Author, Donkey, Bureaucrats, Administrators
53,803
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Feline Fear of Other Species Except Humans (view source)
Revision as of 15:33, 19 May 2014
, 15:33, 19 May 2014no edit summary
==Introduction==
==Introduction==
{{KeyPoints
|points = <br>
<u>Immediate Action</u><br>
The immediate aims are to '''prevent progression from escape-avoidance behaviour to [[Feline Aggression|aggression]]''', and to reduce stress.
The immediate aims are to '''prevent progression from escape-avoidance behaviour to [[Feline Aggression|aggression]]''', and to reduce stress.
* Avoid any uncontrolled exposure to fear-eliciting stimuli, especially in the home.
* Avoid any uncontrolled exposure to fear-eliciting stimuli, especially in the home.
* Provide the cat with one or more safe and readily accessible places to escape to. These should contain food, water, resting places and [[Cat Latrines|latrines]].
* Provide the cat with one or more safe and readily accessible places to escape to. These should contain food, water, resting places and [[Cat Latrines|latrines]].
* If the cat needs to leave a situation where a dog is present, provide it with an escape route through an open door, whilst restraining and controlling the dog to prevent chasing. '''DO NOT PICK THE CAT UP TO CARRY IT OUT AWAY FROM THE DOG.'''
* If the cat needs to leave a situation where a dog is present, provide it with an escape route through an open door, whilst restraining and controlling the dog to prevent chasing. '''DO NOT PICK THE CAT UP TO CARRY IT OUT AWAY FROM THE DOG.'''
}}
Fear of other species other than human (e.g. dogs) is one of many possible aspects of fear in cats. For general discussion on feline fear please see [[Feline Fear Overview]].
==Prevention==
==Prevention==
When introducing cats to unfamiliar dogs, it is important to allow the cat an escape route which allows it to get away from the dog without triggering a chase behaviour. High shelves or a baby-gate are ideal, because they allow the cat to get away but still remain in sight of the dog. Once dogs have learned how rewarding it is to chase a cat, it may be very difficult to get the animals to coexist without further stress. Critical to this is the cat’s initial response. Remembering that cats recognise familiarity through odour signals, it is sometimes very effective to use [[Pheromonotherapy|F4 (Felifriend)]] to mark the unfamiliar dog around the head and flank areas. To the cat, the dog appears to be marked as ‘familiar’, which may inhibit escape behaviour by the cat so that the dog’s desire to chase is not reinforced. Obviously, this is only safe when the dog has no history of harming or attempting to harm cats. It is also important to remember that cats that have already had experience of being chased or injured by dogs may be greatly confused by the dissonance between the visual recognition of threat combined with an odour cue that implies safe familiarity. This can induce [[Feline Fear Overview|panic]].
When introducing cats to unfamiliar dogs, it is important to allow the cat an escape route which allows it to get away from the dog without triggering a chase behaviour. High shelves or a baby-gate are ideal, because they allow the cat to get away but still remain in sight of the dog. Once dogs have learned how rewarding it is to chase a cat, it may be very difficult to get the animals to coexist without further stress. Critical to this is the cat’s initial response. Remembering that cats recognise familiarity through odour signals, it is sometimes very effective to use [[Pheromonotherapy|F4 (Felifriend)]] to mark the unfamiliar dog around the head and flank areas. To the cat, the dog appears to be marked as ‘familiar’, which may inhibit escape behaviour by the cat so that the dog’s desire to chase is not reinforced. Obviously, this is only safe when the dog has no history of harming or attempting to harm cats. It is also important to remember that cats that have already had experience of being chased or injured by dogs may be greatly confused by the dissonance between the visual recognition of threat combined with an odour cue that implies safe familiarity. This can induce [[Feline Fear Overview|panic]].
The cat should be allowed times when it is able to watch the dog and approach from a position of security. It needs to have food, water, resting places and [[Ct Latrines|latrines]] that are freely accessible without having to approach close to the dog. If the dog has any tendency to chase or approach the cat too boldly, it should be trained to sit and then be kept under control using a leash during initial encounters.
The cat should be allowed times when it is able to watch the dog and approach from a position of security. It needs to have food, water, resting places and [[Cat Latrines|latrines]] that are freely accessible without having to approach close to the dog. If the dog has any tendency to chase or approach the cat too boldly, it should be trained to sit and then be kept under control using a leash during initial encounters.
Prevention of fear of other species (dogs]):
Prevention of fear of other species (dogs]):
* Cats that are expected to live alongside dogs should be [[Feline Socilisation|well-socialised]] with them during kittenhood.
* Cats that are expected to live alongside dogs should be [[Feline Socialisation|well-socialised]] with them during kittenhood.
* Provide the cat with a number of easily accessible escape routes: baby-gates, high perches etc. These enable to the cat to avoid contact with the dog.
* Provide the cat with a number of easily accessible escape routes: baby-gates, high perches etc. These enable to the cat to avoid contact with the dog.
* The cat should have several locations where there is food, water and a latrine so that it at no time feels confined and vulnerable because it cannot access resources.
* The cat should have several locations where there is food, water and a latrine so that it at no time feels confined and vulnerable because it cannot access resources.