Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research Volume 3 Issue 6
Pages 244-247
November 2008
Owner observations can provide data for constructive behavior analysis in normal
pet cats in Australia
Kim Kendall, BVSc, MACVSc (medicine of cats and animal behavior)a, Jacqui Ley, BVSc (Hons), MACVSc
(Veterinary Behaviour)b
Abstract
Feline social behavior is complex, and how it affects on the expression of problem behaviors such as
aggression and house soiling is incompletely understood. This study examined whether observations by
owners of normal cats were accurate enough to identify individual and social factors affecting the
expression of house soiling, aggression, overgrooming, fabric chewing, resisting handling, and nocturnal
hyperactivity in Australian pet cats. Four behavior factors, labeled cat-directed aggression (CDA), catdirected sociability (CDS), biting (B), and human threat (HT), were identified using principal components
analysis. These were compared with cat factors, owner factors, and problem behavior. The age of the cat
had a significant effect on CDS and HT, whereas the number of cats living together affected CDA and HT.
Positive correlations were found between overgrooming and CDA, resisting handling and B and HT, and
nocturnal hyperactivity and B. Negative correlations were found between overgrooming and CDS and
nocturnal hyperactivity and HT. A positive relationship was found between fabric chewing and nocturnal
hyperactivity. Defecating was negatively correlated with CDA, whereas spraying the entrance was found to
correlate with CDA, CDS, and B. Directions for future research into causes of feline problem behaviors are
discussed.
Keywords: observed, normal, household, cat, behavior
a East Chatswood Cat Clinic, Willoughby NSW, Australia
b Animal Behavior Consultations, Beaumaris VIC 3193, Australia 3193