Changes

{{KeyPoints

{{KeyPoints

|points = <br>

|points = <br>

* Identify all stimuli that elicit fear.

* List all stimuli that evoke fear.

* Reducer exposure to fear-eliciting stimuli, especially in the home.

* Wherever possible, prevent exposure to fear-eliciting stimuli especially in the home.

* Allow the cat to avoid situations where it may be exposed to fear-eliciting stimuli, and provide it with one or more safe and readily-accessible places to escape to. These should contain food, water, resting places and latrines.

* Stop all punishment of fearful behaviour. Do not use restraint or coercion to keep the cat in the presence of the fear-eliciting stimulus.  

* The cat must not be restrained or coerced to remain in the presence of fear-eliciting stimuli.  

* Do not hold or restrain the cat whilst it is in the presence of the object of its fear, as this can produce outbursts of very aggressive and dangerous behaviour.

* Stop attempts to soothe the cat by giving it attention as this may reward fearful behaviour.

* Stop attempts to soothe the cat by giving it attention as this may reward fearful behaviour.

}}

}}

The extent of fear of inanimate objects and stimuli in cats is relatively unknown, probably because its effects are hard to observe or are misunderstood. There are a number of reasons for this. Cats that have a fear of fireworks or thunder may hide in a variety of places, some of which are outside the home so that the client may never see signs of fear. When the cat is at home, the [[Feline Communication Behaviour#Facial and Flank Marks|facial and flank marks]] it has left create a sense of increased security that may be sufficient to counteract the apprehension it is experiencing. Loud, low frequency noises are very hard for cats to localise, which means that an effective escape response is impossible. So a genuinely fearful cat may enter a state of behavioural inhibition, staying very still until the threat has gone away. Clients often misinterpret this passivity as a lack of fear, especially when the cat engages in increased self-maintenance behaviour such as grooming. In fact, the increased grooming is a form of displacement activity or an attempt at self-appeasement. Often cats will groom their flank area and it has been hypothesised that the cat is deliberately taking in a quantity of its own pheromones to alter its emotional state.

The extent of fear of inanimate objects and stimuli in cats is relatively unknown, probably because its effects are hard to observe or are misunderstood. There are a number of reasons for this. Cats that have a fear of fireworks or thunder may hide in a variety of places, some of which are outside the home so that the client may never see signs of fear. When the cat is at home, the [[Feline Communication Behaviour#Facial and Flank Marks|facial and flank marks]] it has left create a sense of increased security that may be sufficient to counteract the apprehension it is experiencing. Loud, low frequency noises are very hard for cats to localise, which means that an effective escape response is impossible. So a genuinely fearful cat may enter a state of behavioural inhibition, staying very still until the threat has gone away. Clients often misinterpret this passivity as a lack of fear, especially when the cat engages in increased self-maintenance behaviour such as grooming. In fact, the increased grooming is a form of displacement activity or an attempt at self-appeasement. Often cats will groom their flank area and it has been hypothesised that the cat is deliberately taking in a quantity of its own pheromones to alter its emotional state.

Fear of inanimate visual stimuli may develop as a result of associations with noise stimuli e.g. light flashes that resemble lightning before the sound of thunder. A minority of cats, usually coming from an inappropriate rearing environment, do suffer from specific fears and phobias of visual stimuli. Cases include fear of flapping or flying objects such as kites, paragliders and polythene bags. Cats will also show increased fear of visual stimuli that startle the cat while it is in the presence of another stimulus that it fears, or when it is in an unfamiliar environment. This can create negative associations with almost any kind of stimulus, so that it evokes fear in the future.

Fear of inanimate visual stimuli may develop as a result of associations with noise stimuli e.g. light flashes that resemble lightning before the sound of thunder. A minority of cats, usually coming from an inappropriate rearing environment, do suffer from specific fears and phobias of visual stimuli. Cases include fear of flapping or flying objects such as kites, paragliders and polythene bags. Cats will also show increased fear of visual stimuli that startle the cat while it is in the presence of another stimulus that it fears, or when it is in an unfamiliar environment. This can create negative associations with almost any kind of stimulus, so that it evokes fear in the future.

Fear responses of cats appear to be relatively context specific. Cats will often react fearfully to otherwise familiar stimuli when they are encountered in an unfamiliar context, or when the cat encounters the stimulus when it is outside of its own familiar territorial boundaries. This may be because a significant part of the cat’s emotional self-control is based on its ability to rapidly engage avoidance behaviour and also to discriminate the level of threat likely in a given environment according to the scent marks that have previously been left there.  

Fear responses of cats appear to be relatively context specific. Cats will often react fearfully to otherwise familiar stimuli when they are encountered in an unfamiliar context, or when the cat encounters the stimulus when it is outside of its own familiar territorial boundaries. This may be because a significant part of the cat’s emotional self-control is based on its ability to rapidly engage avoidance behaviour and also to discriminate the level of threat likely in a given environment according to the scent marks that have previously been left there.

==Prevention==

==Prevention==