Behavioral Disorders of Dogs and Cats
Key Concepts
- Canine: Separation anxiety, noise phobia, aggression (territorial, fear, resource guarding), compulsive disorders (e.g., tail chasing), cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS).
- Feline: House soiling (medical vs. behavioral), urine spraying, aggression (inter-cat, redirected), compulsive disorders (e.g., overgrooming), pica.
- Diagnosis: Based on history, observation, and ruling out medical causes.
- Treatment: Behavior modification, environmental management, and medication when indicated.
- Prognosis: Varies with severity, owner compliance, and underlying cause.
Traps
- Confusing house soiling due to medical issues (e.g., FLUTD) with behavioral marking.
- Misidentifying fear aggression as dominance aggression.
- Overlooking the role of pain in aggression.
- Assuming that a cat spraying is always territorial; could be stress-related.
- Forgetting that cognitive dysfunction in senior dogs can mimic anxiety.
Worked Example
A cat urinates outside the litter box. First, rule out medical (urinalysis, physical exam). If medical is ruled out, consider litter box aversion (texture, cleanliness), location, or social stress. Rule of thumb: number of litter boxes = number of cats + 1; unscented, clumping litter; daily scooping.