Effect of Environment on Feline Behaviour

Introduction

Cats are highly dependent on their territory, which has to be born in mind during their management. Any changes to their environment may have profound effect on their well being and behavioural problems may develop if this is not addressed appropriately, particularly at times of rehoming or owners moving house. Proper introduction to a new ‘core territory’ reduces stress and the likelihood of fear problems. Creating attachment to a new core territory also reduces the risk of the cat straying or trying to return to its original territory after a house move.

Introducing a Cat to a New Home/Environment

The importance of properly introducing new cats to a home where there are existing cats is well known. If introduction is not managed correctly, there is a greater probability of fear and anxiety problems in the future. It is also important to introduce cats correctly to households where there are no other cats, but where animals, children and the general routine in the household may be unfamiliar and stressful. The same is true when moving cats form one home to another.

• Before moving the cat to its new home, try to harvest some of the cat’s flank and facial odours onto a clean cloth.
• Place this cloth into a sealed bag ready to use in the new home.
• When transferring the cat, bring items that will carry some of the cat’s facial and flank odour marks (bedding, resting places).
• Prepare a quiet room in the new home with food, water, a latrine, and familiar items from the cat’s previous home. This will be the room into which the cat will be initially introduced, so it is best if this place has not recently been occupied by other cats.
• Use the cloth to transfer facial and flank odours to furniture in this room of the new home.
• Install a F3 diffuser (Feliway) in this room 1-2 hours before the cat arrives.
• Install additional diffusers throughout the home at a rate of 1 per 50-70m2.
• Allow the cat to explore the new room by opening the cat basket. The cat should be able to return to the basket if it desires. The cat should not be pulled out of the basket or coaxed.
• Do not allow access to the rest of the house until the cat is completely relaxed in this first room. This may take several hours or even a few days. The cat should be relaxed, playful and approachable.
• The cat should then be allowed free access to one or two additional rooms in the house every couple of hours until it has explored the whole house. The cat should be allowed to do this in peace, not with people rushing around or trying to distract it.

Environment in Potentially Fearful Situation

The normal feline coping strategy in fearful situations is highly dependent upon familiarity with the environment and the opportunities it provides for escape and avoidance behaviour. In this way, the cat is highly attached and dependent upon its territory for security, which also means that success in treating fear-based problems is substantially dependent upon the cat’s environment.

The core zone of the cat’s territory is where it expects to be safest. This is where it may meet familiar conspecifics. Recognition of the core territory is partially dependent upon pheromone odour signals. The cat expends a lot of time and energy placing face and flank marks within the core territory area, not only to identify elements of the environment as familiar but also to create an appeasing environment for itself. In a new home, these personalised signals will be absent and may even be replaced by the odours of other cats that were previously resident. The anxiety caused creates the conditions for establishing problem behaviour.

It is possible, by using synthetic pheromone analogues such as F3 (Feliway), to recreate or enhance core territory odours. This can increase perceived safety and familiarity in an existing environment, or make a new environment appear familiar and safe.

Normal exploration of a new environment follows a star-shaped pattern. The cat makes forays into the environment away from an initial safe place. Any fearful event will cause the cat to return briefly to its place of safety. Indeed, successfully learning about a new environment depends upon already having somewhere safe to return to. Without this the cat will experience considerable anxiety and fear, which may create long-term aversions to the stimuli the cat encounters during the first few hours in a new location. For example, a well-socialised cat might enjoy the company of children when they are in an environment that it understands, but the same cat may react fearfully to boisterous children when in a new environment. This kind of encounter can condition fear reactions that continue to plague the cat’s relationship with the children even once it has settled into the new home.

It is therefore essential that the cat accepts and feels safe in the new environment before encountering any potential stressors.