Intercat Aggression Research Articles

Clinical conundrum

Lucy Hoile, Feline Behaviourist, presents a case of inter-cat aggression and explains how to resolve the situation.

Potential Risk Factors for Aggression and Playfulness in Cats: Examination of a Pooling Fallacy Using Fe-BARQ as an Example.

Using a popular method of behaviour evaluation which rates the intensity of behaviour in different contexts, we demonstrate how pooling item scores relating to a given construct can reveal different potential risk factors for the dependent variable depending on how the total score is constructed. We highlight how similar simple total scores can be constructed through very different combinations of constituent items. We argue for the importance of examining individual item score distributions, and the results from different intensity thresholds before deciding on the preferred method for calculating a meaningful dependent variable. We consider simply pooling individual item scores which conflate context with intensity to calculate an average score and assuming this represents a biologically meaningful measure of trait intensity is a fallacy. Specifically using four items that describe intercat aggression and eleven that describe playfulness in cats in Fe-BARQ, we found sex and neuter status, social play and fearfulness were consistently significant predictors for intercat aggression scores; and age, age when obtained, social play and fearfulness were significant predictors of playfulness scores. However, the significance of other factors such as scratching varied with the threshold used to calculate to the total score. We argue that some of these inconsistent variables may be biologically and clinically important and should not be considered random error. Instead they need to be evaluated in the context of other available evidence.

Feline behaviour problems in Brazil: a review of 155 referral cases.

Geographical variations in feline behaviour problems exist. The occurrence of feline behaviour problems in different regions are therefore important to prepare professionals for the emerging needs of cat owners. One-hundred and fifty-five feline behaviour cases that were referred to a veterinary behaviourist in São Paulo (Brazil) during the period 2008-2014 are described. Inter-cat aggression was the main behavioural complaint reported (31%), followed by housesoiling (26.4%). Unlike other international studies, inter-cat aggression was more frequently seen than inappropriate elimination. Oral repetitive behaviours, including problems such as psychogenic alopecia and pica, were also a prevalent problem (ie, 16.8% of the cases). Human-directed aggression accounted for 13.5% of the cases, taking fourth place in the list of the most common feline behavioural problems. Female and male cats were equally likely to be presented (51% and 49% of cases, respectively). This study highlights potentially geographical or temporal variation in the behavioural problems that need to be recognised by veterinary behaviourists in order to meet the emerging needs of owners.

When does inter-cat communication become inter-cat aggression?

Cats are rapidly catching up with dogs as the UK's favourite companion animal, yet the majority of cat owners continue to be unaware of the cat's welfare needs. This lack of owner understanding can lead to owners assuming that the cat's needs — particularly for social companionship — are similar to their own, leading owners to seek feline companions for their cats. This article considers the cat's capacity for intra-specific relationships and gives an over-view of the purpose of the cat's communication system and the significance of, and subtlety of, aggression within the cat's communication repertoire.

An owner survey of toys, activities, and behavior problems in indoor cats

The objective of this study was to survey the owners regarding the frequency and duration of their daily interactions with their indoor cats, the provision of toys and activities by the cat owners, and the prevalence of 6 selected behavior problems (aggression to owner, aggression to visitors, periuria, inappropriate defecation, inter-household cat aggression, and intercat aggression to outdoor cats). The sample population was 277 clients from 5 veterinary practices who presented their domestic cat for anything except a behavior problem. The average number of toys and activities reported by owners per cat was 7, and the most common toys/activities used by owners in this survey were furry mice (64%), catnip toys (62%), and balls with bells (62%). A total of 78% of the owners reported that they leave the cat's toy(s) available all the time. All owners reported playing with their cat, whereas most owners (64%) played with their cat more than 2 times per day and reported play bout durations of 5 (33%) or 10 minutes (25%). Owners who reported play bout time of 5 minutes or more reported fewer behavioral problems than those with play bouts of 1 minute (P < 0.05). A total of 61% of the owners reported that their cat engaged in 1 or more of the 6 selected behavior problem(s), but only 54% of the owners who reported behavior problems in their cats reported that they had talked to their veterinarian about the problem. The 2 most frequently reported behavior problems were aggression to the owners (36%) and periuria (24%). Female cats were 50% less likely to be reported to have 1 or more behavior problems than males despite an equal sex distribution in the survey population (P < 0.05). The relationship between individual behavior problems and individual toys and activities was evaluated by use of a logistic stepwise regression. These findings are discussed as they relate to the understanding of behavioral needs of indoor-housed cats and the potential role of environmental enrichment in the home setting.

Intercat aggression – general considerations, prevention and treatment

Although cats are a social species and capable of living together in groups of several cats, intercat aggression is a common behavioral problem. Intercat aggression can be classified as status-related, fear- related, play-related, redirected and can also be due to the addition of a new cat to an existing group. Socialization of kittens, choice of the right cat for a multicat household, and the gradual introduction of a new cat to the household can help to prevent intercat aggression. Treatment of intercat aggression should combine behavior modification, management and - if necessary - medication.

Intercat Aggression Within the Household

Intercat Aggression Within the Household

Intercat aggression in households following the introduction of a new cat

A 62 question survey was mailed to 375 individuals who adopted a cat from a local animal shelter. The goals of the survey were to identify the incidence of intercat aggression when a new cat was introduced into a household, identify potential risk factors associated with intercat aggression within a household and obtain various descriptive information on methods used to introduce a new cat into a home. The response rate was 72% ( n = 252) with 128 of the households containing multiple cats and 124 of the households containing only the adopted cat. For this survey, fighting was defined as scratching and/or biting. Among households with multiple cats, half reported fighting between cats when the new cat was introduced. Approximately half of the people introduced the cats into the home by simply putting the cats together immediately. Neither age, sex, nor number of cats in the household was associated with current fighting (i.e. fighting that was occurring 2–12 months after the new cat was brought into the household); however, current fighting was associated with individual behaviors (i.e. scratching and biting) during the cats first meeting, outdoor access, and the owner's perception of the first meeting as unfriendly or aggressive.

Clinical Trial of a Feline Pheromone Analogue for Feline Urine Marking.

Thirty-six cases of feline urine marking problem were collected through the cooperation of veterinary practitioners in the Kanto, Chubu, and Kansai areas in Japan, for an assessment of the clinical effect of treatment with a synthetic analogue of a feline cheek gland pheromone-like product. The mean frequency of urine marking was 14.2 times/week (median, 10; range, 1-77) at pre-treatment week (preW), and decreased significantly from the first week of treatment, dropping to 4.2 times/week (median, 2; range, 0-44) at the fourth week of treatment. This effect continued until the fourth week after cessation of treatment. These 36 cases were divided into 3 groups based on the effectiveness of treatment as demonstrated in the fourth week of treatment; 37% was categorized as the totally eliminated group (urine marking was not seen), 40% as the reduced group (the frequency of urine marking was equal to or less than 50% that of the preW), and 23% as the unchanged group (the frequency of urine marking was more than 50% that of the preW). Effectiveness of treatment in these groups was 38%, 24%, and 38% at the fourth week after the cessation of treatment, respectively. The decreasing rate of urine marking was compared between cats with and without intercat aggression, and it was revealed that the frequency of marking was sustained at high level in cats with intercat aggression. These results suggest that this pheromone treatment is as effective in Japan as has been reported in other countries for solving feline urine marking problems.

Intercat aggression: a retrospective study examining types of aggression, sexes of fighting pairs, and effectiveness of treatment

Aggression among cats in the same household is a common behavioral problem. To determine how best to resolve this problem, 48 cases of intercat aggression were examined retrospectively. Clients were contacted by telephone so that the outcome of the treatment program could be determined. Thirty cases were considered cured, and 18 were not cured. Male cats initiated aggression in more cases than did female cats; the aggression was equally likely to be directed toward a same sex or opposite sex victim. There was no significant difference in the number of cures for any one pair of sexes. No one treatment modality resulted in a significantly greater number of cures than any other treatment. The use of buspirone was associated with a significant decrease in likelihood of cure. We concluded that treatment protocols for cases of intercat aggression must be tailored to the individual cats involved. Clients seeking to adopt a second cat may be advised that successful integration may be related to features, in particular the gender, of an individual cat.

Acute Hepatic Necrosis And Liver Failure Associated With Benzodiazepine Therapy In Six Cats, 1986–1995.

SummaryA retrospective analysis was conducted of all feline necropsies performed during a nine year period to identify cases of sever, acute, centrilobular (periacinar), hepatic necrosis (ACHN). After exclusion of cats with anemia, a series of seven cases of ACHN was identified. In addition, two similar cases were identified from tissue submitted for histopathology following, and eight had bile duct hyperplasia. Seven of the nine cats received diazepam prior to dath, and one received zolazepam. Of the seven cats that received diazepam, five were healthy prior to treatment and received oral diazepam for the treatment of inappropriate urination, intercat aggression, or skin disease. Two cats which received diazepam exhibited other clinical signs: one had chronic vomiting, and the other received diazepam after biochemical evidence of hepatocellular necrosis was present. Onset of clinical sings in cats receiving oral diazepam occurred 7–13 days following the initiation of treatment. Clinical signs and clinical biochemical analysis were compatible with severe hepatocellular necrosis and acute liver failure. All cats had lesions in other organs: five had pancreatic disease, five had cardiac disease, and five had renal disease. All cats died, or were euthanized, within 4 dyas of the onset of clinical signs and 2 days after presentation to a veterinarian. Fatal, acute, centrilobular hepatic necrosis appears to be a serious adverse reaction to diazepam therapy in certain cats.

犬および猫の問題行動

Behavioral complaints were surveyed by inquiring to owners of 100 dogs and 100 cats. Eighty-two percent of dog owners cited 187 problems including destruction (17.1%), barking (16.0%), aggression toward people (15.0%) and house soiling (13.9%), while 83% of cat owners cited 169 problems including scratching (34.9%), inappropriate appetites (19.5%), intercat aggression (13.0%) and house soiling (11.8%). Seventy-two percent and 45.8 percent of dog and cat owners, respectively, hoped to seek behavioral therapy.