Human Interaction: Do Cats Benefit?
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Vet Times The website for the veterinary profession https://www.vettimes.co.uk Human interaction: do cats benefit? Author : PIPPA HUTCHISON Categories : Vets Date : January 12, 2015 PIPPA HUTCHISON MSc, CCAB reports on a joint symposium “One health – people and pets behaviour” where debate covered senses and perceptions of felines, and cat cafés IT has been suggested we extend the one health principle into mental health and behaviour of both humans and animals – particularly pets and their differing needs. While it is generally acknowledged humans benefit from interacting with cats (stroking them can lower heart rates and decrease stress levels in humans) do cats, in general, benefit from interaction with humans? Trudi Atkinson helped provide some answers at the joint British Veterinary Behaviour Association/Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors symposium. Ms Atkinson pointed out that because cats share our lives and homes, it is easy to assume they also experience the world as we do. However, a cat’s perception and understanding of the world around it is very different to our own, and to be able to understand cats we need to have some idea of their experience and perceptions. Firstly, she covered the anatomy and physiology of cats, reminding us many cat owners do not appreciate a cat’s size in relation to its environment and to other animals; both conspecifics and other species can have a greater influence on what and how it sees things. She noted pet cats are sometimes described as being “needlessly” nervous or defensive, but this is often simply because a pet cat is a small animal surrounded by friendly, but sometimes clumsy, giants. 1 / 7 The audience were aware cats are obligate carnivores and Ms Atkinson reminded us of the supreme sensory abilities of cats: visual, auditory, tactile, having highly sensitive touch and pressure receptors in the pads of the feet, the base of the claws and at the base of the vibrissae. Touch is used to explore objects and to supplement the cat’s poor short-distance vision. Whiskers may also be sensitive to air currents and provide information about distance from objects – including prey when hunting. A cat’s sense of olfaction is almost as good as that of dogs, she stated. It is an essential sense for cats as it is used for communication, recognition of social group members, recognition of safe or unsafe territory, reproduction, appetite stimulation and, to a lesser extent, prey detection. Secondly, Ms Atkinson explored the ethology and social structure of cats. She reminded delegates one of the five freedoms in relation to animal welfare is the freedom to express normal behaviour. However, this can be achieved only if people who interact with cats are aware of what the normal behaviour is for the species. In comparison to dogs, which have been selectively bred over many thousands of years to enhance or alter both physical and behavioural traits, the domestic cat remains very similar in behaviour and morphology to its wild ancestor. Ms Atkinson confirmed that hunting – or at least play that, as close as possible, mimics hunting – would appear to be one of the normal behaviours a cat must be allowed to express. However, the desire to hunt can vary greatly between individuals – the provision of opportunities to hunt and/ or predatory play that is sufficient for one cat may not be sufficient for another. Social behaviour Discussing the social behaviour of cats, the speaker confirmed domestic cats can, and do, form social bonds, even close attachments with other cats. Social attachments are more likely to occur with cats that have grown up together (even if not related) and less likely to develop between adult cats, or if one of the cats is adult when it is first introduced. While cats will eat alongside other cats, giving the appearance of sharing, when this occurs, it is more out of necessity than preference. Delegates were reminded that feeding – or even providing other important resources, such as water bowls, litter trays and resting places – in close proximity to the resources of other cats, especially those not considered to be part of the same social group is more likely to increase stress and antagonism. Another important factor that affects social behaviour is the cat’s limited visual signalling ability. Domestic cats descended from a species that would only rarely encounter another unknown or rival conspecific. Therefore, in high-density populations, conflict between cats is not uncommon. But even if a direct fight does not occur, a cat can often find itself in the highly stressful position of feeling threatened by another individual and having limited means of diffusing the situation. 2 / 7 Ms Atkinson went on to review the history of cats’ relationships with people and stated that despite cats being one of the UK’s most popular pets, even today there are still myths and superstitions about them that can cause fear and loathing. Plus there are simple misconceptions and misunderstandings about feline behaviour, resulting in dislike or disinterest. One misconception is that cats are aloof and indifferent to us, which is probably due to the cat’s more subtle visual and vocal signalling in comparison to the overt reactions of dogs. But research has revealed cats actually do develop close attachments to people and may suffer from separation-related behaviour. Importantly, the point was emphasised that the popular belief all cats love to be stroked and cuddled is simply not valid. Although this might be true for some cats, at some times, enforced petting when the cat does not want it can be highly stressful. Thirdly, on the topic of stress in cats, Ms Atkinson stated stress is a serious welfare issue as it is not only a major cause of many feline behaviour problems, but can also cause, or be a trigger factor for, a number of health issues. Certain stress-related behaviours, such as indoor urine marking, over-grooming and aggression can be obvious and are likely to prompt the owner to seek professional help. However, other behaviours, such as hiding, “slinking”, sham sleeping and increased vigilance can be easily overlooked or considered to be normal cat behaviour. Stress can be the cause, or exacerbate, a number of health issues in cats, such as feline lower urinary tract disease, inflammatory bowel disease, dermatological conditions, feline oral facial syndrome and obesity. To summarise, Ms Atkinson stated stress can be a significant issue for cats, and to minimise this we need to understand, as best we can, life and experience from a cat’s perspective. We also need to question if, albeit unintentionally, our misunderstandings of their behaviour, and what we expect from them, can place PIPPA HUTCHISON MSc, CCAB reports on a joint symposium “One health – people and pets behaviour” where debate covered senses and perceptions of felines, and cat cafés them in situations seriously damaging to their behavioural and physical well-being. Cat cafés The next speaker, Vicky Halls, discussed the phenomenon of cat cafés and their potential risk to cat health and welfare. She began by describing a cat café as a themed café where felines can be watched and played with by patrons who pay a cover fee, generally hourly, to enable as many people as possible to have set periods of interaction. The first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998 and another opened in Japan the same year. Tokyo has at least 39 similar establishments. Japanese cat café rules are strict – governed by legislation and licensing regarding animal welfare and cleanliness; for example, patrons are not allowed to disturb cats with excessive and unwanted attention, or when sleeping. Many cat cafés also seek to raise awareness of feline welfare issues, such as finding homes for abandoned and stray cats. The cat café culture is firmly established in 3 / 7 Japan and includes more specific themes, such as cafés that house only black cats or rare breeds. Interest has also spread throughout the world and examples can be found in Hong Kong, France, Australia, Korea, Vienna, Moscow, Germany, Spain, Italy, Thailand, Hungary, Canada, Lithuania, the US and UK. They have, however, been slow to catch on in the UK; until recently only one example existed in Taunton, Devon where the six resident felines went home every evening to a rural farm environment. This café actively promoted the benefits to humans, referring to the premises as the “feline therapy lounge”. It was a busy and popular venue for cat lovers, but closed due to the owner’s ill health. Another establishment, Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium in London, made claims regarding its approach to various risks that may be encountered and to address cat welfare, such as access to cat-only zones free from disturbance. It also stated no cat would be kept in the café if it exhibited signs of chronic stress – a quieter home would be found for cats that did not enjoy the lifestyle. Cats Protection opposed planning applications and a joint press release was issued from International Cat Care and BSAVA stating they appreciated the health benefit of “pet rental” for humans, but queried how the café would select suitable and compatible individuals – bearing in mind the expectations of the clientele to pet and interact on demand. Concerns were also raised regarding monitoring stress behaviour and the inability of the cats to get away from people. Do cats suit cafés? Referring to Ms Atkinson’s talk, Ms Halls commented that while affiliative signals can be observed between familiar and trusted companions, there is a potential lack of social cohesion in groups, particularly if the environment doesn’t meet the specific needs of the individuals.