Practical feline behaviour understanding cat behaviour and improving welfare

habituation 71–72, 99, 111, 126, 136, 187
hairballs 86, 88
hand-rearing 124–125, 125
handling cats 138, 152, 154, 155–157
picking up 254–255
handling kittens 65, 69, 71, 127, 128 , 137
frequency of 128
head-butting 35
health and behaviour 79–94, 141, 151, 166
and learning/training 115
and old age 81–82
and pain 79–80
health care 121, 121 , 134, 151
hearing 16–17, 54
in kittens 68
and pinna 17
hepatic lipidosis 88
herbal supplements 175
hiding 122, 150
and stress 94, 114, 158, 256
hiding spaces, provision of 122, 139, 145, 159,
160–161, 181, 181 , 184, 193, 195
hissing 25, 26, 46, 201, 213, 214, 254
hissing sounds when talking to cat,
avoiding 107, 157, 253
homeopathy 174, 177
hormones 257
cortisol 93
CRH/ACTH 83
follicle stimulating (FSH) 61
luteinizing (LH) 60, 61
oxytocin 50–51
stress 67, 84, 85, 120–121
thyroid 89
hospitalization 158–162
and cleaning regime 160–161
housing/caging for 158–159
nursing care for 160
removing from cage 161
returning home following 161–162
stress in 158, 159 , 160
house mouse (Mus musculus) 6
house-soiling 11, 81, 82, 91
house-training 149, 230–234
and accidents 232–233
and outdoor toilets 232
and scent-marking 233–234
HPA (hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal) axis 83
hunting 53–55
and body design/faculties 54
and body position 53, 54
effect on wildlife of 54–55
and kittens 65–66, 65 , 74, 125
and mystacial vibrissae 18
and tail signals 29
hybrid breeds 9–10, 10
hyperaesthesia 89–90

hyperthyroidism 81, 89

hypothalamus 83, 176

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) 87

immune system 85–86

in-house treatment 167–168

and RCVS code of conduct 168

independence of cats 10, 51

indoor only housed cats 141, 142, 192

induced ovulation 60

infanticide 59, 63

instrumental learning see operant conditioning

International Cat Care 119, 162

interoestrus 60, 61

irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 87

irritation see frustration/irritation, signalling

ISFM (International Society of Feline

Medicine) 151, 164

Isis (Egyptian deity) 8

Jacobson’s/vomeronasal organ 17, 18 , 35, 68

jungle cat (Felix chaus) 4 , 10

kitten play 72–74

locomotor 72, 74

object 72, 74

social 72–73, 73 , 73

and socialization 71

kittens 64–74, 187

advice for prospective owners of

136–138, 137

and allorubbing 34

as altricial species 67, 68

behavioural development in 69–72

birth of see parturition

and breeders 119

feeding behaviour of 52, 121

frustration experienced by 66, 125

and habituation 71–72

hand-reared 66, 124–125, 125

influence of mother/littermates on 72

inherited personality traits in 66–67

introducing to other cats 210, 211

and kneading 35

learning ability/sensitive period in 69, 70,

72, 126–128

and olfaction 63

postnatal physical development 67–69

pre-birth 66–67

pre-weaning period 64–65, 64 ,

123–124, 136

and socialization see socialization

toileting of 69

vocalizations of 26

Index 269