Sunday, November 18, 2007
Some cats are just more demanding than others
Paws & Claws
Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.
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Hansel and Gretel are free to come and go through cat doors. Hansel is very outgoing and carefree. Gretel is the opposite. Lately she has been going into the hall bathroom and stands there, crying, while we’re at the other end of the house in the kitchen. The first time she did that, I opened the door to the linen closet; she jumped in and burrowed under a towel. But that is not her goal. She only did that the first time. Rather she jumps up on the vanity counter and waits for some loving. She doesn’t need to do that for her loving. She can come to us anywhere in the house and make her presence known in the usual cat ways: rubbing against our legs, mewing, etc. Is there some explanation for this strange behavior?
Some cats are more demanding than others, always in need of attention. Cats possess a reputation for being independent, but this is not the case for all cats. Some are driven by various motivations to act anything but aloof. When cats are demanding, there is usually more than one cause. Early experiences may be the cause of both types of Gretel’s behavior. Or it may be that she is just inherently insecure and fearful, because demanding behavior can also be learned.
Anxiety fuels dependency, if you can make Gretel feel less anxious, she is less likely to be dependent. Cats that are experiencing either emotional or physical discomfort are likely to seek out the person they are most socially and emotionally attached to.
Unfortunately, by going to her whenever she starts crying in the bathroom you are reinforcing this behavior. In her mind she cries for attention and you come running. Try to distract her by giving her a toy when she starts crying but withhold making a fuss of her. Try impregnating the toy with catnip. In some cats this acts as a mild sedative; in others it is a stimulant. Be prepared until you see how she reacts.
Dr. Nicholas Dodman, an animal behaviorist at Tufts Veterinary College, has had success treating nervous and dependent cats with small doses of antidepressants similar to buspirone. This drug is safe for prolonged use, so consult your veterinarian if you think this treatment might be appropriate.
* * * * *
I have a dog with hip dysplasia, and I wondered if cats suffer from this problem, too.
Cats do get hip dysplasia, although the occurrence is low. Purebred cats of the larger breeds such as Maine coon and Persians are more likely to develop the problem than the lighter-weight breeds. Also pedigree cats seem to have a higher incidence, probably because of the smaller gene pool than in everyday cats.
The majority of cats with hip dysplasia show no outward clinical signs. Often the condition is only diagnosed when the cat is X-rayed for another problem. Where signs of dysplasia do exist, they are consistent with painful hindquarters. This is manifested as a reluctance to jump or play, difficulty in climbing stairs, occasional lameness, intolerance to handling, a hunched appearance when walking and in severe cases reluctance to assume the position to urinate or defecate.
Treatment is difficult because cats cannot take normal pain medicine such as aspirin or acetaminophen . Even a small amount of either drug can cause toxicity. Most cats tolerate surgical treatment well. This consists of removal of the head of the femur and a portion of the neck so that there is no longer bone-to-bone contact in the hip joint. Most cats are walking normally within three to four weeks of the surgery and jumping after six weeks.
Some cats are more demanding than others, always in need of attention. Cats possess a reputation for being independent, but this is not the case for all cats. Some are driven by various motivations to act anything but aloof. When cats are demanding, there is usually more than one cause. Early experiences may be the cause of both types of Gretel’s behavior. Or it may be that she is just inherently insecure and fearful, because demanding behavior can also be learned.
Anxiety fuels dependency, if you can make Gretel feel less anxious, she is less likely to be dependent. Cats that are experiencing either emotional or physical discomfort are likely to seek out the person they are most socially and emotionally attached to.
Unfortunately, by going to her whenever she starts crying in the bathroom you are reinforcing this behavior. In her mind she cries for attention and you come running. Try to distract her by giving her a toy when she starts crying but withhold making a fuss of her. Try impregnating the toy with catnip. In some cats this acts as a mild sedative; in others it is a stimulant. Be prepared until you see how she reacts.
Dr. Nicholas Dodman, an animal behaviorist at Tufts Veterinary College, has had success treating nervous and dependent cats with small doses of antidepressants similar to buspirone. This drug is safe for prolonged use, so consult your veterinarian if you think this treatment might be appropriate.
* * * * *
I have a dog with hip dysplasia, and I wondered if cats suffer from this problem, too.
Cats do get hip dysplasia, although the occurrence is low. Purebred cats of the larger breeds such as Maine coon and Persians are more likely to develop the problem than the lighter-weight breeds. Also pedigree cats seem to have a higher incidence, probably because of the smaller gene pool than in everyday cats.
The majority of cats with hip dysplasia show no outward clinical signs. Often the condition is only diagnosed when the cat is X-rayed for another problem. Where signs of dysplasia do exist, they are consistent with painful hindquarters. This is manifested as a reluctance to jump or play, difficulty in climbing stairs, occasional lameness, intolerance to handling, a hunched appearance when walking and in severe cases reluctance to assume the position to urinate or defecate.
Treatment is difficult because cats cannot take normal pain medicine such as aspirin or acetaminophen . Even a small amount of either drug can cause toxicity. Most cats tolerate surgical treatment well. This consists of removal of the head of the femur and a portion of the neck so that there is no longer bone-to-bone contact in the hip joint. Most cats are walking normally within three to four weeks of the surgery and jumping after six weeks.
