Helping kittens to become confident cats – why they and their owners need the support of the veterinary team. Part 1: genetic barriers

The domestic cat (Felis sylvestris catus) has evolved from an ancestor that lived in an environment in which food was scarce and hard won (Fraser, 2012). Although this situation is not too far removed from the circumstances experienced by the many millions of feral, and many stray, cats throughout the world (Bradshaw et al, 2012), the human population often has expectations that the domestic cat's behaviour will vary considerably from that of their less cosseted, feral conspecifics (Cat Protection, 2017). Yet, the domestication process for the cat is a relatively recent journey (Serpell, 2000), leaving little time for the major genetic changes that would be required to provide a behavioural repertoire far removed from their less domestically adapted cousins. To better meet the behavioural welfare needs of the kitten bound for a role as a domestic cat, it is important to understand the potential limitations that the cat may have on meeting owner expectations of a companion, and the consequent support that both kitten and owner may require from the veterinary team (Ellis, 2016). To do this, it can be useful to consider the cat's ethology — where it came from and the behaviours that developed as part of its evolutionary journey (Bradshaw et al, 2012).