Pet Health

Understanding the Mind of a Cat

By Brad Speed, DVM

Cats are fun creatures. They warm our hearts as kittens, and they warm our laps as adults. The number of cats kept as house pets has skyrocketed over the past 20 years. As veterinarians, we are seeing cats in record numbers these days. I’ve been surprised over my career by the number of cats we see in the clinic for issues related to behavior. Therefore, I thought it would be prudent to spend some time discussing the quirks and behaviors of the cat. Recognizing some of these key factors may reduce your overall vet visits, as well as dropping your pets stress level when they do need to come in. Stress is one of the most common factors we deal with concerning cats. If you had told me when I was in college how much time I would spend talking with clients about managing their cat’s stress, I would have laughed hysterically. But the fact remains that a cat’s stress level can play deeply into their interactions and overall health. One problem stress causes for cats is urinary issues. A cat who is stressed in their environment may start to urinate in inappropriate places in the house. If this happens, it is typically due to stress, or infection. Infection causes cats to sit and strain in the litterbox, while stress can cause them to avoid a litterbox altogether. It takes a vet visit to distinguish between the two possibilities, and what can be done about them. Another problem stress causes in cats is aggressive behavior. This is most often seen in a vet office, or at home when cats are forced into interactions they don’t want to have. Examples would be the addition of a new pet, kids playing too rough with them, or a house full of company. When most cats become fearful or stressed they try to hide. When that doesn’t work, they often start to growl, scratch or bite. These types of interactions make vet visits a nightmare for both the pet and the owner, and the at-home interactions can reduce your overall bond with your cat. So what can be done about stress in cats? There is actually a lot that can be done to help cats when they have these issues. First, we need to recognize what a cat is: a predator. Cats were meant to hunt for their food, not eat from a bowl. This simple truth is the root of a lot of stress for cats, especially indoor only cats. We took an animal that is adapted to hunt and prowl and brought them into a closed environment. Because of that, some cats will become stressed from boredom. The cure for this is environmental enrichment. Make sure your house has plenty of toys for your cat to play with and plenty of places to prowl around in and explore. Cat towers with scratching posts are a great example of environmental enrichment for a cat. These guys get bored. Give them something to do. Second, we need to know what irritates the average cat. Cats in general are wary of strangers, noise, bright lights, and often other pets. It is always best to approach cats in a quiet, calm manner. Examples of stress inducing actions people do to cats would be when company comes over. Your cat is hiding in the corner, but you go over and pick it up and hold it for your friend to come pet. The cat will feel trapped and may even react aggressively in some of

those situations. Young kids love to chase cats around, and that’s often how they get scratched. Talking in a loud voice is also a stressor to a lot of cats. Their ears are far more sensitive than ours, so soft low voices are much preferred. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had a cat about to go ballistic in the exam room and people are speaking so loudly that it pushes them over the edge. That is why we always strive to handle cats in a quick, quiet manner. You can greatly reduce the stress of a vet visit by staying quiet, calm, and limiting the amount of time that your cat is out of their carrier. Lastly, we need to understand how cats interact with dogs and each other. Some cats and dogs do very well together, but it is a good practice to never force those interactions on a cat. If your dogs chase your cats around, that interaction needs to be stopped. Perhaps the least understood aspect of cat stress is their interaction with other cats. I feel this is the one that leads to the most problems with litterbox aversions and urinary issues. The interplay and hierarchy between a group of house cats can be VERY complex. 90 percent of cat communication is non-verbal. Body stance, staring, tail posture, and distance all come into play when cats are interacting. This means that you could have one cat dominating another cat in your house and never really see it. If you have two cats that are growling and fighting in your house, understand that the interaction has been going on long before you picked up on it. Often times we see litterbox issues in a house when a younger cat is running an older cat off of a resource, stressing the older cat. Given that most of this is nonverbal, most people don’t recognize this is happening until we start to dig into it. Recognize that cats do most of their communication with no sound, and they will establish a dominance hierarchy whether you can see it or not. This will lead to stress and anxiety for the pets on the low end of the totem pole. You may need to give older cats a quiet place to get away from younger, more aggressive cats. Hopefully this article gives you a good overview of the different types of stress a cat can experience. Enrich your pets’ environment. These guys are hunters that need plenty of things to see and do. Be mindful of interactions with people and dogs, and aim to keep stressful interactions such as vet visits quick, quiet, and direct. Also, recognize that the group dynamic between multiple cats can make a big impact on an individual’s stress and behavior. A little thought given to managing your cat’s stress can make a ton of difference. If you have questions, you can always contact us at Clayton Veterinary Hospital, and be sure to stop by Claws and Paws for plenty of options to enrich your cat’s environment.

Brad is an associate Veterinarian at Rabun Animal Hospital. He graduated Rabun County High School in 2002, earned his bachelor degree in Animal and Dairy Science (2005) and then his DVM in Veterinary Medicine, both at the University of Georgia (2010). He lives in Clayton with his wife, daughter, son, and many 2, 3, and 4 legged animals.

“God has given us two hands, one to receive with and one to give with.” - Billy Graham