ICAWC 2014 - You've Lost That Lovin’ Feline - MaggieRoberts & Nicky Trevorrow
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ICAWC 2014 Istanbul - Maggie and Nicky's presentation about understamding stress in cats
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ICAWC 2014 - You've Lost That Lovin’ Feline - MaggieRoberts & Nicky Trevorrow
- 1. Lost That Lovin’ Feline: Understanding Stress in Cats Cats don’t like being held tightly, they get really stressed They need our attention Maggie Roberts and Nicky Trevorrow Cats Protection
- 2. What is stress? Is it always bad? The stress response occurs when the optimal state of an organism is threatened by a stimulus or stressor, in order to try to revert to its original state • Stress is a necessary part of life • Important for adaption and survival • Can be physical or mental
- 3. The physiology of stress • 2 main systems regulate stress in the body – Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis – Sympathetic nervous system • Control the release of hormones that help the cat face a challenge
- 4. When is stress a problem? • When the cat can’t perform the normal stress responses • Repeated stressors over a long period of time • Chronic stress leading to excessive or exhausted hormone levels
- 5. Stress and emotions • What emotions are felt when stressed? • Anxiety • Fear • Frustration • Boredom • Depression
- 6. What are the common misconceptions about stressed cats?
- 7. How does this cat feel?
- 8. Behavioural signs of stress • Body posture • Facial expression • Use of space
- 9. Behavioural signs of stress Body arched • Signs need to be viewed as a whole, not in isolation Body arched Fluffed up fur Greeting behaviour Feeling threatened
- 10. Behavioural signs of stress
- 11. Behavioural signs of stress • Changes to ‘maintenance’ behaviour
- 12. Behavioural signs of stress • Range of behaviours • Frequency of behaviour • Change in behaviour
- 13. The physical effects of stress • Suppressed immune system • Increase risk of infection and tumours • Reduction or increase in normal behaviours • Abnormalities of the gut and bladder • Impair memory and learning
- 14. Stress-related physical disease Infectious disease • Carriers may shed disease and get symptoms • Respiratory disease - FHV • FIP • Diarrhoea
- 15. Stress-related physical disease Non-infectious disease • Urinary tract – Cystitis – Inappropriate urination • Skin disease – overgrooming • Gut problems – IBD • Obesity and weight loss
- 16. What can we do to help? • Understand cats as a species • Reduce potential stressors where possible • Provide enough resources and enrichment • Have a lower maximum cat capacity • Improve throughput • House cats separately from different sources http://learnonline.cats.org.uk/content/ufo/
- 17. Cat flap blocking Monty and Mable (siblings) Courtesy of Sally McMahon
- 18. Monty 2 days post separation • Monty is already more relaxed • He goes in and out the cat flap without hesitation • He will now come Courtesy of Sally McMahon forward for a fuss
- 19. Providing resources Privacy Hiding places Ideally housed separately from other cats Elevated perches But at least spreading resources appropriately if communal facilities
- 20. Providing resources • Disposable scratching facilities to prevent disease transmission • Allows cats to show their natural behaviours
- 21. How would cats prefer to eat? In a large group? Neighbour’s cat Separately? Using one food bowl?
- 22. How would cats prefer to eat?
- 23. Enrichment
- 24. Enrichment
- 25. Enrichment
- 26. It’s all about throughput Cats in need Cats in need Cat capacity Cat capacity Length of time to rehoming Number of cats per pen over a year Number of cats per pen over a year 35 days 3 Length of time to rehoming Cats with infectious disease x30 x30 x10 x5 Cats with infectious disease 21 days 0 9 17 45 days to rehome
- 27. In summary Stress……. • Is a necessary part of life • Causes problems if longstanding, repeated or the cats cannot react with a normal stress response • Affects the physical and mental well being of cats • Lots of things can be done to reduce stress in cats – not all are expensive!
- 28. Check out our new app! ‘Cat Match’ Kindly sponsored by Feliway Build your own shelter! Get cats ready for homing by matching icons Available now for free on Apple and android phones Make sure the cat doesn’t get stressed!
- 29. Thank you for listening
Editor's Notes
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- Figures are imaginary but tried to be realistic. Below is the maths! 10 pen – 7 cats homed every 35 days =72 cats homed over a year - 3 cats with cat flu homed every 45 days (10 days to clear the flu) = 24 cats homed over a year Total homed over a year = 96 cats 5 pens- 5 cats homed every 21 days (as public have less choice and more likely to rehome) = 86 cats homed over a year (with no cat flu problems and therefore less vet spend, better cat welfare etc). Throughput = 10 pens – 96 cats / 10 pens = 9 cats per pen over a year 5 pens – 86 cats / 5 pens = 17 cats per pen over a year So even though, 5 pens (or spaces in communal facilities) homes 10 less cats a year, it’s interesting that doubling the number of pens, doesn’t double the number of cats homed. Having less pens means that each cat is in the shelter for less time, you get quicker turnover of cats, less disease problems and therefore cheaper veterinary costs, less cats = less stress for the cats, and most importantly overall better welfare for the cats.