attention-seeking.
Feline ‘kneading’ - A comforting behaviour stemming from kittenhood, when they would knead the mother's tummy to stimulate milk flow.
Staring at you - Look for a slow blink to indicate your cat is relaxed and happy. Maintaining eye contact can also be a sign of threat.
Won’t look at you - Eye contact can feel threatening, so looking away is avoiding conflict.
Ear twitching - Ears up and facing forward usually shows they are relaxed or find something interesting. Turned down indicates frustration. Pinned right down indicates fear or anxiety.

As well as home environmental changes, such as providing well-padded, easily accessible sleeping spaces, Dr Scott recommends high-quality joint care supplements YuMOVE Joint Care for Cats and YuMOVE Joint Care PLUS for Cats, especially for more senior cats.

‘Pets in my practice have seen a difference after just a short time on YuMOVE, and clients are supremely happy with the results,’ he says. ‘Adding such a high-quality supplement to your cat’s daily feeding regime can help support their mobility.’

YuMOVE Joint Care PLUS for Cats is a NEW high-strength joint supplement for older and stiffer cats that is designed to aid stiff joints, help mobility, and support joint structure.

Meanwhile, YuMOVE Joint Care for Cats is a great way to help all cats stay happy and active.

Find out more at YuMOVE.co.uk.

Watch TV Vet, Dr Scott Miller and feline behaviourist, Lucy Hoile discuss cat behaviour and joint health https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdA3sfUahi4&feature=youtu.be

Stressed out moggy becomes a contented kitty thanks to expert intervention

Jessica Curtis — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000

A two-year-old cat has found a new home after being given up due to his tendency to lash out when stressed.

When Star came into Cats Protection's Forth Valley Adoption Centre in August 2022, it was identified that he was displaying misdirected predatory aggression, which meant that he would attack his carers' legs when they walked past or moved too quickly.

While he was in care the centre worked closely with the charity's Behaviour team, whose work is kindly supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery, to understand and address Star's aggressive type behaviours.

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People's Postcode Lottery, said: "Cats bring so much joy into people's lives and funds raised by players of People's Postcode Lottery help in their safeguarding and welfare. It is brilliant to hear that Star's behavioural issues have been overcome and he is now enjoying his new forever home."

Cats Protection's Behaviour Officer Sammie Ravenscroft said: "Star had a lot of energy and would often show aggression when members of the team had to block him from escaping when they were entering or leaving his pen.

"Having ruled out any medical reasons for his behaviour, the centre team had already spread his food over more daily feeds, increased his enrichment and play, and placed him in a pen that he could see outside from.

"There was a two-fold strategy with Star. We needed to work on reducing the underlying cause for the behaviour whilst also implementing some behaviour management techniques initially to reduce the chance of injury to staff. For example, as he was food motivated, I suggested that his carers have a treat or toy ready to throw to the back of his pen and as they were entering or leaving, to distract him and reduce the risk of him trying to escape and attacking their feet.

"I also suggested that they wear protective shoes and thick trousers so that they didn't react to his biting when it did happen, as this can reinforce the unwanted behaviour."

Star's behaviour began to improve with these interventions, and he was soon adopted by local cat lover Tracey.

Before he went home, Sammie created a condensed behaviour plan for his new owners so that they could implement things straight away. The plan mostly focused on increased enrichment and appropriate play to help expel some of his excess energy.

His new owner, Tracey, said: "Star has come on leaps and bounds since he's been with us. When he first came home, we did have some challenging behaviours from him and he seemed a bit stressed.

"Happily, Sammie gave us lots of advice, including using puzzle feeding to help keep him entertained and how to approach play and handling to avoid overstimulation. We also looked at ways to reduce any stressors that could have been exacerbating his behaviour.

"We really noticed a difference in just a few weeks, in particular with his toys - we got him a kicker toy and a cardboard scratch pad and gave them to him before his dinner. He loved both and got a few fierce kicks and scratches out on them. We then gave him his dinner straight after he had calmed down and since then have followed this routine. We also started to reduce how much of a fuss we gave him, which was difficult but definitely helped.

"He's an absolute darling - most of the time! - and even lets us dry him with a towel when he comes in wet from the rain, without any biting or scratching, so it seems we are gaining his trust more and more each day. Any time we see the odd swipe from him we're continuing to ignore it and walk away from him and, thankfully, we are seeing this less and less as time goes on.

"He now spends most nights cuddled up beside us in bed and regularly flops at our feet for a fuss. He's the loveliest wee boy who seems to enjoy being around us just as much as we enjoy having him."

Cats Protection's CATS (Cats and their Stats) Report 2022 found that nearly three quarters of cats (72%) exhibit at least one stress-associated behaviour. For advice on cat behaviour, visit www.cats.org.uk/behaviour

Tickets on sale for cat behaviour conference

Your Pets Daily Editor — Fri, 28 May 2021 07:28:44 +0000

Cats Protection is holding its second virtual cat behaviour conferences to help demystify one of the UK's most loved but misunderstood pets.

The online event on 24 September will feature informative sessions and engaging Q&As, focusing on a number of topics including:

• how to train cats and practical application for cooperative care

• using technology to assess pairs of cats

According to the charity, the conference is ideal for veterinary professionals and everyone working in the animal welfare sector - as well as budding cat behaviourists.

"We're really excited to build upon the success of last year's conference which attracted an international audience. It's a fantastic opportunity for cat professionals to engage with some amazing speakers," said Cats Protection's Behaviour Manager Nicky Trevorrow.

Nicky added that the conference is also suitable for those whose work focuses on cats indirectly, including those studying for a relevant qualification.

The day will count as seven hours of Continuing Professional Development for those needing to maintain CPD hours.

Speakers include a range of cat behaviour experts, including Sarah Ellis and Kersti Seksel.

The conference is hosted by The Webinar Vet, a company that has global success in running virtual conferences, and tickets can be purchased at https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/information-for-vets/cat-behaviour-conference at a cost of £50 plus VAT. Early bird price is £35 plus VAT for the month of May only.

The event starts at 9am on 24 September and content will be available for another six months after the event for no extra fee.

If you found this article interesting you may also enjoy reading How Much Does it Cost to Own a Cat?

Your Pets Daily - Cat behaviour

Decoding common cat behaviours - From joint stiffness and frustration to feeling the love, what is your cat trying to tell you?

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Stressed out moggy becomes a contented kitty thanks to expert intervention

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Tickets on sale for cat behaviour conference

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