Animal Welfare Professionals

Anonymous attendee      3:30 PM 

Odd behavior observed in a normall super-chill neutered male: after licking genitals, he would gorwl and would often  attack my hair/head if in bed. 

Hi there! I would need a lot more information to really comment on what is going on here! But I would probably first check with a veterinarian to make sure that everything is okay - he could be redirecting pain after grooming.

Anonymous attendee      3:32 PM 

What about cats that seem to need constant stimulation, where it seems that there is not enough stimulation provided, even with attempting a relaxation protocol as well and are on fluoxetine. What would be the next steps for a cat like this? 

Hello and thank you for the question! A case like this might be best served by a veterinary behaviorist who could help you determine if fluoxetine is the right choice for this kitty. I'd also want to know more about the environment, relationships in the home, as well as potential stressors that could be an underlying cause of what is likely some form of anxiety! There may be other environmental changes that could be helpful, such as harness training, trick training and the like.

How did you become a feline behaviorist? I've been "retired" from working at a nonprofit animal shelter after 18 years due to physical issues but would love to work with cats again. 

It all started almost 25 years ago when I volunteered and then worked at the San Francisco SPCA, which at the time had a Cat Behavior Department. After working there for 8 years, I went back to school to get a PhD in animal behavior. So -- a combination of hands-on shelter experience and advanced education and research. I also recommend joining professional organizations related to behavior consulting, such as the IAABC as well as on-going educational opportunities that are out there such as conferences and webinars!

Is there an association between play aggression and Length of Stay (LOS) in shelters 

I don't know of anyone who has studied this, but in theory someone could study it! You'd first need to make sure you had an accurate assessment of the cat's behavior, which can be challenging in a shelter where you only see a limited aspect of the cat's behavior. You'd also need to account for things like which other cats are available for adoption, whether the cat had other traits that make them highly adoptable (e.g., cute, young). My suspicion is that unless the biting and scratching was severe, many of these cats would be appealing to adopters. Previous studies have shown that people are drawn to adopting playful cats.

Do you have special procedures for cats who attack the family dog, or is it still a matter of redirecting play focus? 

Assuming that the behavior toward the dog was playful and not due to fear or defensiveness...I would definitely recommend redirecting play focus and the other things I mentioned. I find Pattern Games from Leslie McDevitt's books "Control Unleashed" can be helpful exercises for pets that have difficulty being calm around each other, so they may be helpful for both cat and dog. 

All the above answers are from Dr. Delgado. Because this next one is more of a veterinary behavior question, i answered it.

We have a 375 day resident that has a "cauliflour" ear after not having a hematoma repaired before coming to us, so poor ceruminous ear drainage (yeast otitis, too, of course) and some hearing loss.  She is very reactive and quick to respond with firm attacks with no warning.  She can't be treated.  She is a torti. The same people who sit with her -and she approaches - may lead to fairly aggressive/ reactive attacks seemingly without warning.  She is very tough to medicate and we want to adopt her out.  I could put her on an SSRI.... Remove the ear, do a Zepp, one quick suggestion, maybe?

Hi Dr. Garrett, I'm Dr. Sheila Segurson, a veterinary behaviorist, and answering this question because Dr. Delgado is not a veterinarian. Chronic medical conditions and the decision whether to spend a lot of money on treatment with a shelter pet is a difficult one.  While we know that medical problems can certainly impact behavior, we can't guarantee that surgery would eliminate this behavior.  And then you have to decide whether its worth it to spend the money when in the end, she might not be safe to place. If we had info on her behavior before all this happened, the decision would be easier, but that's rare info to have. Have you evaluated her tympanic bulla to see if she has middle ear involvement? Pending that info, i'd consider a lateral ear canal resection (zepp) vs total ear canal ablation +/- bulla osteotomy, but with the knowledge that we don't know if it will be curative for her aggressive behavior. Even if not, she'll feel a lot better so its worth it IMO if you can fundraise for the surgery.  i can't comment on which procedure would be best for her because i'm not a surgeon, except that i'd choose whatever option will eliminate her pain and discomfort.