How to Communicate With Your Feline Friends

(Cheryl Wallach)

You might be right in expecting to communicate with your cat but feline experts suggest they are less vocal than your average dog.

Instead, cats are more apt to read body language and communicate by what they show not what they say.

Communicating with the cat, albeit entirely plausible, is “not as easy as learning to speak dog,” John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense and co-author of an upcoming book on feline training told Atlas Obscura.

Cats come by non-verbal communication quite naturally – from day one the mother-kitten relationship is almost entirely based on body language and odours.

Some studies show “meowing is basically unheard of in feral cat colonies,” and is deemed to be a ruse they created to get the attention of humans, Atlas Obscura reports.

Humans, typically, are verbal when it comes to communication and also rely on tone and facial expression to convey and read messages. It works to some extent with dogs but with cats, who have very few facial muscles, it isn't so easy.

Bradshaw says you might want to rethink a chat with the cat. “Actually, people do meow at their cats, that's quite harmless, but I don't think it does much for the cat,” he says.

Bradshaw says while meowing won't make much sense in any attempted conversation between a cat and its human, a soft “vocalization ... like a little bird noise or chirrup, brrrrip” which mimics a way of cat-to-cat greeting might be enough to do some bonding.

Much research shows with the cat, the tail is where it is at – a number of messages are conveyed via tail movements.

But that is, clearly, a one-sided conversation when the tail-less human is at the table. “The one thing we can't do is raising our tails vertically, which is probably the most important signal a cat can give to another cat,” says Bradshaw.

So, what happens when you mix non-chatty cats with very verbose humans?

Mikel Maria Delgado, who studies human/pet behaviour and specializes in cat behaviour, doesn't dismiss the fact cats might be gleaning information from humans' expressions.

In Atlas Obscura, she cites studies which show cats behave differently when their owner displays happy or angry emotional clues and that “extremes of behaviour” - be it angry or happy voice tones or exaggerated facial expressions - do resonate with some cats.

Still Delgado warns against reading too much into the findings.

Rather than it being bonafide communication, she suggests, it could be a cat “following a very basic associative pattern” and only caring about an owner's “emotions in so far as how those emotions have a predictable effect on the cat.”

“This could just be a learned history, associating angry voice with bad things and happy voice with good things,” she says.

When it comes to training, Delgado and Bradshaw concede it isn't nearly as easy with cats as it is with dogs. But anyone who owns a cat knows some can be trained (teaching kitty to use the toilet instead of the litter box is a common and prime example.)

A recent Washington Post article profiled a cat who was successfully 'clicker trained' (by the 'click' of her owner's tongue) to sit up on her lap and cuddle.

“It's sadly easy to teach a cat to sit,” Delgado says. “When you pick things they kind of do anyway, it only takes a few minutes.”

You can also train cats to respond to specific words like 'sit' and 'high five,' but save your breath because cats respond better to gestures than to words and would typically respond better to someone holding a hand up rather than saying a command.

And keep in mind felines have short attention spans so training sessions are best if brief. “You have to figure out when the cat is receptive, because 90 percent of the time they won’t be,” says Bradshaw.

Other studies show ways in which cats behaviour is meant to send a message.

They include; a cat rubbing against you to mark you as his/her property, playful heading-butting as a show of affection and rhythmically kneading with his or her paws, alternating between the right and left feet, as a sign of happiness, contentment, or playfulness.

Some suggest a cat licking you is the ultimate sign of trust and if your cat tries to eat your hair, she may be trying to "groom" you, say she really loves you and, perhaps, suspects you need a bath.

By Nadia Moharib

Nadia Moharib is an animal lover who has adopted everything from birds to hamsters, salamanders, rabbits, fish and felines. She has written about all-things-pets for years and was a long-time editor of a pet magazine in a daily newspaper which featured a Q & A column, Ask Whit, penned by her pooch (ghost written, of course.) The serial dog owner lives in Calgary, Alberta and most days can be found at a dog park picking up after her rescue pooch, Scoots.

STUDY: Have Fun and Help Your Local Shelter Cats Fight Respiratory Infections

Some people volunteer at their local shelter and socialize with the cats living there. While this activity is enjoyable to humans it is also beneficial for cats. The study, Effect of interactions with humans on behaviour, mucosal immunity and upper respiratory disease of shelter cats rated as contented on arrival helps illustrate the benefits of human interaction for cats.

96 shelter cats were included in the study. One group received pleasant interaction with one person for ten minutes four times each day. Treatment lasted for ten days. The control group had a researcher in front of their cage (on the same schedule as the treatment group) with eyes averted.

The treatment group of cats kept their nice dispositions and had lower incidences of upper respiratory infections when compared to the control group. Here are the highlights of the study:

• Human interaction by petting, playing and grooming improved shelter cats' welfare.
• Treated cats were more content and less anxious and frustrated.
• Treated cats had increased concentrations of immunoglobulin A in their feces.
• Within 10 days, treatment had substantially reduced viral shedding.
• Treated cats had less respiratory disease, especially good responders to treatment.

Researcher (and coauthor) Nadine Gourkow said there was a "strong association between positive emotions induced by gentling and good health." It is thought that happy cats produce higher levels of immunoglobulin A which decreases their risk of upper respiratory infections. Researcher (and coauthor) Clive J.C. Phillips said, "We have learned that the domestic cat is very responsive to good treatment by humans."

Phillips said that these findings are also significant for cats living in a home. Similar results may also be found in dogs regarding kennel cough infections though this has not yet been examined. Phillips said, "The study has emphasized to me how sensitive pets are, including my dog, to gentle treatment."

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Dogs Losing Popularity in Japan

The dog population in Japan has been decreasing for approximately 5 years according to the Japan Pet Food Association. In 5  years the number of dogs has decreased by 13%; down to 10.3 million dogs. The human population of Japan has also been shrinking but only by 0.8% in the past five years.

It is thought that the decreasing dog population is partially due to available housing options and changing lifestyles. People that live in condos are often unable to have dogs due to condominium rules and many others feel that they could not take good care of a dog. One reason people feel they could not take good care of a dog is because they may pass away before the dog does.

Pet cats on the other hand have been increasing in popularity. Over the past five years the number of cats has increased approximated 4%; up to 10 million cats.

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STUDY: What Is Living Inside Felines?

Holly Ganz, a researcher at University of California, Davis said, "Like us, animals are enveloped in a cloud of microbes. We're really interested in them because they influence health and behavior. The gut microbiome is really important, and it's also very diverse and complicated." Felines are known as obligate or true carnivores and are healthiest on high-protein diets. Many commercial diets however tend to be carbohydrate heavy. Ganz and a team of researchers have set out to discover the microbiome of domestic and wild felines. Microbiomes are the bacteria and microorganisms that inhabit a body.

Unsurprisingly, people do not know much about the microbiome of a feline. This gap in our knowledge however could have consequences for felines; microbes can affect digestion and the immune system and also influence obesity, diabetes, and irritable bowel diseases. Ganz’s study is the first one to closely examine the feline microbiome. The study will compare feral, domestic, and shelter cat microbiomes. By examining a wide population the research team can learn about how diet, the environment, and age can affect the feline microbiome.

The research is funded by crowdfunding as according to Ganz, "The money for studying companion animals is devoted to pressing things, like cancer." The project has already reached their minimum funding goal. Anyone interested in funding the study or having their cat participate may do so here.

In exchange for a feline fecal sample people will receive information about what is found in that sample and what that means to them. Ganz said, "We want to make it interesting to people." For people that are interested but do not have a cat they may sponsor a wild or shelter cat.

Ganz said, "We're committed to studying the cat microbiome for the next 10 years. And we can all have a little bit of fun with it."

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Winnipeg Animal Services Decreases Euthanasia Rate

In 2014, Winnipeg Animal Services euthanized the fewest number of dogs in their recorded history. Chief Operating Officer, Leland Gordon said, “Euthanization numbers are way, way down and that makes everybody happy. In the last three to five years, it’s nosedived to the lowest number we’ve ever had.” In 2014, only 52 dogs were euthanized whereas in 2002 they had 486 euthanizations.

Gordon said, “Animal Services is being very progressive trying to help the animals. Our staff and volunteers do everything we can to save as many as possible. More animals are being saved at the end of the day.” Winnipeg Animal Service credits a partnership with the City of Winnipeg homepage, Facebook, and 311 agents. 311 agents can now return licensed pets without the animal entering the shelter.

The Winnipeg Humane Society has not seen a significant change in the number of dogs euthanized. Communications Director, Aileen White said that the Society helps the city and will take dogs that need extra training and veterinary care. White believes that the new Joyce Gauthier Behaviour and Training Centre will help keep more pets at home. White said, “Most dogs in our community would benefit from it in some way.”

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Is Single Injection Sterilization of Male and Female Animals in Our near Future?

There is currently a vaccine that causes the animal’s immune system to produce antibodies that block gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This hormone is required for egg and sperm development. By blocking both egg and sperm development the vaccine is effective for male and female animals. Unfortunately, like other vaccines, the immune response will decrease over time and revaccination may be required.

Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have created an injection that causes mouse muscles to produce hormone-blocking antibodies. If the same injection works for cats and dogs then it could be used on pets and feral animals to assist population control. Current sterilization procedures are often limited to surgical procedures. The cost and invasiveness of surgery can often prevent pets and stray animals from being sterilized. In 2014, nearly 2.7 million dogs and cats were euthanized in America's shelters. An easier method of animal sterilization will help save lives.

The researchers created a piece of DNA and put it inside inactive virus shells. When injected into mice the muscles begin producing anti-GnRH antibodies. Muscle tissue is long lasting and could produce antibodies for more than ten years and would therefore not require revaccination in certain animals. This injection takes two months for efficacy to be reached. Biologist Bruce Hay said, “That 2-month delay is because of how long it takes the muscle to start producing enough antibody. Going forward, one goal is certainly to try other systems that wouldn’t have that time lag.”

Using a similar approach (injecting modified DNA) the eggs of female mice can become impenetrable by sperm. The benefit of this approach is that the hormone levels and males and females will remain the same which can be behaviourally beneficial. Hay said, “There might be some instances in wild animals where you just want to inhibit fertility but not disrupt an animal’s behavior.” Researcher, Dr. Robert McCarthy performed a study that suggested that feral cat population control is likely to be much more effective if reproductive hormones remain intact.

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Director of Animal Research, William Swanson said, “This looks incredibly promising. We’re all very excited about this approach; that it’s going to be the one that really works.” Swanson will be testing the DNA injection approach in cats. Swanson said, “The challenge is always moving between species.” If the injection works it could change the way we control feral cat populations. “We have to figure out how to control these populations without being harmful to individual cats. And this kind of lifelong contraception might be a safe, effective way to do that,” said Swanson.

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AAFCO Changes Nutrient Profiles

In August, The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) held its annual meeting. It took eight years but the revised AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles were accepted. The new nutrient profiles will be published in 2016. Pet food companies will need to comply with the new nutrient profiles within two years.

During the meeting several key topics were discussed. One of them was the term “human-grade”. AAFCO offers very little guidance as to what the term can accurately include which leaves manufacturers and consumers confused. Documentation is required from the Food and Drug Administration to verify if a product is “human-grade”. The FDA announced that they will no longer assess “human-grade” qualifications. In the United States, it is now up to individual states to define “human-grade” and determine whether or not products may use that term. AAFCO is trying to create guidance information to clarify the term but expect it will take in excess of one year.

Inaccuracies on pet food labels were another topic of discussion. Mislabelling products is not an isolated occurrence. There is the lawsuit against Blue Buffalo and studies abroad reporting false labeling. Mislabeling can include food lacking ingredients on their ingredient list or including ingredients that are not on the ingredient list. Unfortunately, this discussion remained private so no conclusions and/or actions may be published.

Changes have also been made to pulse fractions. Lentils and peas may now be considered acceptable pulse fractions. The Ingredient Definitions Committee has agreed to remove the definition for feed-grade fat product. The original purpose of this definition was to categorize (and allow the usage of) fat ingredients that would only partially meet other existing definitions. The FDA found that the term was being misused to distribute fats that were not suitable or safe for consumption. It is thought that this deletion will have consequences as the industry will have to quickly find suitable fat products.

The updated “Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food Labelling Guide” is almost complete. This document explains several pet food regulations. A Pet Food Labeling Workshop is also being planned for 2017. This should provide valuable information for many in the pet food industry. Another information source is AAFCOs new website, AAFCO Talks Pet Food. This site is designed to answer consumer questions and concerns.

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INTERVIEW: Dr. Robert McCarthy - Research Poster Scholarship Recipient

Dr. Robert McCarthy is a veterinary surgeon that specializes in orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. Dr. McCarthy received admission to veterinary and medical school but decided to pursue veterinary medicine. Currently, Dr. McCarthy works at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. McCarthy has a keen interest in feral cat population management and has performed research on the topic; specifically the effects of trap-vasectomy-hysterectomy-release. Releasing sterile felines that retain their sex hormones and associated characteristics may be more effective than trap-neuter-release programs. Dr. McCarthy will be presenting his work at the 2015 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies.

InfoStream (IS): What do you feel are the key issues with feral cat overpopulation?

Dr. Robert McCarthy (RM): Everyone agrees that there are way too many feral cats. There are two divergent camps on how to deal with this problem. Essentially, trap-neuter-release advocates and those that recommend some sort of lethal control method. The problem is that both of these groups believe their respective method would work, if just used enough. Unfortunately, the reproductive potential of cats is incredible, and there is absolutely no evidence that except in very exceptional circumstances either method will succeed. Massive amounts of financial resources have been expended employing these methods with almost no success.  

It is time to think outside the box. How much money and manpower needs to be spent before we come to the obvious conclusion that what we are doing simply does not work?

IS: How did this research develop; what interested you about sterilization techniques for feral cats?

RM: I am an avid SCUBA diver and spend as much time as possible diving around tropical islands. On many of these trips, when learning that I was a veterinarian, local residents would complain that feral cats are destroying the indigenous flora and fauna. They would indicate that for many years groups of veterinarians from the US and Canada have come and performed TNR, but there were just as many cats as ever. Essentially, in their minds, there was no question that TNR simply did not work.

I have an interest in wildlife and wildlife management, and it is well accepted that successful reproductive control in the wildlife environment requires maintaining normal reproductive behaviors. Feral cats are essentially wildlife, and it made sense to me that their control should be treated in the same manner.

IS: How was your research performed?

RM: When I returned from a dive trip several years ago I contacted a biologist (J Michael Reed) and a computer engineer (Steve Levine) at Tufts about trying to construct a computer model on the predicted effect of maintaining hormones in a feral cat control program. Essentially we looked at feral cat control by trap-vasectomy-hysterectomy-release. Over several years we hashed out the model, and published the results in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The results suggested that feral cat population control is likely to be much more effective if reproductive hormones remain intact.

IS: Why are vasectomies and hysterectomies more effective at reducing the feral cat population?

RM: Trap-Vasectomy-Hysterectomy-Release (TVHR) creates a large group of sterile male and female cats that cannot be differentiated from fertile cats in the population that were unable to be trapped. Dominant males that have been sterilized by vasectomy will still compete for females, use up the female’s receptive time, and fight off fertile males that are attempting to copulate. Females that have been sterilized by hysterectomy will continue to attract males and compete with fertile females for male courting and breeding time. Since neither sex can tell who is fertile and who is not, both sexes spend a large amount of wasted time and energy copulating but not producing offspring.

Female cats are in heat (and therefore sexually receptive) essentially every other week during the entire breeding season. In a typical 8-month breeding season, females will therefore have 16 periods of sexual receptivity, and 16 possible chances to become pregnant. Provided there is an intact male in the population, pregnancy is essentially inevitable. An unusual characteristic of the cat reproductive cycle, however, is that if a female has a sterile copulation (such as with a male that has had a vasectomy) she will not come back into heat for another 8 weeks. Only 4 periods of sexual receptivity (and therefore 4 chances of becoming pregnant) will then be possible during the entire breeding season.

Male cats sterilized by vasectomy may prevent immigration of new intact male cats into the area better than castrated cats.

Adult feral cats sterilized by traditional methods in a TNR program have been shown to live longer, thereby counteracting attempts at population control. In addition, kittens living in a feral cat population have been shown to live longer when the adults are sterilized by traditional methods even if they themselves are not sterilized. Because hormones remain intact, sterilization by vasectomy and hysterectomy will not have the undesired effect of increasing the lifespan of either adults or kittens in the population.

IS: What are the main barriers to implementing these different surgical techniques for feral cats?

RM: Thinking outside the box. The great majority of funding for feral cat control projects comes from individuals, governments, and institutions with preconceived notions of what will work, and vested interest in what they will support. There is extensive and conclusive data that shows none of the methods currently employed is likely to work. The vasectomy/hysterectomy method has to be at least as effective as current methods.  Our computer model suggests that it may be much more effective.  

IS: Are vasectomies and hysterectomies easier or more difficult for a vet to perform? They are becoming more popular for dogs however many vets will not perform these procedures.

RM: A hysterectomy is about the same difficulty as an ovariohysterectomy for a vet to perform. The main difference is with the castration vs. vasectomy. Vasectomy requires a very small abdominal incision whereas castration does not. This is certainly a bit more difficult, but is still a very easy surgical procedure that can be done with minimal training by any general veterinary practitioner. The question of vasectomy in dogs is really good. There is increasing evidence that sterilization with preservation of hormones may also be very important in pet animals. Veterinarians, like everyone else are trained in a certain way and are slow to change.  

IS: Is there anything else you would like us to know?

RM: I think the only thing I would like to stress is that I got into this issue as an unbiased outsider. I am a diver, and simply was told repeatedly by local residents that TNR wasn't working. I researched the issue, found that lethal control is also not effective and came up with an alternative plan. I really didn't have any preconceived notions or goals. I don't have any financial incentive or bias. I simply researched the issue and these were the results. Sterilization with preservation of hormones is likely to be much more effective at reproductive control.

Signature Pet Products Now Distributing Dog and Cat Food

Signature Pet Products Inc. started formulating and distributing dog and cat food. The brands that Signature will be working with include Leonard Powell Signature Series Dog Foods, Perfectly Natural Dog Food, Hi-Tek Naturals Dog and Cat Foods, Hi-Tek Naturals Treats, Premium Blend Dog Food, and Hi-Tek Rations Dog Food. 

Hi-Tek foods have high safety and quality standards and have not had a single recall in 27 years.

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Two New Pet Drugs Approved by US FDA in July 2015

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new drugs for use in cats and dogs.

Tresaderm

Tresaderm is produced by Merial and was approved on July 15th. According to the FDA this medication is used “as an aid in the treatment of certain bacterial, mycotic, and inflammatory dermatoses and otitis externa in dogs and cats.”

Neosporin

Neosporin is provided by Intervet Inc. and was approved on July 30th. According to the FDA this medication is used “for the treatment of superficial bacterial infections of the eyelid and conjunctiva of dogs and cats when due to organisms susceptible to one or more of the antibiotics contained in the ointment.”

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Will Pet Food Labels Be Changing?

Animal groups want to see stricter ingredient standards and labels on pet food. Kathy Guillermo, Senior Vice President at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said, “Pet food should be prohibited from having ingredients taken from 4D bins. This is the term that refers to where they place the bodies of animals that are dead, dying, and diseased.” According to Guillermo, animal tissues that are not for human consumption are placed in 4D bins.

PETA also wants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to force manufacturers to issues product recalls if a product has caused illness or death in animals. Currently the FDA can request or order that a product is removed from the market. The FDA is updating their regulations by September 2015 due to a legislation from 2007 requiring updated nutritional and ingredient information. Guillermo said, “We know the wheels of the government turn very slowly and when animals are involved even slower, but it’s unfortunate it has taken since 2007 to get this rolling. I think it has been mostly left to the industry to decide what is adequate and what is proper and that’s why this is a good idea to have a federal regulation to make sure it’s consistent across the board.”

Pet food producers are concerned that the new regulations will be too similar to the nutritional information required for human food. The Pet Food Institute (PFI) represents 98% of dog and cat food manufacturers in the United States. PFI supports FDA labeling standards provided the standards are not modeled after human food labels. President and CEO of PFI, Cathleen Enright said, “Currently if you look on packages for human food there’s a serving size, but that doesn’t translate when you are talking about a dog.” Human food also requires the protein/fat/vitamin contents be listed as a percentage of daily requirements whereas pet food labels require maximum and minimum percentages. There is concern that if pet food labels are too similar to human food labels consumers will become confused because people and pets have different nutritional requirements. 

Chair of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Pet Food Committee, Stan Cook believes that national labeling regulations could be positive (pet food regulations are currently decided by each State). Cook also said, “Some consumers want pet food labels to more closely resemble human food labels. Many in the regulatory arena are concerned that making the labels appear the same as a human food label is a food safety issue.”

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PetSmart Charities Supports BC Feline Population Management

The BC SPCA recently received a grant of $84,000 CDN from PetSmart Charities™ of Canada to help reduce cat overpopulation in Cranbrook, British Columbia. The money will allow 950 stray and privately owned cats to be spayed or neutered. Cranbrook has a large population of outdoor cats that are currently capable of reproducing. BC SPCA East Kootenay Branch Manager, Brenna Baker said, “This grant from PetSmart Charities™ of Canada is fantastic news for Cranbrook! We have a constant intake of cats into our shelter. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t have a waiting list of cats to get into the shelter, looking for loving, forever homes.”

British Columbia has significant concerns about their cat overpopulation. Tens of thousands of cats are fending for themselves and they may suffer from illness, injury, starvation, and predator attacks. Cranbrook is one of the communities affected by large numbers of intact outdoor cats. Baker said, “One female cat and her offspring can produce more than 200 kittens within one year. The grant allows us to move forward and make a big difference in the region. It takes the whole community to tackle such a large issue, and we couldn’t do it alone.” Cranbrook is also receiving support from Steeples Veterinary Clinic, Tanglefoot Vet, Kootenay Vet Clinic, Cranbrook Veterinary Hospital, and B-104 Total Country radio station and the City of Cranbrook.

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Urban Animal Scholarship Finalist Studies Urban Feline Populations

Dr. Flockhart removes a tracking collar. Photo credit: Eric Foss/CBC

Accurate data do not exist regarding the feral cat population in Ontario. Dr. Tyler Flockhart is a post-doctoral fellow that is studying feline overpopulation and its management. In 2012, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies estimated that approximately 600,000 cats in Canadian shelters did not find homes. According to Toronto Animal Services, in 2014 the feral cat population in Toronto was approximately 100,000.

One issue is that no one knows how many feral cats reside in Canada. Not only do feral cats disturb gardens and yowl at night, it is also believed that in Canada they kill hundreds of millions of songbirds each year. Cats can also carry toxoplasmosis; a parasitic disease that can infect humans.

The Chair of Guelph Humane Society, Dr. Shane Bateman said, "A good scientific look at history would tell us that the current model [euthanizing stray cats that do not find homes] just simply doesn't work. There are probably more cats today than there have ever been, and so euthanizing and trying to get ahead of the population explosion that way just simply isn't a good option, and it's a very, very unpalatable option for communities who are more and more concerned about animal welfare. Everybody has an opinion and sometimes those opinions can be very passionate and that only adds to the challenge around this work." 

Flockhart said, "People are looking for solutions and quite often those solutions need to deviate from what's been done over the past 30, 50, 60 years."

In 2014, Toronto started a trap, neuter, return program. Bateman said, "Until we have more scientific information about the utility and importance of tools like trap-neuter-return or accessible or low-cost spay-neuter, it's difficult to know because these are huge resource-intensive programs and projects." 

"We have pretty good information on the number of cats that come in and go out of animal shelters, but we don't know the number of cats on the street for sure, and we don't even really know the proportion of cats that have indoor-outdoor access. These are really basic questions that require numbers so that we can address the magnitude of the risk and how we might address it", said Flockhart. 

Flockhart is performing research to answer several critical questions. He is developing a population model for cats and is tracking feral cats in Toronto and Guelph to examine their movements. Flockhart’s research should provide crucial information on feral cat populations and successful management of Canada’s feral felines. Flockhart will be presenting this research at the Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in Lake Louise this October.

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View Flockart on Canada AM - July 27, 2015