Feline Attachment Problems

Introduction

Key Points

Treatment Summary: Provide an enriched environment Give the cat complete control over resource access (ad lib activity feeding etc) Give the cat outdoor access or a range of engaging activities in the home Avoid reinforcement of attention-seeking and reassurance-seeking behaviour Provide the cat with opportunities to avoid or hide from sources of fear or anxiety Resolve underlying fear and anxiety problems

Whilst some authors discuss "separation anxiety syndrome" in dogs and cats as similar entities and case series have confirmed that behavioural problems in cats can relate to owner absence, the precise nature of feline separation related problems has yet to be properly investigated. It is unlikely that the attachment problems seen in cats can be equated with primary hyper attachment seen in dogs (separation anxiety), so the diagnosis of feline "separation anxiety" is not widely accepted.

Normally, cats depend on their location and territory for security, rather than other individuals. This could be described as an attachment; cats show signs of anxiety and distress when taken away from their territory, and will attempt to return to it. This is because cats are solitary hunters and do not require other cats to help them to gain the resources that they need to survive. The territory provides everything that the cat needs to survive and thrive. It is unlikely that cats develop exactly the same kind of attachment related problems as are seen in obligate social species such as the dog. However, since cats are so reliant on their environment and free access to resources in order to feel secure, this could provide a basis for problems if the environment is inadequate.

Cats that are anxious or fearful may come to depend on their owner(s) for security and reassurance, either because their environment does not offer them sufficient opportunities to regulate their own emotional state, or because the owner has control of resources the cat needs and uses access to these to reinforce dependent and attention seeking behaviour. Cats can also show increased dependence on their owners if the presence of that person guarantees safety in an otherwise stressful environment. For example, the cat may be safe from attack by other cats in the household only when the owner is present, so that the cat cannot eat, drink or eliminate in safety when the owner is absent. A similar situation is seen in cats that are terrorised by neighbourhood cats and refuse to go into the garden unless the owner is present.

In a domestic setting, outdoor access and resources such as food are often under the control of the owner, with the cat only having access by negotiating with the owner. This can be frustrating and stressful, since owners are unpredictable and may spend long times away from the home. Separation related problems in cats may therefore be related to frustration related aggression and stress-related urine spraying.

Owners are often inconsistent in their responses to a cat, sometimes reinforcing attention seeking behaviour and at other times punishing or ignoring it. The unpredictable nature of human interaction creates uncertainty and a lack of control for the cat, leading to increased anxiety. Specific underlying fear or anxiety problems must therefore be identified and addressed when assessing separation related problems. Keeping cats indoors is observed to increase the level of interaction between cats and their owners, and it might be expected that dependence problems would be more common in these individuals.

Emotional Homeostasis

Research in dogs supports a hypothesis that emotional homeostasis in that species is dependent on the presence of "maintenance stimuli" in the animal's environment. Maintenance stimuli are those stimuli which the puppy experiences in the secure presence of its mother during the sensitive period, typically in and around the maternal den. These stimuli are associated with parasympathetic arousal. As the puppy develops, its attachment and reliance on its mother decreases, and it becomes more engaged with its environment and other members of its social group. When an environment contains sufficient maintenance stimuli, an adult dog will remain in a parasympathetic state, but when maintenance stimuli are absent then the dog will enter a state of sympathetic arousal. For dogs in an unfamiliar environment, stress can be buffered by the presence of other members of the social group. The greater the mismatch between the rearing and adult environment, the greater the likelihood that an individual will be in a state of sympathetic arousal in what ought to be familiar situations. This hypothesis is used to explain how puppies that are reared in a non-domestic setting such as a kennel or shed lack a suitable set of maintenance stimuli and become dependent on people and other animals as a source of security. This hypothesis could be used to explain some aspects of separation problems in cats, but it is important to acknowledge species differences. As adults, cats do not rely on social support as a buffer for stress, so the conditions leading to dependence would be expected to be different from those in dogs. However, the reliance cats place on their environment does provide a basis for understanding and preventing separation related problems in this species.

Prevention

• Cats should be habituated to a wide range of normal domestic social and environmental stimuli (including sounds) during the sensitive period.
• Indoor cats should be provided with a wide range of environmental enrichments: activity feeders, opportunities to hide and climb, and opportunities to play.
• Wherever possible, cats should be provided with outdoor access; this can include the use of a large outdoor enclosure, if there are concerns about safety.
• The cat should be given free access to food, water, latrine locations, a choice of resting locations, toys and environmental enrichments.

Investigation

There are currently no specific diagnostic criteria for the feline equivalent of canine separation anxiety disorder, because the basis of this problem is not well understood. Cats with separation related problems may follow their owners, vocalise and demand attention continuously. They may become anxious as the owner prepares to depart. These characteristics are similar to those seen in dogs with separation anxiety disorder, but can arise for completely different reasons.

Assessment of cases should include:

• Full history of the specific problem behaviour the animal exhibits and its evolution over time
• Evaluation of the suitability of the cat's environment, and the ability of the cat to gain access to essential resources
• History of the cat's rearing experience (habituation and socialisation)
• Assessment of sources of stress for the cat (resource access, competition with other cats, owner behaviour, fear problems)
• Observation of the owner's response to the cat's behaviour (reinforcement or soothing)

A video of the cat when it is alone should form part of the assessment.

The aim is to identify environmental deficits or stress factors that contribute to the problem. It is also important to be aware that the absence of the owner may enable the cat to engage in activities that the owner would usually suppress or punish when at home. For example, elimination or destructive behaviour.

Treatment

The aim of treatment is to return the cat to a normal relationship with its environment and reduce the importance of the owner. The cat should be given back control over feeding and outdoor access. Activity feeders help to use up the cat’s time and activity budgets in useful work. In longstanding cases, or cats that show generalised anxiety then this may be treated with a suitable anxiolytic drug such as clomipramine of fluoxetine.

Specific fear and phobia problems should be treated according to diagnosis.

References

The creation of this content was made possible by Ceva Santé Animale as part of the feline behaviour project.

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