Feline behavior and environmental enrichment guidelines

Feline nutrition and weight management should be discussed with cat owners.

The new "Feline Life Stages Guidelines" issued by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), advise that veterinarians should educate cat owning clients about normal feline behavior and how to modify or correct behavior issues through an environmental enrichment program.

Feline behavior patterns

Normal feline behavior is broken down and described by age groups. The guidelines suggest that issues regarding play, litter box usage, socialization and handling, and urine marking be discussed with cat owners during their veterinary visits.

Normal feline behavior for kittens (from birth to 6 months of age)

Kittens are described as having a "high play drive" with inter-cat play peaking at approximately 12 weeks of age followed by an increase in "object play" (playing with toys). Anyone who has ever watched a normal, healthy kitten can attest to the truth of these statements. It is recommended that toys be provided as an outlet for the kitten's normal predatory behavior and to help prevent play biting.

Proper litter box management is an important part of managing feline behavior. Litter boxes should be placed in an area which is not busy but which is easily accessible for the kitten. A variety of litter box options with different types of cat litter can be offered to kittens in an attempt to discern the kitten's individual preferences. In general, clumping litters are preferred by most cats (according to the guidelines) and some cats find scented litters aversive. Proper attention must be paid to cleaning and caring for the litter box to encourage regular use by the kitten.

Kittens should be acclimated at an early age to stimuli which they are likely to experience in their lives. These stimuli may include other cats, dogs, other types of pets, children, grooming, toenail trims, tooth brushing and car rides. Acclimation should be done slowly and using positive, reward based training methods. Punishment should be avoided as it can create defensive aggressiveness which is undesirable.

This is also the time to begin teaching commands, such as "sit" and "stay", if desired. Again, positive reinforcement should be used and punishment should be avoided.

Normal feline behavior for junior cats (aged 7 months to 2 years)

At this age, inter-cat aggression may begin to develop. It is suggested that this inter-cat aggression may relate to the time when young cats would normally be leaving the feline family to forage on their own in free-living cat colonies.

Litter box issues can also begin to become problematic at this age and may be related to:

the type of cat litter,
litter box cleaning (or lack of cleaning),
litter box style,
and litter box size.

It is noted that cats tend to prefer larger cat litter boxes.

In addition, urine marking can begin during this life stage as well and its onset often coincides with reaching sexual maturity. According to the guidelines, most intact cats mark their territory with urine and approximately 10% of altered cats mark as well.

Adult and mature cat behavior

At this age, a decrease in play behavior may result in an increase in weight due to lack of exercise. Interactive play with your cat can deter this weight gain. According to the guidelines, "In one study, three 10–15 min exercise sessions per day caused a loss of approximately 1% of body weight in 1 month with no food intake restrictions."

As cats begin to age, their environmental needs may change. For instance, cats suffering from osteoarthritis may need litter boxes with lower sides for easier access. Soft, comfortable bedding should be provided. Food dishes and water bowls should be easily accessible for the cat as well.

Senior and geriatric cat behaviors

Owners of senior and geriatric cats should be on the lookout for signs of abnormal behavior, such as increased vocalization and changes in litter box patterns. If noted, an examination by the veterinarian is in order.

Behavioral and environmental guidelines for cats of all ages

Cats of all ages need to be provided with plentiful resources, including:

hiding spots (enough for all cats in the household)
elevated resting spots (enough for all cats in the household)
food
water
scratching posts
litter boxes

In multi-cat households, these resources may need to be duplicated. For example, multi-cat households need more than one litter box. (Author's note: The rule of thumb for litter boxes is that there should be enough litter boxes for each cat plus one. So, a two cat household needs three litter boxes, a three cat household needs four litter boxes, and so on. Multiple feeding and watering stations will prevent cats from competing for resources and may help alleviate inter-cat aggression.)

The guidelines indicated only that there is controversy over whether cats should be kept indoors exclusively or allowed outdoors. While indoor cats are less likely to suffer from trauma or infectious disease, they are more likely to suffer from environmental limitations, making environmental enrichment more important for these cats. Conversely, an outdoor lifestyle provides a more stimulating environment for most cats but puts them at risk for trauma and infectious disease as well as decreasing some wildlife populations due to predation. Leash walks and cat enclosures have been suggested as a means of allowing supervised and controlled access to the outdoors.

Additional recommendations pertaining to feline health covered by the AAFP guidelines include:

frequency of wellness examinations
nutrition and weight management
parasite control
vaccinations
dental care

These feline health care topics will be covered individually in greater length in upcoming columns. Stay tuned or subscribe to email alerts and be notified when a new article is published.

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