Dogs are from Mars – Cats are Dogs are from Mars – Cats are from Venusfrom Venus

Maggie Roberts BVM&S MRCVSMaggie Roberts BVM&S MRCVS

Director of Veterinary ServicesDirector of Veterinary Services

Cats ProtectionCats Protection

ICAWC 2009ICAWC 2009

What is this?What is this?

It’s a small dog!It’s a small dog!

What is this?What is this?

It’s not a small dog!It’s not a small dog!

The differences between dogs The differences between dogs and cats!and cats!

Dogs come when you call them. Cats take a Dogs come when you call them. Cats take a message and get back to you when they are message and get back to you when they are good and ready. good and ready.

Dogs will give you unconditional love forever. Dogs will give you unconditional love forever. Cats will make you pay for every mistake Cats will make you pay for every mistake you’ve ever made since the day you were you’ve ever made since the day you were born. born.

Dogs will tilt their heads and listen whenever Dogs will tilt their heads and listen whenever you talk. Cats will yawn and close their eyes. you talk. Cats will yawn and close their eyes.

Dogs will bring you your slippers or the Dogs will bring you your slippers or the evening newspaper. Cats might bring you a evening newspaper. Cats might bring you a dead mouse. dead mouse.

The differences between dogs The differences between dogs and cats!and cats!

Dogs will greet you and Dogs will greet you and lick your face when you lick your face when you come home from work. come home from work. Cats will be mad that you Cats will be mad that you went to work at all. went to work at all.

Dogs will sit on the car Dogs will sit on the car seat next to you. Cats seat next to you. Cats have to have their own have to have their own private box or they will private box or they will not go at all. not go at all.

Dogs have owners, cats Dogs have owners, cats have staff.have staff.

Considerations in the shelter Considerations in the shelter environment for environment for anyany species species

Evolutionary originEvolutionary origin BehaviourBehaviour Exercise and mental Exercise and mental

stimulationstimulation AccommodationAccommodation Reproductive cycleReproductive cycle DietDiet Disease and its Disease and its

preventionprevention

Evolutionary origins - dogsEvolutionary origins - dogs

Descended from wolves Descended from wolves and other wild dogs and other wild dogs

Pack animalsPack animals Social speciesSocial species HierarchyHierarchy Hunt and scavengeHunt and scavenge Been domesticated for Been domesticated for

15-30,000 years15-30,000 years Huge variation in size, Huge variation in size,

shape and use through shape and use through domestication and domestication and selective breedingselective breeding

Evolutionary origin - catsEvolutionary origin - cats Descended from the Descended from the

African WildcatAfrican Wildcat Solitary hunterSolitary hunter Not social as not evolved Not social as not evolved

to live in close proximity to live in close proximity to other catsto other cats

Highly territorialHighly territorial Been domesticated for Been domesticated for

approx 6,000 yearsapprox 6,000 years Have not changed much Have not changed much

in shape and size since in shape and size since domesticationdomestication

Behaviour - DogsBehaviour - Dogs

Evolved to live in groupsEvolved to live in groups Generally sociable and Generally sociable and

like companylike company Developed ways of Developed ways of

communicating with communicating with others through facial others through facial expressions, stance and expressions, stance and voicevoice

Respond well to trainingRespond well to training

Behaviour - catsBehaviour - cats Can live in groups of related Can live in groups of related

females and young malesfemales and young males Tend to act independentlyTend to act independently Generally stressed by the Generally stressed by the

presence of strange catspresence of strange cats Communicate through smellCommunicate through smell Do not have a wide range of Do not have a wide range of

facial expressionsfacial expressions Deal with conflict by Deal with conflict by

hiding/fleeing/climbing if hiding/fleeing/climbing if possible possible

SocialisationSocialisation

PuppiesPuppies Sensitive period is between Sensitive period is between

3-12 weeks3-12 weeks Must be exposed to a Must be exposed to a

variety of people, animals, variety of people, animals, sounds etc during this sounds etc during this period to avoid being period to avoid being fearful of them laterfearful of them later

Need interactive playNeed interactive play Even if socialised before 12 Even if socialised before 12

weeks can regress to weeks can regress to fearfulness in the absence fearfulness in the absence of social contactof social contact

KittensKittens Sensitive period is Sensitive period is

between 2-7 weeksbetween 2-7 weeks Must be exposed to a Must be exposed to a

variety of people, variety of people, animals, sounds etc animals, sounds etc during this period to during this period to avoid being fearful of avoid being fearful of them laterthem later

If not handled during this If not handled during this period they are unlikely period they are unlikely ever to become very ever to become very sociable petssociable pets

Socialisation of kittensSocialisation of kittens

Socialisation is very time-Socialisation is very time-consuming and needs consuming and needs experienced, patient experienced, patient staff/volunteers.staff/volunteers.

Need to put kittens in Need to put kittens in kitten pen in a busy part of kitten pen in a busy part of the shelter or property.the shelter or property.

Feral kittens that are old Feral kittens that are old enough (from 6 weeks) enough (from 6 weeks) can be neutered and can be neutered and returned rather than returned rather than socialised.socialised.

Exercise and mental stimulation Exercise and mental stimulation - dogs- dogs

Can be taken for Can be taken for walkswalks

Changes environmentChanges environment Allows exerciseAllows exercise Can undergo training, Can undergo training,

agility etcagility etc Need variety of toys Need variety of toys

and activitiesand activities

Exercise and mental stimulation Exercise and mental stimulation - cats- cats

Generally restricted to the Generally restricted to the run or penrun or pen

Need to be encouraged to Need to be encouraged to exercise and playexercise and play

Need to exhibit hunting Need to exhibit hunting behaviourbehaviour

Need to have something Need to have something to scratch onto scratch on

Need facilities on different Need facilities on different levels for climbing, levels for climbing, perching etcperching etc

ExerciseExercise

StimulationStimulation

ToysToys – mimic prey through shape, – mimic prey through shape, texture and movementtexture and movement

AccommodationAccommodation

DogsDogs Happier with Happier with

companionscompanions Need adequate floor Need adequate floor

area but height not so area but height not so importantimportant

Sound-proofingSound-proofing

CatsCats Prefer to be on their Prefer to be on their

own (or with a familiar own (or with a familiar cat)cat)

Stressed by seeing Stressed by seeing other catsother cats

Need places to hide, Need places to hide, climb and perchclimb and perch

Cat pen designCat pen design

• Safe and secure – safety Safe and secure – safety corridorscorridors

• Adequate ventilation – 6 Adequate ventilation – 6 to 12 air changes/hrto 12 air changes/hr

• Adequate temperature – Adequate temperature – Ideally 15-24Ideally 15-24CC

• Smooth surfaces, non-Smooth surfaces, non-porous surfaces porous surfaces

• Solid (ideally opaque) Solid (ideally opaque) barriers between cats – barriers between cats – sneeze barrierssneeze barriers

Cat pen designCat pen design• Ease of cleaning/access Ease of cleaning/access

catscats• Ease of public viewingEase of public viewing• Adequate space for cats Adequate space for cats

to exerciseto exercise• Ideally separate sleeping Ideally separate sleeping

area and runarea and run• Food bowls and litter Food bowls and litter

trays kept separatelytrays kept separately• Areas for cats to feel Areas for cats to feel

secure and hidesecure and hide• Areas to climb and Areas to climb and perchperch

Cat pen designCat pen design

Reproductive cycleReproductive cycle

DogDog Comes into season Comes into season

twice yearlytwice yearly Easier to control Easier to control

whether bitch is whether bitch is matedmated

Some debate about Some debate about risks of early risks of early neuteringneutering

CatCat Has many seasons in Has many seasons in

one yearone year Can have up to 3 Can have up to 3

litters a yearlitters a year Difficult to avoid Difficult to avoid

pregnancy if going pregnancy if going outside and un-outside and un-neuteredneutered

Cats are very good at Cats are very good at reproducing!reproducing!

One entire female can be responsible for the One entire female can be responsible for the production of over 20,000 kittens in 5 yearsproduction of over 20,000 kittens in 5 years

Early NeuteringEarly Neutering The key to neutering The key to neutering

being effective at being effective at population control is to population control is to neuter before sexual neuter before sexual maturity, particularly maturity, particularly before a female’s first before a female’s first seasonseason

Studies show no Studies show no increased surgical, increased surgical, anaesthetic or anaesthetic or developmental risks with developmental risks with pre-pubertal neuteringpre-pubertal neutering

Early neuteringEarly neutering Advantages of early Advantages of early

neutering (pre-puberty) neutering (pre-puberty) resulting in:resulting in: Fewer unwanted Fewer unwanted

kittenskittens Fewer homed cats to Fewer homed cats to

follow upfollow up Fewer cats presented Fewer cats presented

for neutering being for neutering being pregnantpregnant

Easier surgically due Easier surgically due to less body fat and to less body fat and smaller blood vesselssmaller blood vessels

Quicker recoveryQuicker recovery

DietDiet

DogsDogs Originally predators and Originally predators and

scavengersscavengers Although generally Although generally

considered carnivores are considered carnivores are more omnivorousmore omnivorous

Can survive on a Can survive on a vegetarian dietvegetarian diet

Can tolerate prolonged Can tolerate prolonged fasting and can use body fasting and can use body fat efficientlyfat efficiently

CatsCats Supreme predatorsSupreme predators Obligate carnivoresObligate carnivores Cannot survive on a Cannot survive on a

vegetarian dietvegetarian diet Do not tolerate starvation Do not tolerate starvation

well well

NB If you want a vegetarian pet….NB If you want a vegetarian pet….

……get a rabbit!get a rabbit!

Feline dietFeline diet Need higher levels of protein Need higher levels of protein

than dogsthan dogs MUST have a meat-based dietMUST have a meat-based diet Would eat 9 mice daily in the Would eat 9 mice daily in the

wildwild When healthy, drink less than When healthy, drink less than

dogs as were desert animalsdogs as were desert animals Require certain essential Require certain essential

nutrients including taurine, nutrients including taurine, arachidonic acid and pre-arachidonic acid and pre-formed Vitamin A that are only formed Vitamin A that are only available from animal sourcesavailable from animal sources

Can develop a fatal liver Can develop a fatal liver condition called hepatic condition called hepatic lipidosis if not eating for a few lipidosis if not eating for a few days, especially if obesedays, especially if obese

DiseaseDisease

DogsDogs Show pain or illness more Show pain or illness more

overtlyovertly Show stress more overtlyShow stress more overtly When ill with infectious When ill with infectious

disease tend to get better or disease tend to get better or diedie

Carrier states less commonCarrier states less common

CatsCats Hide pain very wellHide pain very well May not show overt signs May not show overt signs

of stressof stress With infectious disease, With infectious disease,

can often be can often be symptomless carriers or symptomless carriers or recover but still shed the recover but still shed the organism especially when organism especially when stressedstressed

Do not tolerate certain Do not tolerate certain drugs such as NSAIDs as drugs such as NSAIDs as well as dogswell as dogs

Feline infectious diseaseFeline infectious disease

Many diseases can have Many diseases can have a carrier state e.g. FeLV, a carrier state e.g. FeLV, FIV, feline herpesvirus, FIV, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirusfeline calicivirus

Stress tends to increase Stress tends to increase shedding of organisms shedding of organisms and susceptibilityand susceptibility

Disease is worse in Disease is worse in overcrowded, poorly overcrowded, poorly ventilated sheltersventilated shelters

Controlling feline infectious Controlling feline infectious diseasedisease

• Avoid overcrowding Avoid overcrowding • Keep cats singly where possibleKeep cats singly where possible• Avoid cats sharing litter traysAvoid cats sharing litter trays• Reduce stressReduce stress• Use isolationUse isolation• Barrier nursingBarrier nursing• Stringent hygiene/disinfection regimeStringent hygiene/disinfection regime• Stop the movement of cats in affected areaStop the movement of cats in affected area• VaccinationVaccination• Screen for disease where possibleScreen for disease where possible

Common signs of stressCommon signs of stress

DogsDogs AvoidanceAvoidance Defensive aggressionDefensive aggression Howling/barkingHowling/barking PacingPacing PantingPanting DiggingDigging Excessive activityExcessive activity EliminationElimination AnorexiaAnorexia Compulsive behaviour Compulsive behaviour

(tail chasing etc)(tail chasing etc)

CatsCats AvoidanceAvoidance HidingHiding Reduced Reduced

activity/immobilityactivity/immobility ClimbingClimbing Elimination/sprayingElimination/spraying Reduction in maintenance Reduction in maintenance

behaviours (sleeping, behaviours (sleeping, grooming, eating, grooming, eating, elimination etc)elimination etc)

Excessive groomingExcessive grooming PantingPanting AggressionAggression

Avoiding stress in cats in Avoiding stress in cats in sheltersshelters

AcuteAcute stress on arrival is helped by stress on arrival is helped by Giving the cat somewhere to hideGiving the cat somewhere to hide Preventing the cats looking directly at other catsPreventing the cats looking directly at other cats Providing a regular and predictable routineProviding a regular and predictable routine Having the same person deal with the cat each dayHaving the same person deal with the cat each day

ChronicChronic stress occurs after time and is helped by stress occurs after time and is helped by Using different toys and active playUsing different toys and active play Using puzzle feeders and making them work for their foodUsing puzzle feeders and making them work for their food Varying the routine with regard to people and timingVarying the routine with regard to people and timing

Thank You!Thank You!

Cats were once worshipped as gods and they’ve Cats were once worshipped as gods and they’ve never forgotten it!never forgotten it!

Any questions?Any questions?