Felinoterapie, NCHK

If we ask owners of adolescent cats how they would describe them, we often hear expressions like mischievous, aggressive, too playful, independent, distant, too wild or naughty. All of these are just labels we use to describe the unbalanced behaviour of feline teenagers.

It's worth noting that according to a study by Janet M. Scarlet at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, the group of feline adolescents in shelters makes up 46.5% of the total number of cats surrendered by their owners. The study was based on data from 12 US shelters from 1995 to 1996.  Subsequent studies have reported a somewhat lower figure of 40.3% of all abandoned cats aged 5 months to 2 years.

This figure is alarming - these are young animals full of energy, barely outgrowing kittenhood. Why is it so difficult for owners to share a household with adolescent cats ?

The answer to this question is similar to that of cohabitation between parents and their adolescent children. The period of adolescence is extremely challenging, not because of the quirks of adolescents, but because during this period the human and animal body undergoes enormous changes, including hormonal ones, and the brain of the feline teenager grows unevenly. If we are not prepared for this, there can be huge disparities between reality and the owner's expectations.

Some cats may have undergone a lack of socialization during the imprinting period, approximately 2 to 7-8 weeks of life, when new neuronal connections are being made and the brain is growing rapidly. It has been reported that up to 15% of cats do not go through a successful socialization phase relative to humans.

During this most sensitive period, the young need a reasonable amount of environmental stimuli and opportunities to interact with individuals of the same species as well as individuals of other species. It decides the whole future life of the individual - whether its innate curiosity and inquisitiveness will prevail or fear will prevail and close the door to human society. If we have an adolescent don who has not undergone successful socialization, coexistence is all the more difficult.

As already mentioned, during adolescence, the brain develops mainly the prefrontal cortical area, and at the same time there is further development of the subcortical areas - the limbic system in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. Behaviour during this period can be said to be driven by immediate reward and pleasure. There is impulsivity and the manifestation of strong risk-taking behaviour to satisfy the individual's needs. The overall developmental imbalance is outwardly manifested by emotionally unbalanced behaviour with often exaggerated reactions (The Adolescent Brain Study, Casey et al, 2008).  

It is not surprising then that owners complain about feline adolescents. But are these feline adolescents solely to blame ? Absolutely not. Owners often do not have entirely realistic expectations regarding the expected behaviour of their furry children. Many factors are involved in the manifestation of inappropriate behaviour in teenage cats - for example, lack of exercise and play, "he'll grow out of it" management, lack of training or unwanted reinforcement of unwanted behaviour. However, lack of resources - i.e. food, water, places to rest, safety, attention, places to leave scents, and this includes cat litter boxes - can also be behind inappropriate cat behaviour.

Despite the adult appearance of many feline teenagers, it must be reckoned that their mental capacity is not as mature as that of an adult animal. Moreover, due to the ongoing changes in the limbic system, feline adolescents are much more sensitive to any mistakes made by their owners. Punishment, particularly in the form of restraint, not only has a short-term effect - bringing an immediate but fleeting improvement in the cat's behaviour from the human's point of view - but damages the relationship between cat and human. The trust account between cat and human can sometimes be irrevocably damaged by even a seemingly minor choice on the part of the human.

So what can we do ? The first step to remedy this is to become familiar with the adolescent developmental period of the cat and all its characteristics. This will give the owner an idea of whether his cat's behaviour is natural and corresponds to the developmental period or whether it can be considered pathological, it is necessary to contact a veterinarian and consult him about possible medication. It is surprising how few cat owners, when acquiring a kitten, consider what changes the cat's adolescence will bring to their relationship. Perhaps even fewer owners consider whether these changes are welcome or unwelcome.

In studying a cat's adolescent developmental period, the owner also gains information about the cat's natural needs and can reflect on whether these needs are being adequately met - especially the need to stimulate the growing brain and body. The feline teenager needs to move, think and solve practical problems and have adventures of discovery to fulfil his needs. However, this should occur without undue risk, in a safe environment and in a way that allows the human to take control of his behaviour.

How can this be achieved ? The answer is training and environmental enrichment. Operant conditioning training not only allows for the desired behavioural change, but also strengthens the relationship between the cat and its owner. It is referred to as learning by doing. Another factor that will help both the owner and the young cat is time alone - because once the animal matures, its emotional imbalance will stabilize.
Dr. Pachel mentions that environmental enrichment is much more important for cats than for other pets. This includes cat trees, scratching posts, cat beds, hiding places, food and other puzzles for cats, all of which go hand in hand with the creativity of the owner. The richer the environment is in various stimuli, the more opportunities the cat has to relieve excess energy and possible stress.

There are also some products that a vet may recommend to stabilize a cat's behavior. These include Feliway, an artificial pheromone of the same composition as the cheek scent gland secretions in cats. However, there is still a certain percentage of cats for whom Feliway does not work. 

The cat owner should also ask himself the questions : What behaviour do I want to change ? What will I achieve by changing it ? How can I disrupt our relationship ? How high a price will the human and the cat pay for behavioural change ? 

Whenever our feline teenager drives us to despair with his behavior, it is good to stop and ask ourselves : "What do I like best about my cat ?"  The answer to this question is the starting point of a joint journey between cat and human to maintain a strong relationship and to establish a training procedure. In this process, the roles of teacher and pupil will be blurred, leaving only two pupils who will seek the best possible compromise in order to maintain their relationship.