Changes

Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 27: Line 27:  
*Full investigation of health problems, particularly those likely to cause pain.
 
*Full investigation of health problems, particularly those likely to cause pain.
 
*Assessment of the cat's physical and social environment (including resource availability and distribution, conflict with ether animals in the home).
 
*Assessment of the cat's physical and social environment (including resource availability and distribution, conflict with ether animals in the home).
 +
 +
It should be possible to identify a pattern in interaction associated with an aggressive reaction.
    
Owners often describe the cat’s behaviour as unpredictable ("Jekyll and Hide"), but there is usually a clear relationship between certain types of owner-initiated interaction and an aggressive response from the cat. After an aggressive incident the cat will often run away away, exhibit displacement behaviour (such as a brief period of grooming), or perform a head or paw shake. Displacement behaviour indicates that the cat is experiencing an amount of unresolved emotional conflict. The lack of predictability often relates to the owner's inability to interpret changes in the cat’s body language as it is approached or handled, combined with the owner’s false expectation that the cat ought to understand that their approach is intended to be friendly.  
 
Owners often describe the cat’s behaviour as unpredictable ("Jekyll and Hide"), but there is usually a clear relationship between certain types of owner-initiated interaction and an aggressive response from the cat. After an aggressive incident the cat will often run away away, exhibit displacement behaviour (such as a brief period of grooming), or perform a head or paw shake. Displacement behaviour indicates that the cat is experiencing an amount of unresolved emotional conflict. The lack of predictability often relates to the owner's inability to interpret changes in the cat’s body language as it is approached or handled, combined with the owner’s false expectation that the cat ought to understand that their approach is intended to be friendly.  
694

edits

Navigation menu