BEHAVIOR

As you probably already know, the topic of declawing in cats is quite controversial, and some veterinary hospitals, including Tufts Universitys School of Veterinary Medicine, do not perform it. For those who are unclear, here is what is involved in the procedure: Under anesthesia, each of the cats claws and the third bone of every toe are removed with a laser, blade or nail trimmers. If the bone is not removed, the claw will eventually grow back.

Ways to Help Reduce Environmental Stress Experts recommend that cats be kept indoors for their safety and overall health. However, if the indoor environment isnt configured to meet their basic feline needs, it may predispose them to feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC).

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) is commonly seen in cats, and it has many different causes. FLUTD isnt a specific disease itself, but actually a broad term that describes any physical illness or condition that affects the lower urinary tract - the urinary bladder and urethra (the tube thats connected to the bladder which carries urine to the outside of the body).

Regardless of age, breed or gender, any cat can develop a serious and potentially disabling anxiety disorder. This is an affliction in which a cat is persistently and significantly disturbed by phenomena or situations that a normal cat would ignore or soon learn to disregard. Unfortunately, this baffling condition is one of the more frequently observed among all feline behavioral syndromes.

The Drugs Commonly Used to Treat Anxiety Three drugs are most frequently used to treat feline anxiety, explains Dr. Dodman. They are: acepromazine, buspirone hydrochloride and alprazolam. Each drug works in a specific way, he notes. Acepromazine, for example, is primarily a tranquilizer, while buspirone hydrochloride is a serotonin antagonist and alprazolam is an anxiolitic.

A fearful cat may roll over on its back, turning its head to face the aggressor with all four paws ready for protection. This might appear to some observers as a submissive posture, like that of a dog, whose belly-up posture is intended to discourage an attack by signaling Okay, okay: Im lower ranking. But cats do not have specific dominance or subordinance displays. They convey their relative social status by a combination of offensive…

This is a very common form of aggression. Youre sitting on the couch. Your cat comes to you asking to be petted. Meow. Meow. Oh, how sweet. Let me pet you. Purrrrrr. You like that, kitty? Is that good? Yes, you like that, dont you? Purrrrrr. You really love it. I can tell! Silence. Ow! Now your hand has reddish pinholes in it, and your feelings are smarting too. What just happened? There are a few possible reasons for this kind of bait…

Q Recently, one of our two cats has started to urinate around the house. Both are spayed seven-year-old females, who have always been very well-behaved and loveable pets. I know that the first course of action is to have a veterinary examination to rule out the possibility of illness before creating a plan of action. But here is the problem: How can we determine the culprit?

Choosing the right cat or kitten to adopt is obviously an important decision. Therefore, it is critical to choose a cat that suits your lifestyle and personality. Some people prefer living with a gregarious and playful cat, whereas others find the company of a placid, laid-back feline more enjoyable. Learning more about the various feline personality types - and how they develop - can help make it easier to find a cat that will bring a lot of joy into your home.

A certain amount of conflict and discord is natural in any group living situation. Owners of even the most mellow and congenial cat families know just how quickly conflict can erupt as group members experience the normal ups and downs of life. Wise owners understand how powerfully even seemingly insignificant changes can affect their cats and disrupt the groups harmony. They also know how important it is to address the effects of changes positively and immediately.

Over the years, our family has lived with a number of cats. Each was certainly unique in his or her own way, but quite a few of them shared the same trait: They drooled sometimes while you were petting them. To clarify, it often appears like drool, but sometimes its a single droplet that seems to come from their noses. Its obviously not a health concern, but just an interesting behavioral thing that I would like to understand better.

The truth is, you can herd cats. You can even get them to jump through hoops, weave around poles, climb ladders and scoot through tunnels. Its called feline agility. Its the most fun Ive had in ages, says Jill Archibald, a retired physical education teacher who is now the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) Feline Agility Coordinator. When you learn feline agility, it really helps you to develop a good relationship with your cat.