I Thought Your Ankle Was a Mouse! Human-Directed Aggression in the Cat Sharon L. Crowell-Davis DVM, PhD, DACVB Professor of Behavioral Medicine

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1 I Thought Your Ankle Was a Mouse! Human-Directed Aggression in the Cat Sharon L. Crowell-Davis DVM, PhD, DACVB Professor of Behavioral Medicine Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Diagnostic Imaging College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia

2 Human-directed aggression Play Fear Petting Intolerance Redirected Sexual

3 Play Aggression More likely in young cats Very common problem Usually, but not necessarily directed to moving stimuli

4 Play Aggression May be directed to only to some members of the household Cat approaches victim Crouches waiting Stalk Chase Tail twitching Focused stare

5 I m coming to get you!!!

6 Play Aggression History and Management? Using hands or feet to play with the cat Inadequate opportunity for acceptable play

7 Play Aggression:Ears forward, not back; at least initially

8 Play Aggression Does not assume stiff-legged walking toward victim Often referred to as vicious Serious injury may happen to the victim, even though this is play Deep bite wounds Serious scratches Can be very frightening to victim

9 Play Aggression-Treatment Avoid situations that elicit the behavior Enter via a different door Don t wear particular clothes that appear to elicit play aggression

10 Play Aggression-Treatment Shut cat in own room during particular times and situations when problem is likely to be worse. Wear sturdy, protective clothing Long-sleeved shirts Long-pants

11 Not this

12 Play Aggression-Treatment Redirect play Have balls, paper wads, etc. readily available to distract cat when it appears to be in a playful mood

13 Play Aggression-Treatment Provide DAILY opportunities for acceptable play Drag string Roll balls Toss paper wads Set out paper grocery bags

14 Play Aggression-Treatment Feathers Fishing Rod

15 Play Aggression-Treatment Trees Other cats to play with

16 Combine +++Appropriate Play ---Unacceptable Play

17 Medication?? Generally not indicated This is a management problem If aggression severe and accompanied by high arousal, a TCA or SSRI may be useful.

18 Fear Aggression Ears back Body lowered Tail lowered Avoids person or persons Aggression occurs when approached, reached for or groomed

19 Fear Aggression History of poor socialization or feral living may predispose Can occur in any cat Any age Any breed Either sex Neutered or Intact Classical Conditioning

20 Classical Conditioning Unconditioned Stimulus (US) Fruit bowl crashing on floor beside cat, pieces of fruit and broken bowl probably strike cat---->unconditioned Response (UR) FEAR Neutral Stimulus (NS) Owner + US----- >Unconditioned Response (UR) FEAR NS becomes a Conditioned Stimulus (CS) Owner---- > Conditioned Response (CR) FEAR Cat now runs away from owner Becomes aggressive, with fear signaling, if owner attempts to touch or pick up

21 Classical Conditioning Stimulus Discrimination: Cat is only afraid of the owner who was present during the incident Stimulus Generalization: Cat is afraid of all people

22 Fear Aggression May develop suddenly or slowly for unknown reasons Genetic predisposition to respond intensely to even mildly fear-inducing events Early experience may have same consequence Event may occur which owner is unaware of, e.g. something frightens the cat and maintains fright until the owner gets home. Cat remains frightened of other (identifiable or unidentifiable stimuli) and owner

23 Fear Aggression-Treatment Desensitization Counter-conditioning

24 Desensitization The animal is exposed to a stimulus that elicits a given response, but at such a low level that the response is not elicited. Over time and successive repetitions, then intensity of the stimulus is gradually increased, ideally without eliciting the response. Must be able to control the intensity of the stimulus

25 Desensitization Stimulus Response 20 0 Start Later End

26 Counter-conditioning A response is elicited which is behaviorally and physiologically incompatible with another response. Food treats Play Massage

27 DS & CC: Individualize for the cat Drag string Good with cats that like to chase the string or whatever is on it. Begin at whatever distance is necessary for the cat to pursue. Gradually shorten string over many days.

28 DS & CC: Individualize for the cat Roll ball Again, good with cats that like to chase rolling balls Roll ball to whatever distance is necessary for the cat to chase it

29 DS & CC: Individualize for the cat Treats: Thrown or laid out For cats that are less motivated by play and more motivated by food Have very tasty treat that can be gently tossed. Sit or stand and toss to suitable distance Some cats will like the play aspect of tossing paired with food motivation Lay out trail to near person

30 DS & CC Individualize for the cat Sit near food bowls Often the only method to use in early taming of feral cats When cat is hungry, place bowl of highly palatable food out Sit quietly as far away as is necessary for the cat to approach and eat Gradually sit closer and closer

31 DS & CC: Individualize for the cat If the cat is only afraid of certain people Have person who can handle the cat play with it and/or give it treats while a person the cat is afraid of sits quietly nearby. Over time, the person the cat is afraid of gradually comes closer.

32 Fear Aggression- Treatment Medication such as Fluoxetine or Paroxetine Have to give in non-aversive manner, e.g. fish or chicken flavored suspension mixed in canned food, stir powder into canned food Clomipramine and all of the TCA s are generally not a good option in this situation because of their strong bitter taste.

33 Petting Intolerance If owner initiates petting, cat is aggressive After a certain amount of petting, cat becomes aggressive Occurs in both males and females Etiology is controversial May be status related

34 Cats primarily groom each other on the head and neck

35 Petting Intolerance-Treatment Pet only or predominantly on the head and neck. Species specific behavior

36 Petting Intolerance-Treatment Preaggression cues: Watch for preaggression cues Owner may not realize they re happening until you point them out Tail twitching Low growling Skin twitching Mydriasis

37 Petting Intolerance-Treatment Owner vs. cat initiating petting May need to restrict petting to cat initiated petting.

38 Petting Intolerance-Treatment Evaluate complete Owner X Cat interaction

39 Petting Intolerance-Treatment

40 Owner X Cat interactions Owner- Owner + Owner++ Owner +++ Cat -- Cat-- Cat-- Cat -- Owner- Owner + Owner++ Owner+++ Cat- Cat- Cat- Cat- Owner- Owner + Owner++ Owner+++ Cat + Cat+ Cat+ Cat+ Owner- Owner+ Owner++ Owner+++ Cat++ Cat++ Cat++ Cat++

41 Petting Intolerance-Treatment Time limit: Is there a time period that the cat will typically tolerate petting? Stop BEFORE that threshold Example: Cat starts showing preaggression cues as early as 30 seconds Never pet for more than seconds

42 Petting Intolerance-Treatment RESTRICT PETTING If owner really wants tactile contact with a lap cat they need a different cat It may be less difficult to introduce a new cat to the household that is highly human-social than to get a cat that is uncomfortable with petting to readily accept it

43 Petting Intolerance-Treatment Medication may be useful in some cases where the cat easily becomes highly aroused

44 Redirected Aggression Cat becomes aggressive to owner when owner iinteracts with it when it is already aroused Dog chasing cat Cat aroused by another animal outside a door or window

45 Redirected Aggression- Treatment Avoid interfering in situations that cause arousal Treat primary problem

46 Sexual Aggression Cat mounts owner s limb, grabs skin, initiates pelvic thrusting, growls Rare Refer

47 Status (Dominance) Related Extremely rare If you see a case in which a cat is showing intense dominance signaling to a human, then attacking them, this should be referred to a specialist in Veterinary Behavioral Medicine Brain pathology is a possibility

48 Questions?