Dr. Karen Sueda - Purina® Cat Chow® Mentor

Dr. Karen Sueda

My Specialty: Cat and Kitten Behavior

Veterinary Behaviorist, Avid Lecturer
and Culinary Guru

Have a Question?
Just Ask Dr. Karen!

As a Purina® Cat Chow® Mentor, I’ve been helping cat owners just like you answer questions about their cat or kitten’s behavior. So go ahead, ask me your question! I’ll do everything I can to get back to you right away via email.

*
*
*  
*

*This information is required in order for a Purina® Cat Chow® Mentor to contact you via email.

What Cat Lovers are Asking this Week…

  • Q:

    I have the angriest cat in the world. I have a very difficult time going out of town because no boarding facility will take him, and it can be dangerous for anyone to come to my house because he will attack. He isn't the type of cat that is ok unless approached - he will lunge for no reason. He is, however, the most playful and cuddly cat when it's just me and him.

    A:

    This is a very concerning behavior for several different reasons. Not only does your cat’s aggressive behavior affect the safety of others and your ability to live your life, but it’s also an outward manifestation of your cat’s emotional distress. Cats aren’t aggressive because they are “bad” or “mean”. Aggressive behavior is a symptom of an underlying problem, whether it is physical or emotional.

    If you haven’t already done so, take your cat to your veterinarian for a full “once over” to make certain his “anger” isn’t caused by a medical issue. Given your cat’s aggressive behavior, he may require sedation for the safety of the veterinary staff and to prevent your cat much unnecessary stress. Use this opportunity to have your cat fully “vetted” – a complete physical exam, blood work, vaccines, dental cleaning, nail trim, etc. Depending on physical exam findings, your vet may recommend other diagnostic tests as well. If you take care of everything at once, your cat won’t have to endure multiple trips to the vet in the near future.

    If he has a clean bill of health, the next step is to schedule an appointment with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, certified applied animal behaviorist or non-veterinary behaviorist. Visit www.dacvb.org or www.avsabonline.org to find a veterinary behaviorist near you. The behaviorist will help you determine why your cat is so “angry” and what you can do to make life better for him (and you!). Wouldn’t it be nice if he could be as playful and cuddly with your friends as he is with you? It’s not mentally or physically healthy to be upset all the time. Finding out why he’s aggressive and implementing a treatment plan to address his behavior will help ensure that he has the best quality of life possible.

    show
  • Q:

    I took in a feral kitten around 4 or 5 months old, now 1, fixed and gets along great with other cat. He won't let us touch him. Only in the morning am I allowed to pet him on the cellar stairs only and no one else. the rest of the day he will sit 1 foot in front of me, roll on his back in front but if I go to pet him he runs away. How can I retrain him to trust us to touch him? It's been a year now since he has been in the house.

    A:

    It’s terrific that you adopted a feral kitten! Kittens undergo a socialization period between two to nine weeks of age. If they are not handled by people during this time, it may take a while to accustom them to human touch later in life. A kitten’s paternity also plays a role. Kittens born to friendly fathers tend to be friendlier themselves, though their parentage matters less as they mature.

    Determine what type of interaction your cat does like. Does he enjoy playing with you? Does he go nuts for catnip? Does he come running when he hears the can opener or when you shake a bag of treats? Base your interactions on activities he enjoys participating in. For example, if he’s very playful, use a wand-type toy to play with him. At first, play with him at arms length so he’s not worried about approaching you. Over time, use the toy to lure him closer. If he loves to play, he’ll associate your movements with a fun activity. After you pet him in the morning, reward him with a bout of play. He may tolerate slightly longer periods of petting every day (e.g. 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds, etc) if he anticipates a fun play session at the end.

    Behavior modification and training may reduce your cat’s nervousness; they won’t turn him into a lap cat. Cats exhibit individual variation in their behavior. Some cats simply don’t enjoy being touched and may remain a bit skittish even as adults. This doesn’t mean that they don’t make wonderful companions. Remember to celebrate the other wonderful, quirky and unique personality traits your cat exhibits!

    show