References
Helping owners to support the emotional and behavioural needs of the socially mature cat
Abstract
This article forms part of a series that considers the behavioural and emotional needs of the domestic feline — from kitten to geriatric cat — and how the veterinary practice team can support the cat's owners in maintaining its emotional welfare. The articles are based on a series delivered on behalf of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and the British Veterinary Behaviour Association. This article is based on the material presented by Vicky Halls (RVN Dip Couns, Reg MBACP) at the London Vet Show (November 2017). The article considers the respective needs of the cat at various life stages post kittenhood, as well as feline stress and its effect on the domestic cat, the cat's behavioural and emotional needs, and how owners can make appropriate provisions. In addition, the article considers the issues that can arise when owners wish to maintain a multi-cat household, and how best to go about attempting to integrate a new kitten or cat into an existing feline group. A future article will pay specific attention to the needs of the senior and geriatric cat.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) (2010)Feline Life Stage Guidelines, following kittenhood (closing at about 6 months of age), the cat will enter the junior life-stage, which will continue to social maturity at 18–24 months (dependent on the individual). Following this, the cat enters its ‘prime’ years. However, by 7 years, the cat is considered mature; by 11 years, senior; and once the cat is 14–15 years old, it can be considered geriatric.
All of these life stages carry individual challenges for the cat, which may require owners to become more involved with providing behavioural and emotional support. Although the cat's behavioural and emotional tone will have been dictated by its genetic blueprint and breeding environment, it is the cat's experiences, throughout its life, which dictate the expression of those early behavioural and emotional influences (Zulch, 2017). Hence, although the breeding environment is formative in creating the cat's capacity to cope within a domestic environment, the environment created by the owner will limit the cat's capacity to capitalise on its individual level of social and environmental plasticity. Consequently, supporting the feline owner in understanding the behavioural and emotional needs of their cat, along with the health implications of failing to provide such support, is an important veterinary role (Rodan, 2016).
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