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Tabbytudes Cat Behavior Column - July 2003
Written by Amy Shojai
July 2003
Dear Readers,
This month's column offers a great example of how feline health can impact behavior, and vice versa. That's why it's so very important to include your veterinarian whenever your cat shows any sudden change.
Other questions concerned intercat aggression-please refer also to the February 2003 TabbyTudes column for more helpful advice. You also had more litter box concerns, and wondered about "heat" behavior in an already spayed kitty. This month's Tabby Tip at the end of the column explains why your cat might go nuts at the veterinarian's office, and suggests ways to address that. I'm pleased to announce the release of "Complete Care for Your Aging Cat" and hope folks will find it a helpful resource.
Purrs,
Amy
Can Pain Prompt Aggression?
QUESTION: I have four cats: two males (two-year-old Ricky, seven-month-old Mike) and two females (two-and-a-half-year-old Sissy, and one-year-old Mae). I've had Mae since she was seven weeks old. She has always been SO playful and loves Ricky and Sissy. Then I brought home Mike about three months ago. It took them all a little longer to get along with him but now Sissy and Ricky love him. Mae didn't really ever play with Mike at first but didn't attack him either. Now she chases him out of rooms and scratches him, but it's not a full out fight.
Mae has also been having problems with her leg. I think she pulled it somehow, or injured it playing around, jumping. I took her to the vet and they had no idea what it was, but they did say it definitely was hurting-I think the vet said around the knee area. Her knee hasn't gotten much better, but she doesn't limp as much so I assumed her leg was getting better. But now I don't think it is. She just seems to be so different to me; she seems so angry. I've read a lot and I don't think she is angry and having behavioral and personality changes because of her age, or aggravated at Mike. I think maybe she's taking her pain out on Mike?
When she plays with a mouse or feather toy she starts hissing and growling, and she does it a lot. I don't know if this is normal, but unless I never noticed she only started doing this after her leg was hurting. Sometimes she'll hiss at me for nothing I know I've done. I read one of your other articles and you said she could have just been taking her anger out on me. That's what I think is happening with her and her leg. I hope you can answer me, I would really appreciate it, sometimes it just seems like Mae is so out of it!
Mary Person
Amy Shojai's Reply:
Mary, you are a very insightful cat lover! Of course at one year of age, Mae is on the "cusp" of adult kittyhood and therefore due for a bit of personality evolution just due to maturity. Cat play almost always slows down with age. As an "almost adult" Mae is also feeling her power and kicking a bit of furry tail to assert her place in the cat family. Mike is also at the age when he's ready to argue about who's the more dominant cat-if these two haven't yet been neutered, now's the time.
That said, your observation regarding pain and short temper is very astute. Cats usually hide mild to moderate discomfort. This is a built-in survival mechanism. Cat ancestors in the wild didn't want anybody to know they felt under the weather because that would invite attack. That's one reason our pet cats are so stoic and it's often very difficult to tell anything is wrong until something goes VERY wrong.
If Mae actually limped or held up the leg, she felt a great deal of pain. I'm not able to look into a crystal ball and diagnose over the Internet-but you might ask your veterinarian to look further into the knee discomfort. Dogs very often suffer from torn cruciate ligaments, a common human athlete complaint that can occur from running/jumping and twisting too quickly. Dogs also often suffer from patella luxation-that's when the kneecap slips off. Cats are not immune to these conditions, and there is treatment (usually surgery) available to fix it. Your veterinarian may want to refer you to a veterinary orthopedic surgeon who is more familiar with the condition and treatments.
In the meantime, if Mae sees Mike and feels inclined to chase and "discipline" the whippersnapper, but then feels pain, she may attribute the discomfort with the other cat's presence. Yes indeed, that could potentially throw a wrench in their relationship. Hopefully, once Mae's condition is diagnosed and treated so the pain goes away, Mike will stop being such a "pain" too. All the best, amy
Other letters this month talk about different aspects of feline aggression, missing the litter box, and a spayed cat acting like she's in heat. Cats that have lived together all their live-even ten-year-old sisters-can develop a sudden dislike for each other. It's hard to know what triggers the situation. It could be due to one cat getting upset about "something" outside the window and taking it out on the nearby kitty (displacement aggression). A strange smell might prompt the fur to fly, particularly if one cat suddenly smells unfamiliar as they do after visiting the veterinarian. It is NOT a good idea to let the cats "fight it out," and in fact, the best idea is to break up the fight before the cats get too worked up. Throw a towel over the pair, or gently settle a kitchen chair over top of them. That generally breaks up the fight. Cats allowed to get very wound up often learn to "turn on" the aggression just at the sight of the other feline. You can give both cats a "time out" and also try some of the Feliway plug-ins (available from pet stores) that give out a soothing, calming scent.
When cats are upset with other felines, very shy cats often act out with bathroom deposits. Other times, the cat may have had a painful bowel movement, and blames the box-so he'll urinate in the facilities but finds another place to leave solid deposits. Just adding a new litter box to the household often helps.
Cats moving into a new house and faced with a strange cat certainly can change personality to accommodate the new situation. Outgoing, happy cats may turn shy, while shy cats might become aggressive. Feline dynamics being what they are, though, cats can turn from shyness to aggression with age. That's especially true in a multiple cat home where all sorts of feline social posturing (some of invisible to us humans!) takes place. A behavior change does call for a veterinary visit to rule out a health issue. But generally speaking, the more cats in the home, the greater is the possibility that you'll see a behavior problem develop.
Feline antidepressant medications can help some of these cats overcome their fearfulness and/or aggression, and that can help with the hit-or-miss litter box behavior. For instance, diazepam (Valium) is a tranquilizer that has a side effect of making cats "friendlier" but there are other drugs that work better and have fewer side effects-amitriptyline (Elavil) for example. Progestin (hormone) drugs such as Ovaban used to commonly be prescribed but are very much out of favor because of the dangerous side effects, including diabetes. Different safe and effective medications available, and some work better for individuals than others-so don't hesitate to ask about alternative medicines if the first one isn't helpful.
Frankly, though, some cats do better as "only" cats. It is NOT cruel to isolate these cats in a room by themselves-it's a relief for them! as long as they get lots of quality time with the humans they love. Putting a screen door on a second bedroom and setting up a kitty haven inside for the one "problem" kitty can relieve all the cats of the added stress. Sometimes pet lovers must sacrifice their own feelings, make the hard decision and find a more appropriate home for a beloved kitty where they can blossom and be the center of attention, and no longer need to compete with the other cats.
We spay our cats as responsible pet parents, and expect that "heat" behavior will be eliminated. But sometimes during a spay surgery, a tiny fragment of the ovarian tissue is left behind. This is very easy to do. When that happens, a condition called ovarian remnant syndrome can develop. According to feline specialists, even very small pieces of the ovary can regenerate a blood supply and over time they increase in size and eventually produce enough estrogen for the cat to seem to be in heat. She won't get pregnant since the uterus has been removed, but her behavior is a pain to you both. The condition is diagnosed from a vaginal swab taken during "heat" and the veterinarian examines the cells under the microscope. I'm told there's a distinctive cell pattern during estrus. If the ovarian remnant is confirmed, exploratory surgery is needed to remove the remnant-during the "heat" is the best time so it's easier to find.
TabbyTip of the Month: Although surgeries do not typically cause a personality change, your pet's attitude certainly can be impacted as a result of other circumstances that coincide with the veterinary visit. For example, kittens are routinely spayed between four and six months of age. This is the time in her life when she's growing up, and evolving from an in-your-face kitten to a more sedate, less playful adolescent-the fact she's spayed during this personality evolution is coincidental. But painful or scary situations experienced at the veterinary hospital can also color the cat's attitude. She may thereafter identify the clinic as THAT PLACE that hurt her, for example, if a declaw or other procedure was traumatic-and in future, the kitty may go ballistic even if nothing major is done. Cats in panic mode don't think. They just lash out, even at a beloved owner. Cats that develop a strong aversion to one clinic may be more amenable to visiting a new place that doesn't have the scary or painful associations. Also, getting the cat used to riding in the carrier can help ease the upset. Turn carriers into cat playgrounds by tossing in toys or treats, and leaving the carrier out all the time. Feliway, a pheromone spray product that calms cats, can be sprayed inside to help ease the trauma.
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