Practical feline behaviour understanding cat behaviour and improving welfare

(Axel Boer) #1

Advice for Veterinary Professionals 177


The use of lavender oil has been shown to calm travel-induced excitement in dogs
but it is unclear if this is due to a true aromatherapy effect or the distraction of a strong
scent on an animal with a highly acute sense of smell (Wells, 2006). A study assessing
the effects of a variety of scents, including lavender, presented to cats in a rescue shelter
found that the cats demonstrated far more interest in the scent of catnip and, to a lesser
extent, the scent of prey (rabbit) than in the lavender scent (Ellis and Wells, 2010).


TTouch


Using principles of the Feldenkrais method of exercise therapy for humans that is said
to improve both physical movement and mental well-being, TTouch was developed
in 1978 by Linda Tellington-Jones as a specific form of human to animal touch and
exercise for animals that can have an influence on the central nervous system.
Massage in humans has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol and increase levels
of serotonin and dopamine (Field et al., 2005), and similar effects are also likely to
occur in animals, which could have a beneficial effect on the negative emotions asso-
ciated with stress (Cascade, 2012). Whether TTouch is superior to massage techniques
is debatable; however, practitioners are trained to observe the animal’s response and
aim to ensure that the therapy is performed in a manner that is pleasurable and of
most benefit to the animal.


The efficacy and safety of CAM


Acupuncture and TTouch appear to have some scientifically plausible mechanism of
action, but with others this is debatable. Even so, CAM therapies are increasingly
popular, and practitioners and enthusiasts frequently claim that they are effective.
Their use in veterinary medicine, and in the treatment of animal behaviour is contro-
versial, however, because apparently successful treatment could also be attributable
to other factors (see The Placebo Effect). In the case of homeopathy, successful treat-
ment might be linked to consultation with a true homeopathic practitioner who is
more likely to treat the patient holistically, and who may therefore also give beneficial
advice regarding diet and husbandry.
Followers of these therapies also claim that ‘at least they do no harm’, which may
be true as far as some of the treatments are concerned, especially the very high dilu-
tions used in homeopathy and Bach’s Flower Remedies. However, not all homeo-
pathic remedies are administered at high dilutions and, if given in a more concentrated
form, the source material could be potentially hazardous (Lees et al., 2017b). With
zoopharmacognosy there is very real potential for harm. Just because an animal
chooses to eat or come into close contact with a substance does not guarantee that it
is not harmful to them. This is especially the case with cats because there are a great
many plants and their derivatives that are toxic to cats (see: https://icatcare.org/
advice/poisonous-plants). Plus, because they are specialist carnivores, cats lack the
liver enzymes that breakdown harmful chemicals, so once a cat has ingested a toxic
substance it often has a poor chance of recovery. Even if the substance is not fed to
the cat and just applied to the skin, the cat’s normal grooming behaviour will usually
result in the substance being ingested.

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