Cattitude Feline Behavior Counseling

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Cattitude Feline Behavior Counseling Over 45 years' experience cat behavior (academic, clinical & shelter), excluding university ethology courses, research

29/11/2025

Four months old, and still chewing. Everything. It wasn't pica, and his nibbles and nips didn't seem aggressive or even overaroused play. Turns out, he's still teething. Even at that age. It can start at 9-10 weeks, but go on for six months. His gums were itchy and uncomfortable. Sometimes, they hurt. Whether gnawing toes or towels or furniture or anything, really, in your home, Noodles' only motive was relief. Symptoms? As with little humans: reddened gums, scratching mouth, drooling, iffy breath, crabbiness… (One good symptom, if possible to designate one as positive: he wants Wet food, even to the point of going a little hungry if only kibble's available.)
Other than pushing a cod-flavored dummy or pacifier in his mouth (good luck), how to help? Yes, chew toys, made of rubber or cloth. Try a piece of washcloth with crushed ice inside. Cooling toys in the fridge for a few minutes before can help relieve. It's important, obviously, to divert his attention from your appendages to stuff preferred for His Maj to mouth. And lots of play--again, encouraging you to play before putting down the food--helps hugely. If you see gums bleed, or discharge, or there’s an adult tooth trying to push out a baby tooth, see your vet. And watch Noodles’ weight with a baby scale—losing weight is the last thing you want.

26/11/2025

If Noodles is attacking legs and arms/hands, they're prey. You might rethink your play with them, particularly how much time devoted to it and how you play. One more reason for feeding your kids at least four times daily--playing with each cat before you put the food bowl down. We know cats stalk and chase and ounce before (one hopes) prey is caught. It's also a great way of fitting in 10-15 minute sessions to gt Noodles' zoomies/frustrations/natural need for activity/bouts of energy out. Crucial. Sprints, not marathons. Play the way she wants to: bird prey or ground prey? Interactive. (Also very bonding.) Recognizing that Noodles isn't a furry paperweight, but a magnificent animal with her own needs. Don't forget to wind down those last few minutes before putting the food down; one, it calms the arousal, and two, indicates the prey is coming.
(If you also want to be a trifle sneaky, one client rubs lemon-scented boy lotion on her legs and arms. Noodles won't go near them, then.)

24/11/2025

You been actively, then absentmindedly stroking Noodles, curled up happily (presumably) on your lap, when suddenly, w/o warning, OW! as Her Maj nips. Ungrateful! What was that for? Where's the warning, you stinker?
She did try to tell you. It's fast and can be subtle, but the alarm: 'I've had enough!' was there. Sure, it means you need to keep your eye on her body language to anticipate. Some cats prefer a few strokes on the forehead/neck area, while others are delighted with back…cats differ. (You know about bellies and paws.) But keep an eye on her tail, back, ears, whiskers, her eyes, if you can see them. Those are sbody parts that can signal when you should stop. Operative word, here: ‘begins’. When her tail begins to twitch, skin begins to tense or ruffle, ears begin to flatten or to ‘dish’ (like they’re curving around a small bowl placed on her forehead), whiskers begin to fan, her pupils begin to dilate. Perhaps her head turns around so she can give you The Look. Stop, wait, let her chill a bit, then a few more pets to see if that’s fine, or if she’s truly had enough.
Petting arousal’s normal, and the moment it hits differs for each cat. She has a reactive nervous system and petting more than she likes can cause sensory ovestimulation—no different, really, from being overwowed from playtime. So watch for the signals, try to stop before then. You can probably extend the petting by an extra stroke or three, over time, by respecting said boundaries—and giving a few slups of pushup treats or a small nugget at the end, so she connects good things with an few extra caresses.

22/11/2025

In Dec's 'Ethology', a curious finding: cats vocalized more frequently to male caregivers. Social bonding certainly extends to relating with people--visual cues (gaze direction, pointing, blinking at, etc.) as well as vocal ones (directed speech) with tail up, flopping on her back, rubbing with head or body, stretching and obviously vocalizing. But remember that length of relationship with the person, cultural differences, and previous experiences are crucial. (I knew a cat who reacted badly to anyone with a beard, and one who related much better to her owner when he removed his glasses.)
Cats tend to relate better with adults (esp. women) than children. It's been noted that younger and male furrs, as well as certain breeds can show increased affability. NOW:—dah DAH!--much of the data is anecdotal.
The trial was small: 26 cats. Better to quote the researchers' conclusions, b/c of existing lack of certainty about the conclusions. ' Among all the demographic factors examined, the only significant finding was that cats used vocal communication more frequently when greeting male caregivers. Female caregivers are generally more verbally interactive, more skilled at interpreting feline vocalizations, and more likely to mimic those of their cats. It is therefore possible that male caregivers require more explicit vocalizations to notice and respond to the needs of their cats, which in turn reinforces cats' tendency to use more directed and frequent vocal behavior to attract their attention.’ Okay. More research, please. Interesting but not conclusive.

20/11/2025

II. Pica needs your vet’s input, particularly as med conditions (anemia, hyperthyroidism, IBD, gastro masses), genetics (common in Oriental breeds), stress, can be involved.
Meantime, adding more fiber to Noodles food helps: if there were a link (scientifically suggested, but not always proved) to a nutritional deficiency. For me, it may be a ‘causation vs. symptom’ thing. Add too much? Constipation to gastric misery.

That’s more likely to happen if given a homemade diet that's not had the ‘once over’ by a certified vet nutritionist.
Boredom? Yet another reason why I suggest playing with her for 10-15 minutes before putting down her food, several times a day. And food puzzles. More enrichment. Stress: before diving headlong into meds, consider gentle calming supplements such as Suntheanine or Zylkene—again, that’s for a vet to discuss with. (Also, is s/he familiar with them? If not, run. They've been around for decades. No excuse for vet to be unfamiliar with them, unless they got their DVM from an online program at the U of Nowhere.)
Add chewable toys, and cat grass.
Stress? Again: why Would she feel this? Examine her relation- ships not only with other animals but with humans at home.
Make what she craves not only disappear, but taste like hell if she chomps down. Spray w/ edible but icky-tasting food oils (add to spray bottle of vodka or alcohol to make ‘cologne’) or flop down a spiky underside of a plastic carpet runner.
According to a study, pica may especially show up during the first 6-9 months of Noodles’ life, so one theory touches on emerging territorial or prey-catching instincts. Prof Nick Dodman, enormously experienced vet-behaviorist and Prof Emeritus of Tufts’ vet school, has done considerable research, and believes there may be a link between cats having had seizures and pica.
Expect your vet to be on top of such research. If not, get the name of a specialist—from vet or from your local SPCA or Humane Society.

19/11/2025

Don’t know why I suddenly see ‘0 likes’ instead of the usual 10,000+…
Anyone have any insight?

17/11/2025

Noodles loves chewing on interesting textures: plastic bags, cardboard, shoe leather, rubber, wool, electric cords…but does she Swallow? That’s pica. Eating the inedible. It’s said that the condition’s apparent in Oriental breeds, such as Siamese, Tonkinese, Burmese…and orientals, but I’ve seen pica in others, myself. While everything from diets lacking in fat or fiber to sheer boredom to stress have been implicated, the jury’s still out, although many experts are leaning towards genetics and neurological issues.
One way to tell—besides noting fabric holes and gnawed textures and watching what comes out of a cat’s barf and stool (explore those f***l lumps!)-- is how catto masticates: quickly grinding over and over with the back teeth and then gulping the material down. Also try to sleuth if she’s consistent in hunting down that favored material. Monitor for signs that she may have an intestinal obstruction—is she vomiting (and what’s in it? Take a photo for the vet), any f***l changes, from loose stools to tight, small f***s, straining while she’s trying to eliminate, and apathy.

Myth! One TV ‘expert’ show had a client’s cat diagnosed w/ pica, as she was chewing on chair corners and metal. His suggestion: play more with her. Cat was fine. The problem: it wasn’t pica. It was boredom. Pica can NOT be ‘cured’ with play.

Another myth to break: while stress can be a factor, it's been assumed that cats kept indoors are more likely to get it. WRONG. In a 2015 study, cats with pica were more likely to have outdoor access.

As well: pica victims were vomiting, but was the barf caused by the material eaten? Or is the chewing itself her way of relieving queasiness?
Still a lot unknown about pica.
It’s not curable, but it is manageable. More...

15/11/2025

Gooood quality, nutritionally-balanced, and yes, minimally processed diets (raw or wet) are considered the best choice, just as long as they meet Noodles’ nutritional needs and are completely safe.
Raw, lightly-cooked food may retain more natural enzymes and amino acids in comparison to highly heat-processed ones. (There’s no definition for strength of and length of time of heating food.) And processed foods can contain higher carb levels. While that maaay (not does) exacerbate inflammation and medical issues such as diabetes, there’s been, as far as I am aware no substantial study qualifying a connection. The common argument is that a cat’s an obligate carnivore, so there’s no reason for carbs at all. However, what’s not being considered is that 1/ a cat easily metabolizes a small amount of carbs per meal, and 2/ as their prey tends to be herbivore or omnivore, consider what’s in Their stomachs. Right.

The drawbacks of raw remain: too-frequent bacterial contamination, too-often nutritional imbalance and the fact that some cats don’t tolerate raw food diets well. Actually, commercially-produced raw diets may be more complete than what you make at home. Please talk with your vet, to ensure Noodles doesn’t suffer nutritional deficits, such as too little taurine or thiamine, crucial for nerve, brain and metabolism functions. Choose a diet formulated by a vet nutritionist. (I’d also look them up, to learn their creds.) and having gone through feeding trials. And not those sponsored by the mfrs.�
Know the FDA, CDC and AVMA do not recommend raw food diets, but what Noodles eats is truly your choice—an educated one. And these days, we’re getting pretty savvy about that.

13/11/2025

Raw vs processed cat food...this argument is going to run and run. Remember, ‘raw’'s still processed. But, let’s parse the issue: the first, some people believe that raw food is better than canned. Not so.
Now, we’re not even talking about the fact that of all the food recall information I get as a behaviorist, almost all recalls b/c of discovered bacteria, etc., are from raw cat food.
But as importantly, there’s no reliable evidence at all that feeding Noodles a raw diet helps her live longer. There are no controlled, long-term randomized trials that address this. None.
What factors do affect Her Maj's lifespan: vet care, household environment, parasite control, and socioeconomic status—factors that vary widely with owners. These factors haven’t been taken into account in studies. And while positive results are often touted, cats who are ill or who even die as a result of a raw diet are rarely reported.
There is No nutritional benefit to raw; some think cooking processes decreases nutrition, but this simply isn’t so. As for digestibility, raw's often harder to do so; many cooking processes actually Increases digestibility, particularly with protein and starch.
Now, wait. More info coming—and some of it is positive for (processed, which also means liiightly-cooked) raw. Coming up…

10/11/2025

The immoral chaos surrounding SNAP victims continues--and that situation is affecting pets. Some nonprofits are trying to help, but it's the proverbial drop in the ocean. Although SNAP can't be used for pet food, those programs are trying to extend care so families can 'free up' money to pay for some. Owners are also supplementing or completely feeding their furrs SNAP-bought human food. Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the US) estimation: over 20 million pets live in poverty with families. One damn huge reason why they're surendered to shelters. Shelters are also worrying. Furloughed workers aren't paid, and pet food donations that used to dribble in from the public have shrunk. Donors are disappearing. Pet food pantries are besieged.
I don't normally use this site for asking, but... I'm hoping. Could I ask? Please help the food pantries in your area, or call your local Humane Society or ASPCA or shelter and help.

07/11/2025

Another blow to the raw food industry: a study published in Comunications Biology found salmonella, cronobacter and E. Coli not only in raw but in partially-cooked meat sold frozen, freeze-dried and refrigerated, both in stores and online. Horrible for pets and humans, (particularly kids, elderly, pregnant and immuno-compromised.)
You've read this kind of thing before, But: b/c there was more extensive testing in more pet foods, the problem's far more widespread than previously thought. We're not talking just a few errant companies. The FDA regulates mostly human pathogens...and it's not at all sufficient. Additional bacteria found: klebsiella, clostridium perfringens, more.
Some labels also didn't match the kinds of meat listed. Ex: some products contained chicken, yet that was missing from labeling. As some cat staff are avoiding chicken at the moment b/c of a connection to avian flu, deadly for Noodles, this is obviously more than a concern.

06/11/2025

Watch how they walk. Jump. Even rest: always the same position, possibly looking awkward? Damn arthritis. Cornell's 'Catwatch' this month: with feline arthritis (OA), particularly hip: sometimes surgery's an answer, although not all sufferers are good candidates. (Not all cat servants can afford it, either.) What's also suggested are joint supplements like glucosamine/ chondroitin, fish oil, undenatured collagen Type 2, green-lipped mussel and mitrolactin.
However, what's not discussed is the fact that regulation for vet meds is even more flimsy than it is for our food supplements and vitamins, according to vets I spoke with. One only has to prove the product is safe, not necessarily efficacious. Anecdotal 'evidence' can help drive the vet to prescribe. Medically, there's Adequan and Solensia (the latter an expensive monthly injection), but more for pain relief, not active impact on OA growth. Again, some vets have expressed skepticism. But if interested, talk it over with yours.

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