Case 4 – Tabby

Name: Tabby
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Gender: Female (desexed)
Age: 2 years old and 4 months
Issue: Insecurity and stress

Case Details:

Tabby was adopted by Queenie in January 2022, and struggled to settle in due to some family issues at home during that time. Queenie fed Tabby a raw diet twice a day, and would spoon feed Tabby to ensure she ate her meal, but noticed Tabby didn’t enjoy her meals this way and eventually allowed her more time to finish her meal.

Tabby mostly stayed in Queenie’s room and generally avoided interacting with other family members. Eventually, Queenie noticed Tabby’s emotions had changed, and she had started to chew on her paw.

Lily’s Notes:

Tabby’s issues seem to stem from not having enough hiding or resting places within the home, amongst a few other observations:

  • Cats need private, safe and quiet places to retreat to, to help them feel secure and happy. Offering some elevated spots to encourage jumping and climbing will help keep your cat active and healthy. Modifications to the flat and furniture can help create multiple levels in the home, and/or buying cat furniture with different levels and surfaces. Other options for hiding places include a cat carrier left open and wooden, plastic or cardboard boxes.
  • Mental stimulation – cats are hunters and get a lot of mental and physical stimulation whilst catching prey. To mimic this natural hunting behaviour, Queenie can provide toys that resemble prey to keep Tabby mentally stimulated and engaged.
  • Finally, cats do not normally eat large meals due to their limited stomach capacity. It is very stressful for a cat if they are forced to eat a large meal in a short period of time. Cats in the wild will eat throughout a 24-hour period, with most feeding activity around dawn and dusk when their prey are active. Meal frequency depends upon the availability of food and of hunting success, and therefore upon the availability of prey. A cat’s meal frequency can be as high as 20 times per day, although there does seem to be variation between cat breeds.

Result

Through the addition of scratching posts, high-resting shelves and hiding places, in addition to implementing a daily routine and regular playtime, Tabby was able to overcome her stress.
Feeding times were also adjusted from two times a day to more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day, and no longer spoon-fed. The culmination of these practises helped Tabby feel more secure in the home, and Queenie was able to observe improvements in her behaviour within a week.

Behavioural Consultation - Case Files

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Case 4 : Tabby

Issue : Insecurity and stress

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