AbbeyPet

26/04/2024

This. It's difficult, but true.

Yesterday I read a post on a colleague's page which should have been entirely noncontroversial. The post stated that dogs shouldn't be regularly crated for 8 hours or more at a time. Incredibly some people pushed back hard on that point on the basis it excluded people who worked full time/long hours from having a dog.

And there's the rub. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙜. Much as they might want one. Not everyone's lifestyle is compatible with dog ownership. Which can be a bitter pill to swallow if you desperately want a dog in your life but that doesn't make it any less true.

Dogs need social contact*. They need space to move*. To deprive them of these things has a detrimental effect on their well being, no matter how loved they may be. So if the only way someone can fit a dog into their life is to leave it alone & crated for 8-10 hours every day they really need to do some soul searching and consider the dog's experience, not just their own wants.

If you do work out of the home for long hours and still want a dog in your life then you have to be prepared to pay for support to help you care for your dog - a dog walker, pet sitter, day care etc. And high quality, ethical pet care costs.

Does that mean that those who work long hours out of the home and can't afford high quality pet care can't have a dog? Yes, very possibly.

Owning a dog isn't a right. It's a responsibility which means that you have to consider the dog's welfare ahead of your own wants. There will be many such decisions along the way and the first one is whether your lifestyle can meet a dog's most basic needs. And if it can't, the answer should be 'no'.

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*𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘴:
• 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢 𝘉, 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘔 𝘉 𝘏, 𝘷𝘢𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘑, 𝘥𝘦 𝘝𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘏 𝘞, 𝘔𝘰𝘭 𝘑 𝘈 (1998). 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘢, 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘪 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴, 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 58: 365-381.
• 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢 𝘉, 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘞, 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘔 𝘉 𝘏, 𝘔𝘰𝘭 𝘑 𝘈, 𝘷𝘢𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘑 (1999𝘢). 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘯𝘦: 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳 66: 233-242.

30/12/2023

With New Years Eve approaching, we have some TOP TIPS for keeping your pet safe this firework season.

Dogs:https://www.apbc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Fireworks-Series-Behaviour.pdf

Cats:https://www.apbc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/APBC-How-to-prepare-your-cat-for-fireworks.pdf

20/10/2023

What is ‘Silent pain?’ 🤔

Did you know that dogs are genetically predisposed to hide pain because in the wild, weakness or injury would make them vulnerable to predators.

According to some experts, more than half our dogs suffer from ‘silent pain’ that their owners are unaware of. Dogs will rarely vocalise even moderate pain and often just run through it and don’t show any signs.

Silent pain is difficult to diagnose as it is subtle and develops slowly over a long time and any slight changes in the dog are often just attributed to normal ageing.

Things to consider with your dog-

✳️ Dogs are very loyal animals - they will follow you for as long as they can- on walks, up the stairs, onto the bed, ignoring any pain because they want to be with you

✳️ When doing zoomies, playing, chasing squirrels etc your dog won’t feel pain as their endorphins (their powerful natural pain relieving hormone) will be at released - the pain will come later when the dog is home and resting.

✳️ Your dog will not, however, be able to make that connection between the earlier exercise and the pain they’re now experiencing due to the time delay so they will repeat it the next day and the next and so on…..

✳️ Ball orientated dogs will ignore pain and continue to chase the ball as long as you throw it for them until they tire

✳️ Over a period of time and as your dog ages, the joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons become less able to deal with these demands and that’s when injuries start to happen.

✳️ You may at this point start to notice some changes in your dog, they might start to move a little
differently or be less enthusiastic on walks but again, it might not be physical signs. Your dog may develop behavioural problems, become noise sensitive, nervous or agressive with other dogs or may just pant more or find it harder to settle.

✳️ So …..just because your dog can leap for the ball/ jump up and down off the bed/ do ten zoomie laps of the field etc doesn’t mean you should let them and it does NOT mean they are not in pain!

Please share to increase awareness

And just to finish - a pic of my gorgeous arthritic girlie enjoying some autumn sun ☀️ !!

13/08/2023

Very true

Something to ponder from Dr Dunbar. ‘Capture’ and reward at least one of your dog’s good behaviours every day 🐾

02/08/2023

😼 Research has shown that when cats don’t have enough opportunities to play, they can turn to destructive and attention seeking behaviours, such as scratching the furniture or increased vocalisation. This can be frustrating for both you and your cat.

All cats need physical and mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. Getting plenty of opportunities to use their inquisitive minds and natural hunting instincts through play is an excellent way to:

🐾 Reduce hunting behaviour - a recent study suggested that 5-10 minutes of daily play reduced hunting behaviour by up to 25%!

🐾 Encourage exercise and promote a healthy bodyweight

🐾 Improve mental wellbeing and reduce attention seeking behaviours

🐾 Strengthen the human-animal bond

Find out more about the importance of play and the benefits of addressing problem behaviours 👉 https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/

09/05/2023

EDIT: The workshop is now fully booked! 😍 Please comment below if you wanted to book as if there’s enough interest, I will open another session. Thanks for your support, looking forward to helping your cats!

📣📣📣 EVERYONE!! 📣📣📣

🐱 Booking is now open for my very first online cat behaviour workshop! 😄 This one is focusing on urine marking and is for cat carers who are currently experiencing this problem with their cat. 🐈

🐱 The workshop will include information on the potential reasons why your cat is urine marking, and strategies to resolve the problem. 🙌 There will also be an opportunity to discuss your cat's behaviour and find out why the things you have tried so far haven't worked. 🐈‍⬛

🐱 Spaces are limited to 10 places to allow for discussion and the session will not be recorded so any details you share will remain between the group only. ❤️

Click here to book: https://www.lucyhoile.co.uk/catbehaviourworkshops
(then click the picture to book)

❤️ I CAN'T WAIT to work with more lovely cat owners! See you there! ❤️

28/04/2023

🙂

Dogs all over England are smiling today. As of Feb 1st 2024 remote electric (shock) collars will be banned in England. Thank you to everyone who campaigned for 10 years to get this done! The dogs thank you!
https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2023/april/cruel-electric-shock-collars-banned-in-england/

20/04/2023

This is worth thinking about? Was just chatting to a client about this the other day! :)

It's very sad that a lot of advice given today discourages people from providing secure bases to dogs. This is seen as "sentimental and soft". People are conditioned to fearing that if they reassure their dog or show up for their dog, their dog will become "needy". But it is quite the opposite. The more we show up, the more we strengthen that secure base and they gain confidence to explore. The more they explore and gather life experience, the further it builds confidence. Show up for your dog as often as possible. You are not "softening" them or pampering them. You are strengthening their core. You will be amazed at what they are capable of. But to see their best, show up for them. Don't be afraid to reassure them. Don't let people tell you that you are pampering or spoiling them. Show up. It's okay to do so. It's good to do so.

If this approach resonates with you and you like the idea of showing up for your dog, sign up for Canine Essential 101 and learn more on how to show up with empathy and compassion.

https://courses.bharcs.com/

16/04/2023

Do you have a cat friendly home? 🏡 😺 A cats physical and mental wellbeing can be positively influenced by the resources they are given in their homes.

This floor plan highlights the key resources and how they can be spaced out. Take a look at your home and see if you can improve the layout of your cat’s resources. 🧐

Here are some general tips 👇
🔹 Food and water should not be placed next to each other
🔹 Keep food away from busy areas
🔹 Keep litter trays away from doors/busy areas and food and water
🔹 Have some raised and covered safe places and beds
🔹 Try placing scratching posts near doors, windows or their beds

Find out more 👉 https://icatcare.org/advice/making-your-home-cat-friendly/

14/04/2023

Free webinars - one for dogs and one for cats 🙂

I'm excited to share that I have two upcoming webinars, one on how to have a happy dog, and one on how to have a happy cat. They are free and a recording will be available. As well, because the paperback of Purr will come out on June 6th, I'll give a copy to one of the attendees at the live webinar on how to have a happy cat. Please feel free to share these webinars with friends, family, and clients who might be interested.
Register here:
How to have a happy dog: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2816812395546/WN_wJClLguAQ7ypoeRm0UDeAw
How to have a happy cat: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1516812434593/WN_e8qAmN3LRieR3DirITFctw

04/04/2023

Did you know that most cats over 12 years of age suffer from osteoarthritis and about two thirds of cats over 6 years of age can also be affected? 🙀

😿Cats are experts at hiding pain and good at adapting, so signs of osteoarthritis are usually gradual and subtle. This means that only a small percentage of cats suffering from osteoarthritis are actually treated.

🦴Changes in a cat's behaviour are usually an indicator of pain or illness, and chronic joint pain is no exception. Signs of osteoarthritis in cats include:

🐈Stiff or unsteady gait
🐈Stiffness when rising from rest
🐈Difficulty jumping up or down from furniture
🐈Reluctance to use or navigate stairs
🐈Reluctance to play or frequent rest needed during play sessions
🐈Sleeping for longer periods
🐈Restlessness
🐈Favouring beds lower to the ground
🐈Difficulty grooming and matted coat
🐈Less interaction with humans and animals in the household
🐈Aggression towards humans if touched, stroked or picked up
🐈Aggression towards other animals in the household
🐈House soiling - episodes of missing the litter tray or soiling in unusual locations
🐈Reduced scratching activity and overgrown claws
🐈Reluctance to use cat flap
🐈Spending less time outside
🐈Activity generally reduced

🐾Cats are less likely to be lame as arthritis tends to affect limbs on both sides.

🩺Although osteoarthritis is a progressive condition, it can be managed. This will involve pain management, environmental modifications and sometimes other complimentary therapies.

🩺 If your cat is showing signs of osteoarthritis contact your vet for advice. Although cats do slow down as they get older, changes in mobility are usually associated with discomfort, so pain management is essential.

📝You can work with your veterinary team and go through questionnaires to monitor your cat's behaviour and mobility. Access them here:

https://www.catcare4life.org/

https://www.zoetispetcare.com/checklist/osteoarthritis-checklist-cat

https://painfreecats.org/

📚References : Ellen Goldberg. M. (2017). A chronic look at pain in cats. Veterinary Nursing Journal, 32(3), 67-77.doi: 10.1080/17415349.2016.1269625

26/03/2023

Free webinar about pet anxiety

With just under a week to go before Pet Anxiety Month ends - don’t forget that to help raise awareness, I’m offering An Introducion to Pet Anxiety webinar for FREE. Follow the link below and use the code: PETANXIETY
https://petcourses.co.uk/courses/an-introduction-to-pet-anxiety-dog-and-cat-online-seminar/

17/03/2023

When is a hutch enough?

When it is used as a safe space as part of a larger enclosure.

A hutch should NEVER be used as the sole accommodation for rabbits.



https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/rabbit-housing/why-hutch-not-enough/

10/02/2023

Fabulous article about separation related behaviours in dogs 🙂

When it comes to in , the resolution process often involves a bucket load of myth-busting communication with clients – so what advice should professionals actually give? 🐕

Find out in Heather Taylor’s insightful article for this month’s Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors - APBC column!
https://bit.ly/3Hzkevf

15/12/2022

Really good advice with Christmas coming up

03/11/2022

Some more excellent advice

Fireworks are loud and unpredictable, which can the be frightening for cats 🙀🙀

Here are some tips on keeping your safe and reducing stress during fireworks season:

🎇Provide several cat 'hidey' areas in the house. These can be anything from cardboard boxes, elevated perches with beds on (make sure they are secure) to cat trees with enclosed pods.

🎇Cats like to be up high as it makes them feel safe, but don't forget to offer hiding areas at a lower level, especially for older cats. Making a comfy den under your bed can offer a safe and secure area for older cats, or those with mobility problems to hide.

🎇Play soft or classical music or keep the TV on during peak firework time. This can help drown out some of the firework noises.

🎇Use a synthetic pheromone therapy (Feliway)diffuser and spray. Set the diffuser up well before the fireworks start and use the spray on your cat's bedding about 15-20 minutes before use.

🎇If you have a multi-cat household make sure each cat has at least one place to hide in the area it spends the most time in. There should be at least one hiding place per cat plus several spares.

🎇 Even if your cat does not usually use a litter tray, provide one in a quiet area of the house during firework season. You can also offer a tray or toileting area the garden if needed (somewhere hidden away). Lots of cats get stress cystitis during fireworks season, so it's important to give them toileting options.

🎇Behave normally around your cat, avoid picking it up and kissing or cuddling it and try to stay calm. Cats pick up on owners emotions, so allow your cat to go wherever it wants and don't smother or disturb it too much.

🎇If possible, keep your cat inside during the evenings in peak fireworks season, as this can prevent injury and stress (don't prevent it from going outside if it wants to though)

🎇If you want to watch the fireworks from inside your house do it in a different room to your cats and shut the curtains in the rest of the house

🎇If your cat doesn't want to hide use toys or treats as a distraction

🎇 Nutraceuticals might help reduce stress, but they do not replace helping your cat feel safe in its home ❤️🐈🏡

27/10/2022

Good advice

🕷🕷Halloween🕷🕷

🕷With halloween fast approaching please consider thinking how your puppy may feel when faced with different decorations appearing in your home or family members that may be heading out for trick or treating wearing very different items, such as masks, hats and capes.

🕷Remember - if children or family members do decide to dress up for halloween it is likely that your puppy may not have seen these before and they may be unsure. As this real Puppy School photo of a child which attended a Puppy School class demonstrates clearly is that children do look very different when disguised in halloween dress!

🕷Try to introduce items gradually and create a positive association by using treats and or a fun game with your puppy.

🕷Always watch your puppies body language and create a bigger distance away if they are unsure. Do not force them to move closer if they are scared.

🕷Keep a look out as we will be sharing some more tips on how to help keep your pups safe this Halloween over the next few days.

15/10/2022

🐱Scratching behaviour starts at around 5 weeks of age and each cat will have its own preference of scratching surface or type of scratcher

🐱Types of scratching surface include:

▪️Sisal
▪️Cardboard
▪️Carpet
▪️Wood
▪️Fabric

These can be provided in the form of a scratching post, mat or block and may be vertical, angled or completely flat.

Cats like some resistance when they scratch, but some older cats may prefer softer surfaces such as cardboard or carpet. They may also favour flatter surfaces to scratch on, but this can very much depend on the cat.

🐈Cat owners should consider the following when choosing a scratching surface for their cat:

🐾The taller the better with posts - cats like to stretch when they scratch, so a post should be nice and tall.

🐾Stability is important, especially when it comes to scratching posts. If the post wobbles the cat is less likely to use it, so it should be heavy enough to withhold some serious scratching!Door scratchers can wobble a bit too much for some cats.

🐾Using catnip, treats or encouraging play near scratching surfaces can help encourage use

🐾 A cat's age, previous preferences and lifestyle should be considered when choosing a scratching surface.

🐾Ideally there should be one scratching surface per cat and a spare in multi-cat households - choices are good!

🐾 Remove any dangling toys from scratching posts, they are dangerous because cats can get their claws stuck in them, which is super painful!

🐾Don't forget to provide scratching surfaces outdoors too (where possible). Soft wood e.g.trees, wooden posts etc is popular with most cats!

What surface does your cat prefer and where does your cat like to scratch?🐱

📚References

Ley, J., 2016. Normal but unwanted behaviour in cats. In: I. Rodan and S. Heath, ed., Feline behavioural health and welfare. At Louis: Elsevier, pp.325-336.

Scratching: nuisance or necessity? | International Cat Care. Icatcare.org. (2022). Retrieved 14th October 2022.

13/09/2022

An important one for new puppy owners

This is an old one but still relevant as I see little puppies being left to cry it out. .

Huey's first night.

When puppies arrive home at 8 weeks they often are in or just starting their first fear period.
If you expose a puppy to isolation and they get scared and do not recover, then they can become conditioned to being fearful when alone. These puppies can develop separation related problems and it can be difficult to overcome them. (O'Heare, 2004)

A puppy's mum at this age would still respond to her puppy's stress calls, it's not normal for them to be ignored. They are vulnerable and need to be cared for.
They do 'following behaviour' at this age because they need to stay close to their family to survive, because they are not old enough to fend for themselves.

Huey will not be left alone at night for the time being, he will be with us but in his own bed. He has an area for sleeping and an area for toileting. The crate is open. The toileting area must be away from the sleeping area, not in the crate. Crates are sleeping areas only.

If you're a bit of a night owl unlike me, it's even better if you get up and take them outside to the toilet, if they wake up in the night.

Huey will learn to be left alone during daylight hours in a structured manner and I will condition positive associations to this and increase duration as he copes.

At night I will first create a relaxed positive sleep habit, then I will teach independence. It's important my puppies feel safe and supported in their new home.

This is an important time for me and my puppy to bond. If he needs me, I will be there to support him.

Here he is now all grown up 🐾

25/08/2022

17/08/2022

Puppy blues are real!

Puppy Hack #6: “What have I done?!”
We need to talk about “post puppy depression”, or “the puppy blues”. Yes it’s a real thing. In fact it’s perfectly normal and lots of owners go through it.
In fact I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while but not been able to bring myself to do it until now, for this reason.
I know from experience that I find the first few weeks of owning a puppy or new dog really stressful. This time I managed to lose 3kg because I was so off my food. I really don’t cope well with change. But typically I start to relax and settle into the new routine and really bond with them after about three weeks. This time though, it’s been nearly two months and I’m still not quite right.
Am I being over-dramatic calling it post-puppy depression? Well I was diagnosed with post-natal depression after my child, and can say that there are a lot of similarities.
This pic taken a few weeks ago was a milestone for me, as it was the first one I took of us together.
Don’t get me wrong, we do love her lots. She’s just bloody hard work. She’s into everything, destroyed the garden, has had phases of barking for attention, steals socks, is developing an annoying bird chasing habit, is terrified of traffic, the other dogs still don’t actually like her, and for a long time it felt like she never lay down and went to sleep other than at night in her crate.
But it’s important to focus on the positives. She is exceptionally friendly, clever, fun, active and superb with my son who adores her. When she does finally snooze she’s a snuggle monster. And all of the above negatives are improving with that hard work we are putting in.
If you have a new dog and feel sick with worry “what have I done?”, please don’t despair. It will get better. I recently saw a presentation about a scientific study where they found that most dogs were returned to shelters within one or two days..DAYS..for reasons like not fitting in and not getting on with the other pets in the house. That’s ridiculous!!! It takes weeks, months for everyone to adjust.
Don’t get me wrong, if months go by and you still are struggling and not bonding with your dog, please seek professional help from qualified and reward-based behaviour experts such as the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors. It may even be best for the both of you to rehome the dog- no judgement here. This is the situation Maple’s previous owner was in and she did the right thing. I can confirm, yes this dog is bloody hard work.
Lastly, Risë VanFleet, Ph.D. who also has a new dog, recently said a few words that hit home for me. I can’t remember exactly but the sentiment was along the lines of ‘Appreciate the dog you have, not who you expected them to be’.
I wanted a new dog that would challenge and push me to learn new things. I got that and she’s gorgeous.

20/06/2022

A fabulous article by Jane Ardern

Puppies bite, they chew stuff, they can keep you awake at night and take time to learn a sleep routine, they p*e and poo and sometimes do it inside. It can take time to house train, some more than others.
They can easily get confused about our expectations, they can get frustrated when learning about life and get shouty and bitey, they get tired and bitey and don't want to sleep.

They go through different development stages as they grow having constant new and different experiences, sometimes they deal with these changes sometimes they don't. They make mistakes, they get overaroused, the arousal makes them behave in certain ways like, barking, grabbing, lunging.
They just act on their impulses and they need us to guide them. We need to be kind, understanding and tolerant.

They're beautiful little beings, learning every day, having new experiences every day. Humans brought them into the world, humans give them a home. We have a responsibility to guide and support them through their development with kindness and compassion.
Puppies are hard work but I love the experience, the good and the bad. They are all individually beautifully unique.

We NEED to meet their NEEDS.

They are never with us long enough, before you know it you'll be walking out of the vets with nothing but a collar, lead, a broken heart and loads of memories ...

Enjoy your puppy, embrace the journey, make beautiful memories, even if they're dicks sometimes 🐾❤️

Jane Ardern BSc (Hons) Dip Cabt

11/06/2022

Bringing up an old one because it’s never okay to be messing around in yours dogs dinner. Even if it’s a Tiktok challenge.

26/05/2022

I see a lot of adolescent dogs and it can be a tricky stage for both the dog and owner. Here's some information why.

Ever wondered why a puppy's behavior seems erratic during adolescence, which occurs between six months and 18 months of age?

The neurobiology of adolescence is fascinating, with some key events that alter both the structure and function of the brain.

During canine adolescence, s*x hormones are changing which effects the animals stress responses. Adolescent dogs have a decreased ability to modulate sensory processing and subsequent behavior.

The connectivity between the frontal cortex (responsible for decision making) and amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) decreases, resulting in less behavioral control.

So what does this mean? This could mean that your dog, who used to come when called, suddenly cannot. This could mean that your dog, who didn't jump up on guests, suddenly does. Your dog that walked nicely on leash is now pulling. Or perhaps it seems like some days your dog responds to behaviors you ask of them, and some days they don't, without any rhyme or reason.

We also see increased risk taking and more sensitivity to fear.

As your puppy undergoes this transition into adulthood their inner world is intense, even chaotic. Many pet owners experience an increase in undesirable behavior and find themselves becoming increasingly frustrated. In turn, frustration and impatience sometimes cause us to act unpredictably.

This adds to your puppy’s inner turmoil. When the inside and the outside are both unpredictable it can be difficult for puppies to adjust.

By understanding this we can gain greater compassion and understanding. When we approach adolescence with patience we can help create a world that is predictable and gentle so our puppies grow up to be their best selves.

17/05/2022

😍

05/05/2022

An interesting study if you use laser pointers to play with your cat

New research has been published on the use of laser pointers in play and its possible effects on cat behaviour. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, concludes:

"Guardians that frequently used laser light pointers to play with their cats reported significantly more potential abnormal repetitive behaviours such as spins, tail chases, chasing lights or shadows, staring "obsessively" at lights or reflections, and fixating on a specific toy."

It is worth noting that the majority of cat owners in the study (262 participants, 73.6%) did not end the laser pointer play sessions by letting their cat ‘catch’ something. The lack of opportunity to ‘pounce’ or ‘catch’ a physical toy at the end of a play session is hypothesised to be frustrating for cats as they cannot complete their natural predatory behavioural sequence. Further research is required into whether or not completing this type of play session with ‘catching’ a toy, plays a role in the development of abnormal repetitive behaviours.

Play is an important source of mental stimulation and physical activity for cats, but it is important to understand that all cats have unique preferences in how they best like to play and interact. To learn more about playing with your cat, including our top ideas for toys and games, visit:

https://icatcare.org/advice/playing-with-your-cat/
https://icatcare.org/playing-with-your-kitten/

Reference: Grigg, E.K. and Kogan, L.R., 2022. Associations between Laser Light Pointer Play and Repetitive Behaviors in Companion Cats: Does Participant Recruitment Method Matter?. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, pp.1-16.