Cats Communicate by Smell – Semiochemicals in Cat Communication

Posted on October 27, 2023October 29, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats have many more odor sensitive cells in their noses than we humans do. They also have a vomeronasal organ (VNO) in the roofs of their mouths to process odors. Cats communicate by smell.

cats communicate by smell

This post was originally published May 2, 2021 and has been updated to reflect new content.

For a cat, odors can be associated with a particular place or individual animal, identifying that place or animal.

Another way cats communicate by smell is through semiochemicals. Odors can contain semiochemicals, molecules that carry “messages” from one organism to another. The organism receiving the “message” responds with a change in physiology or behavior. For example, there are insect traps that use hormones that simulate the type of scent produced by the female insect. Male insects are lured into the traps, preventing them from mating.

Semiochemicals that carry “messages” between members of the same species are called pheromones. For cats, pheromones are used to mark territorial boundaries, advertise that a cat is ready to mate, or send greetings. Lactating mother cats also produce a blend of “appeasing” pheromones, that make kittens feel safe and reassured when their mothers are nearby.

Cats release pheromones from glands in their bodies. These glands can be found in…

the lips
the cheeks
the pads of the feet
at the base of the tail
the area surrounding the teats in females.

Glands producing pheromones — Locations of the glands that produce pheromones in the cat.

Cats communicate by smell -pheromones

When your cat rubs his cheeks against furniture or that corner wall, he deposits pheromones there. Researchers have separated secretions from the sebaceous glands in your cat’s face into 5 pheromone-containing fractions. The “F3 fraction” is thought to be a friendly greeting, marking the area as safe.

Cat Appeasing Pheromone (CAP) is released when the mother cat nurses her kittens. It is a message to the kittens that they are safe and secure – after all, mom is there!

Cats also release pheromones when they scratch, marking territory with another pheromone, FIS or feline interdigital semiochemical. The cat making the scratch marks also leaves behind his own individual scent, giving the next cat who comes along an idea of who left the pheromone message. As time goes on, the pheromones/scents decay. This change in pheromones/scents notifies the incoming cat when the previous cat was there.

using pheromones to communicate with your cat

It is not surprising that synthetic versions of the F3 fraction of the facial pheromones and CAP have been made with the intention of calming cats and reducing conflict in multi-cat households. These products are available as diffusers or sprays.

Facial Pheromones F3 Fraction

Diffuser: place in areas you want your cat to identify as safe and secure, for example, sleeping areas. You may not need to use the diffusers all the time – after all, your cat or cats are most likely marking these areas themselves. However, the diffuser could give an added boost in times of increased stress, such as home renovation.
F3 spray can help with urine marking. Clean the marked spots with enzyme cleaners (eg. Tide), followed by rubbing alcohol. When dry, spray the spot with one of the F3 sprays.
The F3 spray is also useful to discourage scratching. Try spraying the area you DON’T want scratched with the F3 spray and place a scratching post nearby.
BSerene spray features the F3 fraction combined with catnip oil to promote calm behavior.

Cat Appeasing Pheromone

Diffuser
This product can be useful in multi-cat households when introducing a new cat. Place the diffuser in the common areas where all the cats will congregate.
You may not need to use this diffuser all the time but it can give a boost during times of stress, for example, when one cat returns from a veterinary visit.
The BSerene brand offers a diffuser that contains both F3 and CAP.

A product called Feliscratch contained a synthetic version of FIS. Feliscratch was applied to the scratching post to encourage cats to use it. This product has recently been pulled off the market due to flagging sales.

No Feliscratch?

Make scratchers appealing with treats or catnip
If your cat will knead a small fleece blanket, it is possible that this blanket may have FIS deposited on it.
Placing the blanket near a new scratching post may attract your cat to the scratcher.

Feliway Optimum – one size fits all?

Feliway Optimum is the result of computer simulation and features a single product designed to address urine spraying, scratching, fear, and inter-cat conflict. It is a proprietary blend of specific pheromones that bind to receptors in the VNO in cats. It comes in a diffuser (Reference 1).

How effective are pheromones in communicating messages to cats?

The idea of managing cat behavior using pheromones is appealing. There are no pills to give and you can treat all your cats at once. However, studies aimed at determining whether these products work or not have mixed results (Reference 2).

How receptive an individual cat is to pheromone signals may depend upon her experience (Reference 2). A free-roaming cat or cat who is a member of a multi-cat household will use pheromone signals more than an indoor cat who lives alone. A kitten bottle-fed by humans will not be exposed to CAP like kittens nursed by a feline mother.

In my own experience, cats with a feral background respond more strongly to the pheromone products than cats raised in a human household.

You can think of pheromones as those signs in the library asking you to KEEP QUIET or the NO SMOKING signs – there is always someone who is talking or smoking. Compliance is never 100%.

Since cats communicate by smell, synthetic cat pheromones allow us to add some basic messages when we are trying to change a cat’s behavior. Do these products work? The efficacy of these products may depend on the experience of the individual cat. Consequently, pheromones are best used in conjunction with other behavior modifications.

references

De Jaeger, Xavier & Meppiel, Laurianne & Endersby, Sarah & Sparkes, Andrew. (2021). An Initial Open-Label Study of a Novel Pheromone Complex for Use in Cats. Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine. 11. 105-116. 10.4236/ojvm.2020.113006.
Zhang Lingna, Bian Zhaowei, Liu Qingshen, Deng Baichuan. Dealing With Stress in Cats: What Is New About the Olfactory Strategy?. Frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.928943, DOI=10.3389/fvets.2022.928943

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Picking Up Your Cat

Posted on September 11, 2022September 11, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Imagine being suddenly snatched up by a giant from your favorite chair. You are lifted up into the air, your legs flailing as you try to maintain your balance. Scary, huh?

Some of the more exciting scenes in fantasy movies include the hero or heroine being snatched up and taken away. In the Wizard of Oz, a troop of flying monkeys swoop down and grab up Dorothy and her dog, Toto, taking them to the castle of the Wicked Witch of the West. A giant ape carries Ann Darrow up the Empire State Building in the movie “King Kong”, as the audience shrieks and squeals.

Picking up your cat can be frightening for him. He often has little warning before he is airborne. He feels helpless and scared. But, you say, I pick my cat up all the time and he does not seem to mind. In certain circumstances though, he might redirect his fear as aggression and bite or scratch you, if you try to pick him up, say, to move him away from the vacuum cleaner.

Okay, so maybe you can coax him to go where you need him to by using treats or a target stick. But there still will be times when picking up your cat is necessary – for example, you may need get him out of the way of a car. What can you do?

Picking Up Your Cat Step-by-Step

The “Pick Up” behavior was a by-product of training Gus, a feral cat caught in a live trap when he was three years old.

When you picked Gus up, he often would thrash and flail in your arms, biting and scratching. He responds well to clicker training so I wondered if I could teach him to be picked up, in the same way he learned to sit and target.

We broke the behavior of being picked up into the following steps.

Kneel next to him on the floor and touch him where I would if I were going to pick him up. Give the verbal cue “UP”, then, click and treat.
Slide my arms around him like I was going to pick him up. Give the verbal cue “UP”, then, click and treat.
The next step was to actually to start to pick him up briefly, lifting him off the ground, with the cue “UP”. Click then treat.
Finally, I would pick him up off the ground for a few seconds while saying “UP”. I would click when he was off the ground, then treat him when I placed him back on the ground.
I “shaped” the behavior by picking him up and holding him longer and longer, always rewarding him afterwards.

Unlike most of the time we train our cats, “UP” does not require the cat to actively choose to do something. It involves a passive response. The click marks that the cat is being lifted up and will be rewarded in the near future. But, the “click” can also make your cat feel good.

Like Pavlov’s dogs, who salivated when they heard a bell, the “click” is a classically conditioned response. Once the click has been consistently associated with food or another reward, it ultimately triggers the same pleasurable emotions as the reward.

The “Pick Up” command was so successful that I taught all my cats this. Gus still squirms sometimes when the hold is taking him somewhere he does not fancy going… but, the biting has stopped! And he is rewarded for his patience with treats or head rubs when we arrive at our destination.

Although your cat is not in control of the situation when being picked up, if he hears the cue and the click, he knows what is going to happen, and can anticipate something good which should reduce his fear and anxiety.

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Cat Music: Just for Cats

Posted on May 15, 2022May 15, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

“Music has charms to soothe the savage beast” is actually a misquote of the poem, The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve in 1697. The word “beast” is commonly substituted for the original word “breast”. But perhaps Congreve actually meant “beast” – a similar reference to “savage beasts” and music is found earlier with the Roman poet Lucan, whose work was translated into English by Thomas May in the 1620’s.

“…Whose charming voice and matchless musick mov’d

The savage beasts, the stones, and senseless trees…”

Music can arouse strong emotions in people – it can help instill a martial spirit, make us happy but also make us melancholy and sad. It clearly effects our mood.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin set out to find music that would affect the moods of our cats. Snowden, Teie and Savage created music for domestic cats that would calm the cats. They observed the responses of cats to the “cat music” and compared these with the cats’ responses to classical music that humans find calming.

Human Emotions and Features of Music

Specific features of music induce particular emotions in humans:

Slow tempos, a narrow frequency range, decreases in pitch, longer sounding of the notes are characteristic of “sad” music
“Joyful” music features fast tempos, increasing pitches and notes tend to be more staccato and not held very long.
“Angry” music is louder and has a higher fundamental frequency; “fearful” music also has a higher fundamental frequency but notes are not held as long.

Snowden and Teie hypothesized that music with the features described above would affect cats in the same way as people, as long as the frequencies and tempos are the same as what is found in natural cat communication.

Cat Music vs Human Music

The “cat music” used in this study had an average pitch that was 2 octaves higher than the human music; it was also 1 octave higher than the fundamental frequency of natural cat communication (“meows” and “howls” were excluded).

The “cat music” also included elements at lower frequencies for the listening pleasure of the cats’ human friends. One piece contained a pulse rate of 1380 bpm, similar to purring, with melodic sliding frequencies; another had a pulse of 250 bpm, similar to kittens suckling, also with melodic sliding frequencies.

Do cats like cat music?

Snowden, Teie, and Savage’s study compared the reactions of 47 spayed and neutered cats to the “cat music” with the cats’ reactions to the human music. Researchers watched for the following responses:

orient/approach behavior

orient head toward speaker playing music
move toward speaker
rub speaker
purring

Avoid/fearful behavior

leaving the room
hair on end
growling
hissing
arched back

results:

Cats showed more Orient/Approach responses to the cat music than the human music. They also approached the source of the cat music more quickly than the human music. There were few Avoidance/Fearful behaviors (9 out of 94 trials – same for both types of music).

Cats were more interested and responsive to music that was designed for them. These pieces were also composed to be calming, so perhaps it is not surprising that there were few “negative” behaviors seen in the cats’ responses to the music. So, when choosing music for your cat, consider the features of the music and what emotional state they may induce. Just randomly picking some classical music to play for your cat may not achieve the goals that you are looking for.

Trying Out Cat Music

In 2019, the cat music was tested in the veterinary clinic at Louisiana State University. Twenty one cats completed the study. The cats presented for 3 examinations, two weeks apart. Each cat was exposed to one of three soundtracks : silence, cat music or classical human music. Each session included an examination and blood draw. The chosen soundtrack was played throughout the session, until the cat was placed back in her carrier.

Cat Stress Scores (CSS) were measured when the cat arrived, during the exam and at the completion of the blood sampling. A Handling Score (HS) was also measured during the examination.

The CSS and HS were not very different comparing cats exposed to silence and classical music; however, CSS and HS were significantly lower for cats exposed to the “cat music”.

cats prefer species specific music

Cat music can help reduce stress-related behaviors. I have found “cat music” useful to calm my kitties

when work is being done on my house
when I am transporting my cats in the car.

The cat music developed for the studies above can be purchased at https://www.musicforcats.com.

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Does your scent comfort your cat?

Posted on October 17, 2021October 17, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats greet other friendly cats by sniffing them first, before engaging in other social activities such as rubbing against each other or grooming each other’s heads. Scent is a way that members of a cat colony identify each other.

We are members of our cats’ social groups and they identify us by our scent. They greet us by sniffing and rubbing against us. When leaving your cat at the vet or boarding facility, you may be asked to bring a blanket or t-shirt with your scent on it. Does your scent comfort your cat when she is away from you?

Recently, researchers at Oregon State University tried to test whether such an object actually reduces a cat’s anxiety when her owner is gone. In this study, owners of 42 cats were asked to bring an unwashed object with their scent on it. Scent objects could include the owner’s shoe, sock, night shirt, or blanket.

The test started by evaluating the cat’s attachment to his/her owner – secure or insecure?
The owner would then leave: in some trials, the scent object was left behind; in others, the cat was alone.

The cat’s behavior was evaluated:

when he was with his owner
when he was alone with the scent object
when he was alone without the scent object
when his owner returned

Measuring attachment
Psychological attachment is measured using the Secure Base Test. The cat and owner are placed in a strange room for a few minutes; the owner then leaves for a few minutes and returns. The cat’s behavior is observed when the owner is present, when cat is alone, and when the owner returns.

Securely attached cats
willing to explore when Owner is present
continue to explore after Owner leaves
greets Owner on return but continues to explore and play

Insecurely attached cats
reluctant to explore even with Owner present
sit with Owner or hide in corner
do not explore when Owner leaves
may or may not solicit contact with Owner on return

Does your scent comfort your cat when you are not with her?

Researchers took videos of the sessions, recording how often cats vocalized, rubbed on their owners or the scent object, and how long they would stay close to the owner or scent object.

Researcher’s predictions

Cats would prefer their human caretaker over a scent stimulus alone.
Insecurely attached cats would interact with the scent object more than the securely attached cats.
Cats would be comforted by their owner’s scent.

what actually happened

Cats preferred their owners over the scent object – they vocalized less when owners were with them and rubbed on their owners
Insecure cats did spend more time close to the scent object than secure cats but only 4 of the 42 cats actually rubbed the object
The scent object did not seem to alleviate anxiety – cats vocalized just as much when alone with the scent object as they did when alone without the scent object.

Cats communicate in a large part by smell. They identify other cats and their owners by their scent and greet them by sniffing them and rubbing against them. To your cat, your t-shirt smells like you but does your scent comfort your cat the way your physical presence does? The answer is no according to this study.

Your t-shirt is not the same for your cat as a teddy bear that a young child clutches to face the world. The teddy bear is a “transitional object” that helps a human child become less dependent on his parents and learn to relate to other people.

Your cat is attached to you – not your t-shirt. It won’t hurt to leave the t-shirt at home when going to the vet or boarding facility.

Other Thoughts

A cat’s territory where she feels safe is marked with her own scent. Providing your cat with a blanket from home with her scent might make her less anxious.

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Caring for a blind cat

Posted on October 10, 2021October 18, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

You’ve stopped by the pet shelter and are interviewing the cats for adoption. You’re looking to adopt an adult cat – you feel your life is just too hectic to take on a pair of kittens. There is an orange male cat who seems friendly and rubs your outstretched hand in greeting. He is simply charming!

You find a shelter volunteer for more information. She asks you how you feel about caring for a blind cat. You do a double-take – the cat moves confidently around his enclosure, then turns and approaches you. Nothing about him makes you think he can’t see.

Blindness in cats can arise from a number of factors:

genetic condition present at birth
trauma to the eyes
cataracts due to aging or diabetes
detachment of the retina, resulting from high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, or hyperthyroidism
infectious organisms, such as FeLV, FIV, can cause inflammation in the eye and lead to blindness.
untreated eye infections resulting from upper respiratory infections can also cause blindness

“keep an eye” on your cat’s eyes – see your vet if:

your cat is squinting
her third eyelids are swollen
her conjunctiva are red and swollen
there is discharge from her eyes – clear to greenish-yellow
her pupils are not the same size
she starts rubbing her eyes

Caring for a blind cat

Caring for a blind cat or cat who is gradually becoming blind is similar to caring for a “sighted” cat. Blind cats and “sighted” cats have the same environmental and emotional needs.

Blind cats adapt quickly to their surroundings. How do they do it? They rely on their other senses – smell, touch, and hearing – to get around.

The blind cat’s superpowers

superpower #1 – smell

Cats live in a landscape of odors. Cats have two ways of detecting odors in their environment:

the cells lining the nose and nasal cavity
the vomeronasal organ or VNO in the roof of the mouth

In the VNO, there are 3 types of “receptor proteins”. These receptor proteins respond to chemicals such as odors. We know more about the V1R protein than the other two.

Cats have 30 genetic variants of the V1R protein. Genetic variants refer to changes in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene. More genetic variants of the V1R protein allow cats to detect a greater variety of scents than say, dogs, who have only 9 genetic variants of this receptor protein.

Cats can associate certain odors/scents with a particular experience, place or other animal. For example, to a cat, another animal or person has a signature scent that the cat uses to identify that individual.

superpower #2 -TOUCH :THE WHISKER POSITIONING SYSTEM

Each whisker is embedded in a cluster of nerve endings located 3 x deeper in the skin than the surrounding hair follicles. Not only do whiskers alert your cat to the piece of furniture nearby, they alert him to changes in air currents, from say an open door or window.

Cats use their whiskers to navigate – whiskers help the cat pinpoint where she is relative to her surroundings – “can I fit behind this sofa?” Needless to say, a blind cat finds her whiskers crucial to getting around.

superpower #3 – hearing

Cats have one of broadest hearing ranges of all mammals. They are able to hear the high-pitched ultrasonic squeaks of mice and also the low-pitched tones of the human male voice.

Cats’ cone-shaped ears move independently of each other. Sounds will reach each ear at different times and allow the cat to pinpoint the source of the sound.

Watch as these blind cats track a bird.

CAT FRIENDLY HOMES FOR blind kitties

Setting up a cat-friendly home for a blind or partially blind cat is much the same as setting it up for a sighted cat. He will need multiple, separate litter boxes, feeding and water stations, and safe places to retreat to.

Your blind kitty will use his incredible sense of smell and ability to discriminate between scents, to navigate his environment. His hearing and whiskers will also alert him to the presence of other animals and objects. And just like any “sighted” cat, he should be introduced gradually to a new environment. (Yes, rearranging the furniture is a “new” environment.)

Alana Miller of Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary has some tips for caring for a blind cat:

Blind cats should only be indoor pets. Make sure there are no open pet doors, windows or other ways your cat could get outside. (A secure area like a catio can give your blind kitty a safe outdoor experience).
Make sure the house is safe. Keep cleaning chemicals, power cords or other potential tripping hazards out of your cat’s reach. Be aware of spaces he could explore and get stuck in like behind washer/dryers.
Stairs. Make sure you’re with your cat the first few times she uses the stairs until you’re sure…she knows where they are and is able to navigate them.
Know where your blind cat is. He can’t see you and may not know he’s under your feet… you don’t want to step on him by accident.
Let your blind cat know that you are going to touch her. A blind cat can’t see your hand coming … she might startle when you touch her. As you approach, make sure you rub your fingers together or make a gentle noise with your hand to alert her.

Whether you adopt a blind kitty or your older kitty has vision loss, remember your blind cat has the same needs as sighted cats. With some modifications, you can provide a safe and enriching environment for your blind cat.

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How can you tell if your cat is painful?

Posted on August 29, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats are not only predators, they are also prey for larger carnivores like coyotes. A predator will target a weak or injured prey animal so it is important that prey animals hide their pain, so they don’t become some else’s snack. Cats are no exception and are masters at hiding pain. As a veterinary technician, I have found clients often do not give pain medication that we send home because “he didn’t seem painful”.

how do I know if my cat is painful?

It is hard to assess pain in animals and young children. They can’t tell you how it hurts. There has been interest in developing methodology for computer assessment of pain in human children using facial expressions. Humans have expressive faces, with 42 facial muscles; there is a universal “pain face”, with lowered eyebrows, eyes squeezed together, nose wrinkled, raised upper lip and open mouth.

Like us, cats also have a “pain face” but it takes some practice to become attuned to it. The Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) was developed to give veterinary professionals an easy-to-use tool to assess whether a cat needs pain medication. With some practice and attention to your cat’s environment, you can tell if your cat is painful.

The FGS focuses on 5 facial features:

position of the ears
shape of the eyes
shape of the muzzle
attitude of the whiskers
position of the head

Each feature is assigned a score of 0, 1 or 2.

“0” = no pain

“1” = moderate appearance of pain

“2” = obvious appearance of pain

The highest pain score with this system is 10; a score of 4/10 indicates the need for pain medication.

The Kitty Pain Face

scoring The Ears

Score = 0 Ears are up and facing forward
Score = 1 Ears are not facing forward and further apart; they are a little “flat”
Score = 2 Ears are flattened and rotated out, like the wings of an airplane

scoring the eyes

Score =0 Eyes are open
Score = 1 Eyes partially closed
Score =2 Eyes are “squeezed shut”

scoring the muzzle

Score = 0 Muzzle is relaxed and round in shape
Score = 1 Muzzle is tense and starting to become flatter
Score = 2 Muzzle is tense and elliptical in shape

scoring the whiskers

score = 0 Whiskers are relaxed and curved downwards
Score = 1 Whiskers are beginning to straighten, as the muzzle becomes tense
Score = 3 Whiskers are straight or forward

scoring the head

Score = 0 The head is up and above the line of the shoulders
Score = 1 The head is in line with the shoulders
Score = 2 The is below the line of the shoulder

Using the FGS

The FGS was developed for veterinary staff to monitor hospitalized patients. In the validation studies, cats were observed undisturbed for 30 seconds. This could be a challenge in the home, where the cat is not in a kennel and can move around.

Pain causes anxiety and stress. The expressions making up the cat’s “pain face” overlap with the body language of stress. How can you eliminate environmental stress when scoring your cat for pain?

getting a valid score for your cat

Don’t have 30 seconds?

If you’re having trouble watching your cat for 30 seconds, try scoring your cat, then score him again in 15-20 minutes and see if you get the same results as before.

Pain or environmental stress?

Reduce the effect of the environment on your cat. Don’t have someone hold him or rub his head. Try to observe him when there is not a lot of activity in the house – try guiding him to a quiet room and let him settle down before you try to score him. Don’t interact with him – he may respond by hiding his pain.

If your cat is grooming, eating, or vocalizing, wait until she is finished before assessing her. If sleeping, wait until she is awake.

practice telling if a cat is painful

Using the FGS can be challenging but it can help you decide sometimes if your cat needs veterinary treatment. Practice observing cats that are painful or not painful to give yourself a mental map of the cat’s face and demeanor.

Go to felinegrimacescale.com, and download the FGS manual.
Using the FGS manual, practice your skills with the series of 11 cat photos on the website.
Compare your results with those of the researchers.

Other indications that your cat is painful

she is hiding or you find her in a place she usually does not frequent
she is more subdued than usual
there is a decrease in appetite and activity

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Do Our Cats Bond with Us?

Posted on June 27, 2021July 3, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The stereotype of the aloof, independent cat is being challenged. Do our cats bond with us, their human caregivers? How does this attachment affect the well-being of our cats?

Studies into animal cognition suggest that cats show attachments to their caregivers, similar to those exhibited by human children and dogs.

Researchers at Oregon State University tested a group of cats and caregivers using The Secure Base Test. This test was developed to evaluate attachments to caregivers in apes and dogs; a variant is used with human children.

secure and insecure attachments

In the Secure Base Test for cats, a cat and his owner were placed in a strange room for 2 minutes. After 2 more minutes, the owner would leave and the cat would be alone. The owner would return in another 2 minutes.

Cats were described as “securely” attached and “insecurely” attached. About 2/3 of the cats were “securely” attached. These cats were willing to explore the room with their owners present and continue to explore after the owners left. When the owner returned, a “securely” attached cat would greet his owner but would continue to explore and play.

“Insecurely” attached cats were reluctant to explore and sat with their owners or hid in a corner. On return of the owners, some of these cats wanted physical contact with their owners while others avoided contact and did not seem to know what to do.

This makes me think of children at their first day of school – some kids are adventurous while others cling to their parents. So, it seems that our cats bond with us much like dogs and children.

Our personalities and our cats

Another study looked at how owner personality can affect a cat’s well-being. Over 3000 cat owners responded to a survey asking questions about the their personalities and how they characterized their cats’ behavior and health.

Owner personalities were evaluated using the Big Five test. The Big Five test assigns a score for each of the five traits below to describe an individual’s personality.

Openness – willingness to embrace new experiences
Conscientiousness – how responsible and organized a person is
Extroversion – how social and outgoing you are
Agreeableness – how cooperative, kind and trusting you are
Neuroticism – prone to anxiety and depression

FINDINGS:

Owners scoring high in the anxious (neurotic) category were more likely to have cats with medical and behavioral problems; these cats were often more aggressive, anxious or fearful
Owners scoring high in openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, and agreeableness often had cats that were less fearful and anxious, and more friendly.

These results parallel human studies: Less anxious, open, and agreeable parents are able to provide their children with guidance and limits, without a controlling, authoritarian bias. Children are happier, cooperative, and have fewer behavior problems.

THE TAKEAWAY

We can’t change who we are but we need to remember that because our cats bond with us, our moods and behavior, especially when we are stressed and anxious, can affect them.
We need to avoid micromanaging our cats and let them be cats, doing the things cats do.
We need to try to see the world from the “feline purrspective”.

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Cats and Catnip

Posted on May 16, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Cats and Catnip

cat and catnip plant — Gus enjoys some local catnip.

Cats and catnip- some cats love it; some cats are indifferent to the herb. What’s the story on catnip?

Catnip is a member of the mint family. Its scientific name is nepeta cataria. Catnip contains a compound called nepetalactone, which induces the “catnip response”:

sniffing
licking and chewing with head shaking
chin and cheek rubbing
rolling over and body rubbing

The catnip response is specific to the Felidae family – other mammals do not respond to nepetalactone. Lions, jaguars, leopards and domestic cats enjoy catnip; most tigers are indifferent to catnip.

About 2/3 of domestic cats show the “catnip response”. Since catnip does not elicit a response from all cats, a genetic element may be involved. Most cats in Australia do not respond to catnip and they come from a relatively closed genetic group.

Kittens show a catnip response between 3-6 months of age (if they are sensitive). Before then, forget it!

Nepetalactone stimulates the cells lining the nasal cavity and not those of the vomeronasal organ. Smelling the nepetalactone induces the “catnip response”. Although many cats nibble on catnip, nepetalactone is not effective orally. Cats can be fairly sensitive to catnip and even weak doses of nepetalactone may induce the “catnip response”.

Cats and catnip – why does catnip affect cats?

Catnip produces allomones, chemicals that transmit messages between species. Catnip plants release these allomones (nepetalactone is one of these) into the air to repel insects that may eat the catnip. Nepetalactones can repel insects as well as the synthetic repellent N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). Maybe catnip attracts insect-eating cats… 🙂

Cats and catnip and facial pheromones…

A recent study that combined nepetalactone extract with feline facial pheromone had an interesting outcome. Cats exposed to the combination did not exhibit the typical catnip response but were more tolerant of human handling and having their blood pressure measured than cats exposed to the pheromone spray alone.

Why does catnip work? We don’t really know.

Does nepetalactone stimulate natural pheromone production?
Does it change how pheromones are processed?
Does it reinforce the semiochemical message of the pheromones?

For cats not sensitive to nepetalactone

Three other plants induce the “catnip response”
Silver Vine – a plant from east Asia, has 6 compounds that are similar chemically to nepetalactone. 80% of cats respond to silvervine.
Valerian Root – Contains 1 compound with similar chemical structure to nepetalactone. 50% of cats will respond to valerian root.
Tartarian Honeysuckle can also elicit a response in cats and is considered safe. Honeysuckle appeals to about 50% of cats.

Catmint

Catmints are also members of the mint family and belong to the genus nepeta. They may contain a lower concentration of nepetalactone. While catnip is a leggy weedy plant with whitish flowers, catmints are bushy plants with showy purple or sometimes pink flowers.

The catmint bush in my backyard does not induce the “kitty crazies” but it is a popular place – the resident and neighboring cats come to rub their heads against the shoots of the plant and sometimes nap in the center.

Cats sensitive to catnip really seem to enjoy it. The “catnip response” lasts about 10-15 minutes and does not cause any long lasting effects. If your cat does not care for catnip, try some silvervine for a “kitty cocktail”!

Want to keep up with the world of cats? If you haven’t already, subscribe to The Feline Purrspective weekly blog.

Is my cat sick from stress?

Posted on April 23, 2021April 26, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

For a time, I lived in the Florida Keys, about 50 miles north of Key West. Half of the island where we lived was owned by the Nature Conservancy and was a natural habitat of mangrove swamps, alligators, snakes and raccoons. There were some feral cats in the Conservancy reserve.

One summer, there was a litter of 4-5 kittens that we saw playing with their mother near the side of the road. In a few weeks, these cats had disappeared with the exception of one little female kitten, who continued to return to the side of the road. We used a Havaheart trap to bring the small kitten home. It was October so we named the orange and black kitten Pumpkin.

Throughout her life, Pumpkin was prone to bouts of bloody urine and not using the litter box. Antibiotic treatment was palliative at best; x-rays and ultrasounds did not reveal any medical causes. She was affectionate but she did not like the other cats. She seemed happiest when my son took her with him when he moved.

Cats’ health and stress…

Veterinary medicine for cats has advanced in the past few decades. If Pumpkin were alive today, she might be diagnosed with FIC, or Feline Idiopathic Cystitis. Idiopathic means that although we recognize the condition we don’t know the cause of it; cystitis refers to inflammation of the bladder.

Cats that suffer from frequent FIC episodes handle stress differently than other cats – they do not release stress hormones such as cortisol in the same way “normal” cats do.

Cats prone to FIC

have lower levels of cortisol in their bloodstreams compared to “normal” cats.
have higher levels of the “fight-or-flight” hormones.

Like interstitial cystitis in humans, stress contributes to flare-ups of FIC, making a cat sick from stress.

Cortisol is a potent anti-inflammatory hormone – the lack of cortisol can result in increased inflammation in the body, in this case, the bladder.

Ways to Reduce your cat’s stress at home…

Cat napping on dresser — Gus takes a break on a blanket on a dresser.

Make sure each cat has a safe place – a place that is secure and secluded, a hiding place to retreat to.

Safe Place

Feeding stations for cats — Gus is much more relaxed when eating away from the other cats.

Have several feeding stations, water stations, and litter boxes spread through out the house or apartment.

House map cat resources — A simple sketch of your house can help with locating litter boxes.

Draw the paths a cat must take to get to her food, water and litter boxes in your house. Is there plenty of room for cats to pass other pets and humans?

cat with wand toy — Zelda plays with a toy mouse on a wand toy.

Good kharma with humans.

Greet your cat before handling him or her.
Have a daily routine for grooming and play.

Positive cat-human interactions

Marley marks the corner wall at the top of the stairs.

Cats communicate by smell.

Use pheromone diffusers in the safe places.
Don’t use of strong smelling cleaners.
Scoop litter boxes daily.

The Colony Scent

Outside the home – what can make a cat sick from stress

Your cat may view neighborhood cats or other animals coming to the windows and into the yard as threats to his territory. Territorial threats can make your cat sick from stress. Consider…

A cat fence can keep other cats from entering the yard
Have scratching posts at doors and windows so that the resident cats can mark their territory.
A motion-activated sprinkler can help deter animals from coming into your yard.

There is no substitute for appropriate and timely medical care. However, increased stress contributes to flare-ups of not only FIC, but other conditions such as chronic diarrhea and overgrooming.

Pumpkin lived to be 17 years old. She was euthanized due to complications of chronic kidney disease. I wish I knew then what I know now – her life may have been less stressful and more comfortable.

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat

Posted on November 1, 2020February 3, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat

From Your Cat’s Purrspective…

You know something’s up – your carrier is out. You hide under the bed but your human pulls you out and proceeds to squeeze you into the dreaded box.

You swing along in the air and then are loaded into a larger box that moves and smells funny.

You finally stop moving and swing through the air some more and arrive at another house where you smell lots of other animals. Oh no, not this place again! You can smell other cats – most of these cats too are afraid. As you move through the fog of smells, you arrive in a small room with a metal table.

A strange human opens your carrier door and tries to coax you to come out – you’re not sure what is out there but now your carrier seems like a good place to stay. Suddenly, your world tilts and you slide out of the carrier onto the cold, hard table.

You hiss your displeasure. Another strange human proceeds to look into your eyes, put a hard plastic thing in your ears, and presses a cold metal disc against your chest. Then, the strange human pokes you with a needle and you are finally allowed to escape back into the dreaded carrier – at least, it has taken you back home before.

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat – What We Can Do

CHOOSING A CARRIER.

The plain-vanilla plastic carrier sometimes is the best option – safe and secure, easy to clean, and sturdy.
For your veterinary team, the removable top is a bonus. It allows your vet team to work with your cat in a place he knows – the bottom of his carrier.

MAKE YOUR CAT’S CARRIER A SAFE PLACE.

It should have a comfortable blanket or towel in it that smells like her.
Leave the carrier out a home – your cat may nap or play in the carrier.
Offer some food close by or in the carrier for her to enjoy.
Play games in and around the carrier.

Cat and Car — Athena is ready to get in her carrier for a ride!

TAKE KITTY FOR SOME RIDES THAT DON’T END UP AT THE VET.

Start with short rides, maybe just around the block.
Work up to longer rides to pleasant places – if you have a cat stroller, you could work up to going for walks in the park.
ALWAYS move at your cat’s pace – if he is hunched up and hiding, slow down and shorten the ride.

HANDLE AT HOME FOR A BETTER VET VISIT FOR YOUR CAT

Take time at home to handle her feet and head
Work up to gently lifting her upper lip to look at her teeth.
Get her used to being picked up.
Make sure to reward her with tasty treats!

Spray Carrier Facial Pheromones — Spraying the carrier with feline facial pheromones signals that this a familiar place.

SPRAY THE CARRIER WITH SYNTHETIC PHEROMONES 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE RIDE

BRING SOME TREATS ALONG TO MAKE THE VISIT MORE PLEASANT.

Limit kitty’s food prior to the appointment
he will be more willing to eat some treats