Animal Behavior

Consulting:
Theory and Practice
A publication of The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

Vol. 4, No. 1
Spring 2008
2

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Vol. 4, No. 1 Spring 2008

Editors
Beth Adelman, MS, CABC Mychelle Blake, MSW, CDBC Chris Hamer, MS, CDBC

The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants

The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Inc. is a professional association for the field of animal behavior consulting.
The association represents the professional interests of behavior consultants throughout the world. It is involved with the problems, needs,
and changing patterns of animal-owner relationships, and helps to ensure that the public’s needs are met by trained practitioners. The
association provides the tools and resources animal behavior professionals need to succeed. It works tirelessly to nourish the animal-
human bond.

The IAABC Board of Directors

Janet Velenovsky, MM, CPDT, CDBC-TAC Mikel Delgado, CCBC
President Secretary

Sue Bulanda, MA, CDBC Marilyn Krieger, MA, CCBC

Vice President, Chair of Dog Division Member & Co-Chair of the Cat Division

Chris Hamer, MS, CDBC Connie Dwyer, MS, CPDT, CHBC

Executive Committee and Education Chair Member & Chair of the Horse Division

Liz Wilson, CPBC Debbie Winkler, CPDT, CDBC, CABC

Treasurer & Chair of the Parrot Division Member & Former President

The IAABC Division Chairs

Cat Behavior Consulting Division Human-Animal Mutualism Division
Pam Johnson-Bennett and Marilyn Krieger, Chairs Janet Velenovsky, Chair

Dog Behavior Consulting Division Parrot Behavior Consulting Division

Sue Bulanda, Chair Liz Wilson, Chair

Horse Behavior Consulting Division

Connie Dwyer, Chair

Our Journal Division Liaisons

Cat Behavior Consulting Division Human-Animal Mutualism Division
Marilyn Krieger and Pam Johnson-Bennett Janet Velenovsky

Dog Behavior Consulting Division Parrot Behavior Consulting Division

Vera Wilkinson Kashmir Csaky

Horse Behavior Consulting Division

Connie Dwyer

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008
 3
Legal Information

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice is published in accordance with the purposes of the sponsoring organization, the
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Inc. (IAABC). The IAABC Mission is to assist and educate owners and handlers
of companion animals to prevent problems and to interrupt the cycle of inappropriate punishment, rejection, and euthanasia of animals
with behavior problems that are resolvable. This mission is accomplished by providing state-of-the-art education and training to animal
behavior professionals, so they can analyze, predict and resolve problem behaviors, and by advocating and promoting humane intervention.
Articles are selected on the basis of appropriateness, clarity, significance, timeliness, and contribution to the field of animal behavior
consulting. Authors need not be members of the IAABC to submit manuscripts. No remuneration is paid for accepted manuscripts.

Copyright on all materials published in Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice is held by the authors. Permission to reproduce
such copyrighted materials must be obtained through IAABC and the authors. Requests can be made by emailing journal@iaabc.org. No
portion of an article may be reproduced without permission in writing. Reprint orders for individual articles are handled by the IAABC
business office. If the manuscript contains more than 100 words of material previously published elsewhere, the authors must obtain
written permission from the copyright holder to include this material in publication of their manuscript in Animal Behavior Consulting:
Theory and Practice. Any costs associated with obtaining this permission are the responsibility of the author or authors.

Submission Guidelines

For information on submitting manuscripts to future issues of Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice, go to the IAABC Web
site, www.iaabc.org and access the Journal page to download a copy of our submission guidelines.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008
4
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Vol. 4, No. 1 Spring 2008

Message from the Board.................................................................................................................................................... 5

Member News and Committee Reports............................................................................................................................. 6

Case Study: Billie the Dalmatian....................................................................................................................................... 7

Simon Goodall

Preparing Your Parrots for a Future Without You..............................................................................................................10

Kashmir Csaky

Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2 with Feline Jazzmanda..................................................................13

Jaqueline Munera

Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression..........................................................................................................................18

Mikel Maria Delgado, CCBC

Medical Evaluation of the Feline Behavior Patient...........................................................................................................25

Lore I. Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB

Establishing Professional Relationships with Veterinarians..............................................................................................29

Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC

Being Prepared for Disaster...............................................................................................................................................32

Susan Bulanda, MA, CABC

Book Review: The Emotional Lives of Animals by Mark Bekoff......................................................................................35

Tonya Sakadinsky, BA, CDBC

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008
Message from the Board 5

Dear Colleagues, and interests. He will help find the committee and/or task that
will match your skills and availability. As with all workloads, the
H appy spring! As we enter this time of renewal and growth,
we want to thank all of you who have offered support,
suggestions, opinions, ideas, observations, and comments as
more members willing to help, the more quickly and effectively
we can progress.
we work to strengthen and improve the IAABC. While doing If the mission of IAABC is important to you and to the
some garden upkeep lately, I couldnít help notice the similarities animals you love, step up and become involved. Have new ideas
between our young organization and a young perennial garden. for projects that need to be done? Have an interesting case or
experience to share in the Journal? Bring those to the table as
You just canít rush natural growth; things take time to
well. Our vision is to have an organization nurtured and loved by
mature. As much as I want bigger and healthier bushes, they just
its members. We all need to tend this garden.
arenít there yet. Wanting things to happen sooner doesnít make
them happen. Your board continues to make progress, but some
processes are going to take longer to mature than anyone would Best,
like, including us.
Janet Velenovsky, MM, CPDT, CDBC-TAC
We had hoped to have the by-laws completed already, but
we found it was in our best interest for IAABC to hire a firm President, Human-Animal Mutualism Chair
that advises non-profits, so they are now helping us with research
and recommendations. By, or shortly after publication time of
And fellow Board Members
this Journal issue, you should see the updated by-laws posted on
the updated web site we’ve all been waiting for. Or perhaps, like Deb Winkler, CPDT, CABC
waiting for roses to bloom or tomatoes to ripen, it may take a little Former President
more time. What patience we can all learn by allowing the time
necessary to do the job right! In fact, we need to remember that
preparing and amending our soil appropriately now will result in Chris Hamer, MS, CDBC
much richer results from our garden later.
Executive Committee, Education Committee Chair
As you probably know, our much-anticipated first official
elections are contingent on the putting the updated by-laws in
place. Once we have ìplantedî them, we can start the process Liz Wilson, CABC
for the election. We are hoping to send ballots by June. We are Treasurer & Parrot Division Chair
proceeding with the preparations that we can make now, in
order to reap the harvest as early as possible. The Conference
Committee has decided on April 23-26 in Houston, Texas, for our Susan Bulanda, CABC
2009 conference, so spruce up your Texas twang!
Vice President, Dog Division Co-Chair
Just as good gardeners know how important it is to enrich the
soil they work, and mulch and weed to keep a good environment
working for them, we IAABC behavior consultants know how Marilyn Krieger, MA, CCBC
important it is to continue our education and to keep ourselves Cat Division Co-Chair
current on new ideas and research. With this in mind, the board
is very excited to announce plans to help further the education of
our members. We are formulating a series of telecourses, available Mikel Delgado, CCBC
at no charge to our associate and certified members (and for a
nominal charge to the affiliate members). Each series will be built Treasurer
around one of the five core competencies. These telecourses will
help to satisfy certification requirements for Associate members Connie Dwyer, MS, CPDT, CHBC
and will enable certified members to earn required CEUs. Look
for messages to the e-mail lists about this exciting new program Horse Division Chair
some time this summer.
As do all diligent gardeners, we in the IAABC will continue
to face long days of planning for future growth, preparation to
make that possible, sowing seeds of cooperation and opportunity,
weeding through problems, and harvesting our efforts. To get done
all that we need to, we are adding and updating committeesówhich
will provide more opportunities for the membership to become
involved. To meet the workload, we need your help! Please
contact Jim Aikenhead, our very own human resources manager,
at bigdogs@neo.rr.com today to let him know about your talents
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
6 Member News and Committee Reports

News Alerts! Fund? I am donating a portion of what I earn from my behavior

Jacqueline Munera and her rescue cat, Jazzmanda, recently
passed the Delta Society Pet Partners evaluation and the
Kay Laurence CAP 2 (Competency Assessment Programme)
evaluation! CAP 2 is designed to test the handler’s clicker
skills by evaluating their “ability to secure a solid foundation in
achieving a consistent quality and reliability to cue and develop
more complex behaviours in free shaping.” Jacqueline and
Jazzmanda are the first human-cat team to pass any CAP level
and the first human-cat team in the Tampa area to pass the Delta
evaluation and register as Pet Partners. (For more information,
visit the Delta Society at www.deltaSociety.org and CAP www.
learningaboutdogs.com.)
Connie Dwyer, chair of the Horse Division, is writing a
weekly horse behavior Q&A column for Horse Ice Cream.com, a
Web site created to bring together and promote the growing horse
community in Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southern Tier New
York. You can read her column at www.horseicecream.com
Amy Shojai has become the official cat blogger on the NBC-
Universal pet webchannel, www.petside.com. In February, she
launched an online weekly half-hour radio podcast called Pet
Peeves at www.petliferadio.com, which features subjects of
interest to pet parents of all stripes. Amy also won a Maxwell
Award from the Dogs Writers Association of America for her
article “When Dogs Battle for Status at Home,” published in the
September 2007 issue of Your Dog.
Pam Johnson-Bennett, chair of the Cat Division, had a book
released in late 2007 called Starting from Scratch (Penguin
Books), about solving behavior problems in cats. A totally
revised and updated version of her case study book, Psycho Kitty,
(Ten Speed Press) was released in March 2008. She is also the
spokesperson for Friskies and has a blog featured on their web
site, www.friskies.com.
Pat Miller’s new book, Positive Perspectives 2, was released
by Dogwise Publishing in January 2008. It is a new collection of
Pat’s articles from Whole Dog Journal and Your Dog, and includes
sections on dog body language, advanced training concepts and
behavior modification.
book, Rover, Get Off Her Leg!, to the fund. I use the fund when
I want to give a gift to someone who seems to have enough of
everything. It is my hope that it will make a difference. And my
mother’s name will live on. Donations can be sent to: AKC/
CHF,P.O. Box 37941, Raleigh, NC 27627-7941. Or you can click
on www.akcchf.org, then click Donate Now. Be sure to state that
the donation is for the Behavior Fund or The Marcia Polimer
Abrams Fund for Canine Behavior Studies.”
From the IAABC’s Division of Human-Animal
Mutualism Development Committee
The IAABC’s Division of Human-Animal Mutualism
Development Committee is a group of IAABC members interested
in all aspects of working animals. The name Human-Animal
Mutualism is based on the biological definition of mutualism: an
advantageous relationship between two organisms of different
species that benefits both and harms neither. Members of the
committee affectionately refer to themselves as “HAMsters.”
The division’s objectives are to promote mutualism in
relationships of humans who work with animals such as service
animals, therapy animals, animals trained to assist in public safety,
animals trained for search and rescue, and companion animals. We
also consider the dogs who are trained to detect cancer and other
diseases as service animals. Although dogs are the most common
service animal, our group is not limited to dogs, but includes all
types of service animals.
We provide educational resources, guidance, and support
to behavior consultants and to the public on how to meet the
unique needs of humans and animals in working and companion
partnerships. We monitor such things as the availability of
air travel for service animals, public accommodations, public
accessibility for service animals, and the treatment of disabled
persons who use service animals. We are always interested in new
developments regarding the use of service animals.
Currently the committee is not very active, but in the past we
have written letters to officials in response to the lack of rescue
efforts for the pets in the Hurricane Katrina disaster. We have
also written to National Geographic magazine regarding the
training methods used by Cesar Milan. We have drafted a disaster
readiness document and guidelines for the handlers of working
animals, and have worked on a document regarding the ethical
behavior of handlers/trainers of service animals.

Darlene Arden writes, “After my mother died, nearly two

years ago, I wanted to do something special to keep her name
alive, something significant in her memory. After much thought,
I created a Donor Advised Fund at the American Kennel Club’s
Canine Health Foundation in her memory. The Marcia Polimer
Abrams Fund for Canine Behavior Studies has been created to
fund studies that will benefit both dogs and humans. More dogs
die as a result of behavior problems than any one disease—across
the board in all breeds and dogs of mixed heritage. I wonder what
would happen if everyone donated just one dollar to the Behavior
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008

Case Study: Billie the Dalmatian
by Simon Goodall
B illie was a 9-month-old neutered male Dalmatian who was
referred to me by the local veterinarian because he was
showing signs of “boredom.” The main issue that was discussed
on the phone was the chewing of the “gib” plaster wall. (Gib is
the basic framework of the wall and is approximately two inches
thick.) Upon further discussion, I recommended a behavioral
consultation because it sounded more serious than boredom.
• Separation anxiety can be divided into four categories:
• Exploratory behavior (extreme smelling around an area or
hunting for objects)
• Object play (playing with something to take the dog’s stress
out on it)
• Destruction of items
• Excessive vocalization (barking, howling, whining)
In New Zealand, separation anxiety is a huge problem due
to increased urbanization. Because barking is a symptom of
separation anxiety, many people either hire or purchase bark
collars, which are often recommended by the local animal control
officials. This often creates more stress in the dog, and eventually
the dog will come to a behaviorist or is left inside to minimize the
barking.
Upon arriving at the house, I was greeted by a very friendly
Dalmatian who appeared to be like any young dog—eager to
please and very lovable. The owners and I sat down and discussed
the Billie’s history using a questionnaire that I had designed
specifically for dogs with separation anxiety. This questionnaire
looks at areas that may be contributing to the problem. We ask
if the dog could do the “stay” position, i.e., would he stay in a
different room away from the owner(s)? Other questions include:
What is your daily routine? Has this changed over the past few
months? Who lives at home? How much exercise does the dog
get? What type of food is he given? This questionnaire gives us
an idea of whether we are simply looking at a bored dog or one
with separation anxiety.
Billie had been purchased from a pet store in Auckland, New
Zealand, at the age of 9 weeks. After the purchase, the owners
took him to puppy classes at the local veterinarian. The owners
had been to a local dog training school and Billie could sit, stay,
come, walk without pulling and was an all-around well-trained
dog. The one command they had not been able to do with Billie
was stay.
Billie lived in a small house with two owners, husband and
wife. There were no other animals present. There was a yard for
Billie, approximately 400 square meters (4,300 square feet). The
owners mentioned that he never went to the yard without them
present.
Billie had a full veterinary check before we saw him—this
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
7
is standard for many of the dogs we see. The veterinarian found
nothing that might contribute to the dog’s behavior. I recommended
a blood test, but the owners did not get one. The veterinarian was
on board with us in trying behavior modification with Billie.
The owners had left Billie at home from an early age. He had
not shown any symptoms of separation anxiety until 5 months
of age, when they came home to a small hole in the wall. After
talking to a local trainer about the problem, it was recommend
they get a Kong chew toy to relieve the boredom and increase the
dog’s exercise to approximately one hour a day.
The problem of wall chewing had not stopped with the
addition of the Kong, which is why they were referred to me.
Separation anxiety is an issue that in New Zealand is only
just being uncovered. While many trainers in New Zealand
may know a little about the problem, many are unsure how to
correctly recognize or deal with it. This is because many trainers
are just realizing that separation anxiety is actually a problem.
In the past years it had always been thought that the owner was
not sufficiently in control or the dog was just bored. Over time,
more research has started to appear regarding separation anxiety
and veterinarians are accepting that with a behavior modification
program, or behavior modification along with drugs, the chance
of success is much greater than with drugs alone.
After talking to the owners. I wanted to work out whether the
problem was separation anxiety or boredom. To do this, we set up
a video camera in the room where Billie was kept and left him in
the house alone for 10 minutes. Upon our return, we were greeted
by a very excited dog showing his huge grin, wagging bottom and
tail, relaxed eyes and ears, and no doubt very excited. If this is the
only behavior we had seen, it would not have been a problem.
The owners and I sat down to look at the video and saw that
within 20 seconds of the owners leaving, the dog started chewing
the wall and did not stop until he heard the front door open. In
addition to this, in the first 20 seconds when he did not chew, he
was pacing around the house, licking his lips and whining—all
signs of a stressed dog. Had we been gone for much longer, I am
certain that numerous other signs would have also appeared.
Upon seeing the footage of their dog, the owners actually
started to cry because they were upset at seeing their dog in such
a stressed state. I believe, however, that having actual footage
of the dog leads to greater success in the behavior modification
program because the owners can concretely see the problem and
become acutely aware that they have an issue.
We then started to put together a plan to get the dog used to
being alone. The first step was to get rid of any cues that may have
caused the dog stress when the owners started to leave. There
were obvious ones, such as the jingle of keys and shutting doors
and windows. There were also a few subtle ones, such as a simple
8 Case Study: Billie the Dalmatian
“bye” they gave the dog or getting the dog bed ready. We started
to associate these cues with positive occurrences or an action that
did not include leaving the house. For example, for the keys we
had the owners sometime hold the keys, jingle them and put them
in their pockets and sit down. Other times they would get the keys
and play with a ball. For some of the minor cues, we stopped them
altogether. For example, before leaving the house the owners no
longer said “bye.”
We started to teach Billie the stay command. This was done
by getting Billie to sit and stay, taking a small step back and
returning and giving him a food reward. The owners had already
reported that Billie was brilliant in all aspects in training other
than the stay command with the owners out of sight. We worked
on stay because if Billie could not even get used to staying while
the owners were just around the corner, there was no way he
would be relaxed about staying when they were not in the house.
After two minutes of working on the stay out of sight with
the owners, we took a break and took Billie for a walk around the
block to so he did not get too stressed out. Ten minutes later, we
returned to the house to resume the training.
This time we extended the time that Billie was in the stay
position. We took five steps back, waited five seconds, then
returned and rewarded. We then took this further by taking a step
back for each stay command until we reached 10 steps and we
were just by the door to the room.
The next step was to start to leave the dog. This was done in
small steps, in a single training session. The first step was to walk
to the door, just past the door and return. Billie was rewarded
with a food treat but was not given a large greeting. The steps that
followed are listed below:
Step 2: Dog is in stay position, owners walk to door, walk
past door and then return.
Step 3: Dog is in stay position, owners walk to door, start
to shut door, then reopen and return to dog.
Step 4: Dog is in stay position, owners walk to door, start
to shut the door a little more than in step three, then reopen
and return.
Step 5: Dog is in stay position, owners walk through the
door, shut it completely, reopen, then return to the dog.
Step 6: Dog is in stay position, owners walk through the
door, shut it completely, wait two seconds, then return to
the dog.
Step 7: As in step six, but owners wait five seconds.
Once the dog could stay for five seconds, as in step seven,
I ended the training session. Even though in the consultation we
ended up with the dog able to be alone for only five seconds,
this was as long as Billie could handle before he started to stress
out. I did not want to do any further training during the session,
because I wanted to end with Billie on a good note. With other
clients we may wait anywhere from five seconds to two minutes,
depending on how severe the anxiety is. This prevents owner and
dog fatigue.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Both of the owners participated in the training and were fully
committed. Although they were a little skeptical at first, once they
saw the small changes that were already happening, they agreed
to continue with the training plan.
At conclusion of the training session, I gave the owners a
full write-up of the program to follow. I was fortunate that the
owners were able to take the dog to work while working on this
program. The program is outlined below, and is what I use for
most dogs with separation anxiety. If the steps do not work, I may
recommend talking to a veterinarian about prescribing clomicalm
in association with a behavior modification program. This can be
useful in increasing the initial stress threshold of the dog.
Step 8: Go out the door, shut door, wait 10 seconds and
return.
Step 9: Go out the door, wait 15 seconds and return.
Step 10: Go out the door, wait 20 seconds and return.
Step 11: Go out the door, go to the car, open the car door,
shut the car door and return.
Step 12: Go out the door, go to the car, open the car
door, leave it open for five seconds, shut the car door and
return.
Step 13: Go out door, go to the car, open the car door, start
the car, turn off car and return.
Step 14: Go out the door, go to the car, start the car and
drive down the driveway, turn off the car and return.
Step 15: Continue these steps with the owners away longer,
the car gone longer and Billie left alone for longer.
This program was given to the owners and I advised them
that if they were able to get to about half an hour with Billie alone
and showing no signs of stress, they were probably done. Billie
was not expected to remain in the stay position this whole time.
I have personally found that if a dog is still relaxed in the home
after about half an hour, they can generally last an entire day.
Follow-up
Week 1: The owners said Billie had been chewing the walls
for the first four days when left for short periods. However, he
was not stressing out at the sight of the car keys anymore.
Week 2: One small hole in the wall found, but nothing
compared to the original problem.
Week 3: No holes showing.
Week 4: Still no holes showing, and has been nearly three
weeks since Billie has chewed a hole in the wall.
Two months: I received an e-mail from the owners saying
Billie had stopped chewing walls and all the walls they had
repaired had, for the first time stayed, the way they were left.
This case was helped by the fact that the owners practiced the
program. Many of our separation consultations have concluded
this same way. I find the age of the dog is a big factor, because
if the dog is too old, the behavior is so ingrained that it takes a
Case Study: Billie the Dalmatian 9

lot longer for him to learn to relax. But the biggest hurdle I face
is owner compliance. This treatment can take weeks, and some
owners just want a quick fix.

Simon Goodall is the director of Dog Guru Ltd. (http://

homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~dogguru/about.htm) in New Zealand
and is well known for his work with aggression and separation
anxiety. Simon is an associate member of the International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and holds a Bachelor
of Science degree.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008
10
Preparing Your Parrots for a Future Without You
by Kashmir Csaky
P arrots are a long-lived species and can outlive their human
companions. The transition for them will always be traumatic,
but it can be eased with proper preparation. When plans are not
made, parrots are often thrust into the hands of family, friends or
neighbors who are not qualified to care for them. They may even
be resentful of being saddled with a responsibility that they did
not agree to undertake. These parrots may end up being sold at
auction or kept in the homes of naive individuals who, through
their lack of knowledge, may cause a once happy and well-
adjusted parrot to become a behavioral consultant’s nightmare.
Although I have no legal training, I have often been asked by my
clients how they can provide for their birds once the client dies
or becomes too feeble to care for their birds. Consequently, their
concerns became my concerns.
There is a story about a wealthy old woman who kept a
Military Macaw as a companion from the time she was a young
girl. The old woman died without any heirs and in her will she
made provisions for her entire household staff to keep their jobs.
This included the maids, the butler, the gardener the chauffeur
and the handy man. They would all have jobs until they retired,
quit or died, provided that her Military Macaw was still alive and
living in her home. She was very careful to outline his care and
to ensure his continued care in her last will and testament. She
lived on a large estate and the developers lurked close by, ready to
swoop down to acquire and subdivide her land. They would make
a fortune. How long could a parrot live anyway? Surely he would
soon join his mistress.
Years went by and the macaw remained vibrant and very
alive. This bird had what seemed to be an abnormally long life.
Eventually, the entire household staff either died or retired.
Finally, the bird joined the old lady who had provided for his
long, happy life. Or perhaps more than one Military Macaw
joined the old woman in heaven. A rumor surrounding the estate
suggested that the bird died of old age not long after his mistress,
and was subsequently replaced by another Military Macaw so
that the household staff would not have to find new jobs. In any
case, I am certain the old woman would have been happy to have
ensured a good life for more than one bird.
Most of us do not have as much money as the old lady in
this story. We do not have a household staff that is familiar with
the everyday care of our parrots. So if we are truly committed to
our parrots, we find ourselves agonizing over their future without
us. Providing for our parrots, once we have left this world, is still
possible.
Pet Trusts and the Uniform Trust Act
I do not know if the story about the old lady and her Military
Macaw is true. When I first heard it many years ago, there were
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
no states that had legalized pet trusts. As of August 2005, there
were 14 states that had legalized pet trusts in some form. They are
Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Missouri, Montana, New
Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee,
Utah and Wisconsin. To discover the status of laws governing pet
trusts in your state, contact you state attorney general’s office or
check with your local humane society. If pet trusts are not legal in
your state, contact your state representatives and let them know
your feelings on the subject.
You should also find out if the Uniform Trust Act has been
enacted in your state. About 19 states have ratified the Uniform
Trust Act. This legislation is very important for anyone who has
parrots or other long lived species. If you keep a species that is
expected to live longer than 21 years, there may be a problem
with what is called the rule against perpetuities. The rule against
perpetuities prevent trusts that last forever (or beyond the lifetime
of a specifically identified human being). The Uniform Trust Act
would allow for the care of an animal regardless of how long the
animal lives.
Find a Local Trust and Probate Attorney
There are web sites that provide you with sample documents
you can use as a template for your pet trust. However, laws
and interpretations differ greatly from state to state, making it
important that you find an experienced local trust and probate
attorney. You may want to begin your search at www.Lawyer.
com, www.Estateplanningforpets.org or www.Animallaw.info.
Preparations Before Seeing a Lawyer
Before consulting a lawyer, you should be prepared. This
will help keep your expenses reasonable. Know how you want
your parrots to be cared for. Outline the expected care in detail.
Know how much money you spend on your bird and even make a
video that shows your daily interaction and care.
Your last will and testament may not be executed precisely
as you stipulated. It is possible for a judge to overturn your will at
the insistence of family members who feel that you are eccentric
or incompetent and the money left for your birds is excessive. If
you keep records that clearly indicate how much money you have
spent on feeding, housing, providing toys and veterinary care, it
will be more difficult for anyone to claim that you are providing
your bird with unreasonable and extravagant financial support
and less likely that a court will declare your will invalid.
Caring for parrots can be expensive. If you want to ensure
that they will be properly cared for according to your wishes, you
must make arrangements to provide financially for your parrots.
Preparing Your Parrots for a Future Without You
Have a detailed description of the property that will fund the trust.
For example, will the trust be funded from the sale of your home,
an insurance policy or a savings account?
As the person funding the trust, you are the “grantor” of the
trust. You must fund the trust with enough property or cash to care
for your bird for his expected lifetime. The “trustee,” a trusted
third party will be responsible for making regular payments to
your pet’s caregiver, and must also use the money you left to pay
for any unexpected miscellaneous expenses.
As stated earlier, pet trusts are not legal in all states. One
reason is that animals cannot appear in court to enforce their own
trusts. If you live in a state in which a pet trust is not legal, an
alternative is a Conditional Bequest. In this Traditional Legal
Trust your bird becomes a part of the estate along with the funds
you specify to care for your parrot. The caregiver becomes
the beneficiary; the trustee oversees the trust to ensure that the
beneficiary is following your instructions. It is essential that this
trust is well worded. Other alternatives include honorary and
statutory pet trusts. However, a traditional legal trust is much
more flexible and enforceable than the other two alternatives.
Distribution of Funds
Money should be disbursed to the caregiver monthly
or weekly and not in a single large sum. The trustee should
periodically check on your birds’ level of care to make sure your
money is being spent according to your wishes. All birds should
be identifiable, perhaps by a microchip, and medical records
should be sent to the trustee. Additional funds should be made
available if they are needed.
If your bird dies, the establishment or person taking care
of the bird should not continue to receive money for that bird.
Unethical persons may take very poor care of the parrots, hoping
the birds will die so that they can collect the entire inheritance.
Any remaining funds should be donated to another worthy charity
or project.
Have an alternative care plan for your birds, as well. Provide
the trustee with a possible second caregiver. If the trustee discovers
that the original caregiver is no longer able to maintain the care
you expected for your parrots, he or she can quickly transfer the
birds to the care of the alternate.
Final Decision
The final decision that must be included in a trust is what will
be done with the pet’s body when he dies. After a necropsy has
been performed, you may choose to have the pet’s body buried
in a pet cemetery. If you plan to have your own body cremated
and the ashes scattered, you may decide to have your pet’s body
cremated and the ashes scattered in the same location.
Pet Trusts Are for Breeders, too
Pet trusts are not just for companion parrots owners.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
11
Parrot breeders, who have spent years working with their birds
and keeping good breeding records, may also want to ensure
that their work continues. Even if they do not have a strong
emotional attachment to their parrots, they may still want their
work to continue in the hands of a respected colleague. A trust
will guarantee that the birds are not sold at auction and that their
research will not come to a halt.
Determining Who Will Care for Your Parrots
Once you have decided how you want your parrots cared for
and how you will fund the trust, you must decide who will be
given the responsibility of caring for your birds when you die.
When searching for the correct person or facility for your birds,
consider the following:
There are sanctuaries that keep birds without the intention of
ever placing the bird in a home as a pet. If your birds are elderly
or handicapped, if you want to be certain that the flock is kept
together or if you have one very crabby bird, a sanctuary may be
the right place for your birds.
If your parrots crave human interaction then consider placing
your birds with a friend, a relative or a rescue/shelter/adoption
organization that will re-home your birds. The organization you
choose should have a good reputation and should assure you that
they will periodically check on your parrots. Ask them how many
parrots they have placed and what the success rate is for the parrots
they have re-homed. Find out how they determine who will be
allowed to adopt parrots from them and what criteria they use to
determine if the adoption has been successful. If an adoption has
failed, what protocols do they use to retrieve the birds and what
will be done with the birds at that point? Adoption services may
be provided by local bird clubs.
If your parrots are young, healthy and rare or show a strong
desire to procreate, consider a reputable breeder. Breeders should
be evaluated with the same careful scrutiny that you would apply
to a rescue/shelter organization or a sanctuary. Ask the breeder for
references and talk to the breeder’s veterinarian. If your parrot is
rare, the breeder should have succeeded in breeding that species
or a very similar species. Is the facility clean? Are the flights large
and roomy? Will the birds be provided with a nutritious diet? How
will the chicks be reared and what will become of them? What
will become of your bonded or proven pairs if their mates die? If
your single parrot is paired, what will happen if your bird’s mate
dies? If your single birds will not pair bond, what will become of
your birds?
Quarantine
The primary goal of all rescues, shelters and sanctuaries
should be to provide a healthy atmosphere for all their charges.
Therefore, their first objective should be to build a state-of-the-art
quarantine facility. In recent times, more than one rescue center
has allegedly suffered major outbreaks of fatal and contagious
12 Preparing Your Parrots for a Future Without You

diseases. Anyone acquiring a new bird has a responsibility to parrots, you have the right to ask them to voluntarily allow you
quarantine. to review their finances so that you can be reasonably certain the
facility will not fold while your birds are in their care.
Quarantine is an even greater responsibility for those who
have been entrusted with someone’s dear lifetime companion. As
people grow older and cannot care for their parrots, they place
Conclusion
these birds with others that they feel will cherish their parrots. A
lack of quarantine and good medical upkeep violates this trust. Do There are no rescues, shelters or sanctuaries that cater to
not leave your birds with anyone who is not providing adequate parrots that have a long-running history. So leaving your parrots
quarantine. to one is a gamble. Once you are gone, your birds’ life will be
different. Schedules will be changed, food will never be exactly
It is unwise to leave your parrots with anyone without the same and no one will have the same relationship with your
seeing their facility. It is important that the facility is clean and parrots that you have. Yet, different is not necessarily bad. It is
that the parrots they keep appear healthy and, hopefully, happy. just different. If you do your research, make preparations and
However, do not allow the presence of feather-picked birds to carefully plan your parrots’ future, your parrots can have a full
color your judgment. Many people give up their parrots because and happy life.
they are feather picking and this is in no way a reflection of the
care the facility provides.
Kashmir Csaky is an international speaker, writer and
behavioral consultant. Her papers have been translated into
Management of the Facility Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, Polish and
Czechoslovakian. Her articles have appeared in Bird Talk,
When researching a facility, ask for references and check out
Companion Parrot Quarterly, Parrots Magazine, Parrot
the references. The facility should have at least two veterinarians,
Information Pages, Psittascene, Watchbird, the German and
so that one of the veterinarians will be available in an emergency. Czech publications Papageien and Nova Exota, and in numerous
Speak to the veterinarians and get their honest evaluation of the newsletters and journals. She has advised zoos and private
facility. aviculturists on breeding Macaws, artificial incubation procedures,
Sanctuaries need a large staff due to the nature of the birds in hand-raising chicks and parent-rearing chicks. Kashmir was the
there care. I recommend two resident full-time caregivers and one first breeder known to co-parent Hyacinth Macaws.
part-time worker if there are 30 birds or less. Additional part-time
personnel will be required in larger sanctuaries so that the ratio of
birds to part-time workers is never more than 30 to one.
When interviewing the people who will care for your parrots,
make sure they are knowledgeable about the species of parrots
you have. They should be aware of and able to satisfy the different
requirements of each species they keep. A solid background and
knowledge about handling behavioral problems is essential. An
evacuation plan in the event of a disaster is imperative. They
should know the signs of illness and how to detect it.

During this interview, they should never dismiss your

concerns. You must feel confident that they will continue their
avian education and stay current on all new developments in
avian medical care and diet. If they are attending conventions and
lectures regularly, then at least you know they are interested in
maintaining their education in avian matters.
Another question to ask is the extent to which they will go
to save a bird at the facility. When will they decide that no more
money can be spent on an individual? Sad as it may be, there must
be a cutoff point to prevent the organization from going bankrupt
and keep all the other birds from suffering due to the condition of
one individual.
Hopefully you will have made financial arrangements for
your parrots and outlined how much money will be spent on each
individual. If they are a charitable organization, their financial
records should be open to you for review. If you intend to leave
your parrots to a facility and provide financial support for your
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008

Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2
with Feline Jazzmanda
by Jacqueline Munera
Abstract
The Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) is an
evaluation designed by British trainer Kay Laurence to test a
handler’s clicker training skills, such as session planning, marker
timing, reinforcement delivery and handler body awareness. A
3-year-old, female, domestic shorthair calico cat, Jazzmanda, was
trained with a clicker and food treats in multiple behaviors. These
behaviors were digitally recorded and submitted to be evaluated
at the CAP 2 level, which was evaluated as a Pass with Merit.
The Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2
B.F. Skinner is often considered the father of modern
behaviorism, but it is unlikely he imagined the influence his ideas
would have on the growing field of animal training. Skinner’s
pigeons pecking a puzzle boxes have morphed into a burgeoning
force of self-termed “positive” trainers who focus on a teamwork
approach to companion animal training, as opposed to more
forceful training based on military models. Clicker training,
one method that uses reward-based training, is the focus of this
article.
British trainer Kay Laurence designed a program to assess
clicker use skills at various trainer levels, from Novice 1 through
Advanced 4. (See Laurence’s web site at www.learningaboutdogs.
com for full details on the training skills evaluated at the
prerequisite level 1, as well as level 2, the focus of this project.)
The Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) was initially
designed to evaluate dog training skills. However, approval was
given for the first cat assessment at Level 2 with Jazzmanda, after
I had a previous successful evaluation with a dog, Zen.
The CAP assesses trainer skills such as planning, timing,
reward delivery and body awareness. The requirement that the
animal has been trained by the person attempting the CAP is in
place to ensure that the animal trainee has not been prepared for
the testing by someone else. Test designer, Kay Laurence, created
an evaluation form that is designed to focus on the trainer’s skills
in an attempt to eliminate ambiguity between handler and animal
abilities. Also, the procedure is devised to assess the human, and
therefore the animal is technically not being evaluated. However,
I am a bit skeptical about the ability to evaluate only the human’s
performance, because each animal trainee is an individual and
will not necessarily learn or progress at the same rate as another
trainee. For example, a dog who is very quick to learn a new skill
or is overly forgiving of human error may make his human trainer
appear more skilled than they actually are.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
13
By videotaping my training sessions, I was able to view the
learning process more completely because I could observe my own
effect on Jazzmanda’s behavioral responses. This is a good way to
evaluate how to improve training skills and reduce trainer “noise”
(extraneous physical and verbal cuing), which, in turn, enables the
animal trainee to more easily understand what the target behavior
is. During a training session, it is easy to dedicate so much focus
on Jazzmanda’s responses that I am unaware of ways in which I
am sending her mixed signals or being unclear in my requests.
The video and practice sessions taught me to focus on my own
body posture, signaling and responses concurrent with my focus
on Jazzmanda’s actions. Unfortunately, due to the environment
and lack of additional filming staff, it was difficult to videotape
everything and therefore not all sessions were recorded.
Both respondent (classical) conditioning and instrumental
(operant) conditioning techniques were used during the process of
preparing Jazzmanda for the CAP 2, even though the evaluation is
designed to assess the trainer’s skill in applying a sound marker
during instrumental conditioning sessions only.
Respondent conditioning is primarily linked to Russian
physiologist Dr. Ivan Pavlov, through his work with the
canine digestive system. He investigated the link between an
unconditioned physical process, salivation, and an anticipatory
conditioned process, such as a sound that predicts the arrival
of a desired food treat (Powell, Symbal and Macdonald 2004).
Respondent conditioning focuses on elicited behavior that is
controlled by the stimuli that precedes it (Powell, et al., 2004).
Respondent conditioning played an important role in this
project, because one of the goals while working with Jazzmanda,
or any other animal, is always to ensure that she enjoys each
training session. Through multiple pairings of training with treats,
petting and toys, Jazzmanda demonstrates apparent enjoyment of
training sessions by presenting emotional behaviors indicative of
excitement and what I can best describe as joy at the appearance
of training paraphernalia such as clicker, treats, mat and target
stick. Her excitement is indicated through multiple outwardly
visible signs, such as dilated pupils, circling with tail high and
ears up and forward, as well as by a dramatic increase in meow
vocalizations, which have been demonstrated as a primary human
attention-getting technique used by cats living with humans,
although vocalizations are used far less frequently between cats
(Bradshaw and Cameron-Beaumont, 2000; Brown, 1993).
Jazzmanda not only displays behaviors that are indicative
of her excitement, such as the vocalizations and circling, but she
also does not display any stress behaviors, such as avoidance,
threatening body postures or aggression. If aversive training
14 Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2 with Feline Jazzmanda
methods were chosen instead, it would be reasonable to assume
the aversive conditioning process would lead to training sessions
becoming an undesirable activity. But Jazzmanda has given no
indication of this.
Instrumental conditioning, the main focus of this project,
concentrates on the effects consequences have on their preceding
behaviors (Powell, et al., 2004). As Jazzmanda performs a desired
behavior, it is reinforced by delivering a reward she desires,
thereby increasing the likelihood she will repeat that behavior. In
general, negative reinforcement was not used during this project,
with the exception of a head turn away and withdrawal of reward
for incorrect responses to a cue (only after the cued behavior
had been learned and generalized). This negative punishment—
removal of desired attention—was done as a way to manage
Jazzmanda’s tendency to throw out random behaviors in response
to a given cue and to anticipate which cue might be given next.
A secondary, conditioned reinforcer was an integral part
of this project because the CAP evaluates the trainer’s skill at
using the clicker to mark and reinforce an animal’s behavior. The
clicker sound becomes a conditioned reinforcer through multiple
pairings with a primary, unconditioned reinforcer, such as food.
The clicker can also become a generalized secondary reinforcer
through association with other reinforcers, such as play and
affection, if those are desired by the trainee (Powell, et al. 2004).
(See the Glossary for more information on terminology.)
The extrinsic reinforcers, food, affection and play, were
obvious reward choices during this project, but at least one
intrinsic reinforcer was used as well—the “bang” behavior. This
behavior consists of a fall over on the cat’s side from a stand,
and was easily captured due to high frequency of occurrence and
obvious enjoyment Jazzmanda had in performing the behavior on
her own. The “bang” behavior was then useable as an additional
reinforcer following a less enjoyable task or to end a difficult
session with a success.
Training Method
Participant: The female domestic shorthair calico cat trained
for the CAP 2 evaluation was approximately three years old at the
beginning of the training sessions. She was adopted based on her
gregarious nature from a humane society about 10 months before
the evaluation.
Materials: Two different sound markers were used for
training purposes: the plastic hand held i-Click made by Karen
Pryor; and the target stick/clicker-in-one, Clik Stik, made
by Premier. The Clik Stik was used for the targeting behavior
because it is easier to use than a separate target stick and clicker
combination. Though it does have a very similar sound to the
i-Click and Jazzmanda did not appear confused by the difference,
it is generally easy to change marker sounds if needed by simply
reinforcing the new sound.
A round, wicker table placemat from Crate N Barrel was
used as a station area for the stay behavior followed by evaluated
recall behavior. Reinforcement was primarily Halo Liv-a-Little
dehydrated chicken treats, concurrent with praise and stroking.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
One section of the test requires the trainer to switch to a different
reinforcer such as a toy, so a squeaky stuffed bird on a string
and plastic pole was chosen. Jazzmanda did not appear thrilled
with this change of reinforcement, as demonstrated by her lack of
interest in the toy and continued search for a food treat.
The test performance was recorded on a Sony home digital
video recorder, transferred to computer and burned to a CD the
evaluator could view.
Procedure: The CAP requires the use of the clicker to train
three behaviors to a consistent quality, with reliability to cue. It
also requires the trainer to develop more complex behaviors by
free shaping.
The first behavior was required to be trained by targeting,
with the target subsequently faded out and the behavior cued
verbally. I chose a recall for the targeting behavior. This behavior
was shaped using a Premier Clik Stik, a collapsible target stick
with a built-in clicker, beginning at fully extended length, about
one inch in front of Jazzmanda’s nose. As she sniffed at the target,
the marker was clicked and she was rewarded with a small piece
of chicken treat. This was repeated approximately three times
before the target stick was moved farther away from her nose as
well as at different angles.
Within one five-minute session, the target stick could be
moved while she approached, therefore beginning a follow
behavior. Reinforcement was on a continuous schedule with
each nose target. Jazzmanda generally showed very limited or no
post-reinforcement pauses, possibly in part due to the low level
difficulty of the target behavior paired with the high desirability
of the chicken treats.
After a few trials with success at touching and following the
target stick, a verbal signal of a tongue “tsk” sound was added
that would become the recall cue after the target stick was faded.
As Jazzmanda approached the target stick, the sound was paired
with her movement, the marker clicked as she touched the target,
and she was reinforced with chicken treats.
Jazzmanda had been previously trained to sit on a mat, and
this was used as a sit-stay cue to precede the recall cue in this
project. After variable time (approximately two seconds through
10 seconds) on the mat, I made the “tsk, tsk, tsk” cue sound
and she moved to the target, being held at variable distances
(approximately one foot to 14 feet) away from the mat. The
marker was clicked and Jazzmanda was reinforced with chicken
treats when she reached the fully extended target.
As each stage reached a consistent response of eight correct
out of 10 attempts, the criteria was raised by increasing distance,
moving out of the cat’s line of sight and gradually fading the
target stick by making it smaller, until the behavior transferred
to a pointed index finger and finally to no target at all, only the
verbal “tsk.” Reinforcement was maintained on a continuous
schedule throughout this testing.
During the initial training stages, only one behavior was
practiced or learned in each training session. However, several
short sessions were held each day, so different behaviors could
be learned or practiced on the same day. No behavior was
Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2 with Feline Jazzmanda
completely generalized and under solid stimulus control before
another behavior was begun. Once fluency and consistency were
achieved with a behavior, it was put into future training sessions
along with a novel behavior, in part to maintain Jazzmanda’s
interest in training and avoid boredom, and also to require more
discrimination between actions. For example, after Jazzmanda had
a session in which she began learning a paw wave, the mat was
brought out so she could run to it and sit on it for reinforcement.
The go-to-mat behavior was the first behavior she was taught and
had become highly rewarding, so it was used to end the session
on a high note. The mat was then incorporated in a later session
by asking for a paw wave behavior while Jazzmanda was sitting
on it, thereby furthering generalization of learned behaviors.
The second behavior chosen was “bang,” the play-dead type
behavior described earlier that Jazzmanda frequently displayed
on her own. The training process with this behavior used capture
techniques by clicking and reinforcing Jazzmanda when she lay
on her back. Training began on a rug that Jazzmanda frequently
lay on to increase odds that she would volunteer a lying down
behavior, which was then markable. This is precisely what
occurred, and initially the click was sounded as she lay down in
any position. As Jazzmanda began to deliberately demonstrate
the down behavior, the marker was withheld to initiate the next
approximation of the “bang” position.
Within the first training session of approximately ten
minutes, the “bang” was fully formed on a verbal cue on the rug.
I attempted to keep out any visual cueing to avoid confusion at a
later time—when the “bang” would be switched to a visual hand
cue that would first be seen by Jazzmanda during the CAP test.
Future sessions concentrated on generalizing the verbal “bang”
cue in multiple locations throughout the house while contorting
my body in strange positions, again to avoid confusion of a visual
cue and achieve saliency of the verbal cue.
The third behavior chosen for the CAP evaluation was a paw
wave, which needed to be on a verbal-only cue reliable in multiple
locations. The visual cue was chosen based on my hand position
during a lure motion, which was used to initiate a paw wave as the
cat attempted to reach the treat. Specifically, the cue consisted of
my right index finger held up and repeatedly flexed up and down
while my other fingers and thumb were held closed.
The treat was shown to Jazzmanda, then put under the closed
fingers and held above paw reach length in front of her face. Any
approximation of lifting a foot to reach toward the hand was
initially marked and rewarded. Then, progressively, only more
accurate actions were reinforced. If Jazzmanda sat up on her
back feet with both front feet leaving the ground, no marker or
reinforcement was given, the treat was moved away and placed
a bit closer to her head so she was less likely to rise up. This a
process, in which small approximations are rewarded until the
desired, more complex behavior is achieved, is called “shaping.”
Jazzmanda did have a few challenges with the wave behavior,
possibly due in part to her tendency to hoard food. The food held
over her head occasionally triggered a reaction in which her
pupils fully dilated, she broke position and she tried to grab my
hand. As soon as I noticed the signs signaling the onset of this
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
15
pattern, I took my hand away and waited for her to calm down
before beginning again. With continued sessions, these instances
became less and less frequent until they were not exhibited even
in the presence of a competing cat or dog.
A verbal cue was added, but was not used during the CAP
evaluation because the fact that the paw wave was chosen to
satisfy the “visual cue only” behavior requirement. In fact, I made
a mistake on this part of the test, saying the verbal cue “wave”
while giving the visual cue. I noticed the error immediately and
repeated the visual paw wave cue without the verbal component.
The CAP 2 requires each of the three chosen behaviors to
be repeated six times in a row while the handler varies body
position and the animal’s location. This test was videotaped in
my house primarily in the kitchen and living room. I varied my
body position, for example standing on one leg, facing away from
Jazzmanda, and moving my arms around.
All behaviors were performed on cue as described earlier, with
the addition of a novel visual signal for “bang” to demonstrate a
cue change. This was done by presenting the new cue (right hand
held out in a claw shape) followed by the old verbal cue, “bang.”
After a few repetitions, the new visual cue was presented without
the old verbal cue. Jazzmanda anticipated the presentation of
“bang” and performed the behavior. A few more repetitions on
visual cue only, no verbal cue, were performed with 100 percent
accuracy.
The final aspect of the CAP evaluation—free shape a novel
behavior and then add movement—was the most challenging for
Jazzmanda and myself. The activity I chose was to jump onto a
small stool and then turn in a circle. Free shaping uses the clicker to
mark any small approximations towards the desired end behavior.
In this instance, the behaviors marked were: looking toward the
stool, stepping toward the stool, pawing at the stool, putting a foot
on the stool, and so on until she actually stepped up on the stool
with all four feet. This was highly rewarded with praise and treats
while she was on the stool, then a treat was thrown off the stool to
get her to jump off and repeat the behavior.
This was done many times before moving on to try for the
spin on the stool. The spin was very difficult, possibly in part due
to the extended length of time Jazzmanda had been performing
behaviors for the CAP video. By the time I began free shaping the
spin on a stool, Jazzmanda had been working for approximately
20 minutes with no breaks, which was much longer than she had
ever done in the past.
The shaping session was ended after 10 minutes because
Jazzmanda was exhibiting stress and was not interested in
continuing. This left the spin unfinished. There was enough
video of the shaping techniques to pass the section, though. The
evaluator commented that Jazzmanda was pushed too long on the
shaping segment.
Results
Dee Ganley evaluated my CAP 2 test through video burned
to a CD. The test went well except for the previously mentioned
issue with the length of the shaping portion. Full points were not
16 Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2 with Feline Jazzmanda
received on the shaping portion due to excessive use of luring in
attempt to prompt the spin.
A comment was also made that the optional reinforcer, the toy,
was not reinforcing enough. Jazzmanda is primarily reinforced by
food and it is especially difficult to encourage attention to a toy
after using food treats in the same session. The evaluator did make
note that verbal praise and petting was reinforcing to Jazzmanda
and could have been used as an alternative to a toy.
We received a Pass with Merit, which qualifies us to test for
CAP 3 in the future.
Discussion
The CAP 2 was done through video evaluation. Previously,
I had passed the CAP 1 through a live evaluation with Kay
Laurence. There is a vast contrast in difficulty between the
different evaluation methods.
The live CAP 1 was much less stressful for me because the
evaluator was giving constant feedback and encouragement. The
evaluator assisted in tracking the number of repetitions, stating
when to add handler movement and change locations, reinforcer
type, and clicker hand and treat delivery methods. I was also to
focus much more simply on the training aspects with the animal,
as opposed to counting repetitions and wondering if all test
activities have been included. During the live evaluation, there is
also an opportunity to ask questions of the evaluator.
Jazzmanda and I enjoyed our training sessions and plan to
continue them in the future for exhibit during Delta Pet Partners
visits with autistic children in the Buddy Breaks organization. We
have begun work on the CAP 3 test, which is very challenging and
involves creating behavior chains under a one-cue stimulus, more
complex free shaping, keeping data on progression of learning,
and being able to interpret that data.
Jacqueline Munera teaches numerous group dog classes and
specializes in canine aggression issues at Courteous Canine, Inc.,
in Florida. She also goes to school full time at the Honors College
of Florida, where she pursues studies in animal cognition and
behavior while managing a mixed family of human and rescued
non-human animals. Jacqueline is also actively working on her
IAABC certifications, CASI canine behavior courses and cat-dog
interrelations studies. Jazzmanda is the first feline Delta Society
Pet Partner registered in the Tampa Bay area and the first CAP
cat in the world. She loves to lie in the sun, eat chicken treats and
bother her adopted canine brother.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Glossary
Conditioned response—the response elicited by a conditioned
stimulus
Conditioned stimulus—any stimulus that, although initially
neutral, comes to elicit a conditioned response because it has
been associated with an unconditioned stimulus
Fading—the process of gradually altering the intensity of a
stimulus to a lower level
Generalized (or generalized secondary reinforcer)—a type
of secondary reinforcer that has been associated with several
other reinforcers
Primary (or unconditioned) reinforce—-an event that is
innately reinforcing
Secondary (or conditioned) reinforcer—an event that is
reinforcing because it has been associated with some other
reinforcer
Shaping—gradually creating a new operant behavior by
reinforcing successive approximations of that behavior
Stimulus—any event that can potentially influence behavior
Stimulus control—a situation in which the presence of a
discriminative stimulus reliably affects the probability of a
behavior
Unconditioned response—the response that is naturally
elicited by the unconditioned stimulus
Unconditioned stimulus—a stimulus that naturally elicits a
response
References
Brown, S. L.. The social behaviour of neutered domestic cats.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Southampton,
U.K., 1993.
Bradshaw, J. W. S., & Cameron-Beaumont, C. L.. The signaling
repertoire of the domestic cat and its undomesticated relatives. In
D. C. Turner & P. Bateson (Eds.), The domestic cat: The biology of
its behaviour (2nd ed., pp. 67–93). Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge
University, 2000.
Gordon, Anne. Show Biz Tricks for Cats. Holbrook, MA: Adams
Media Corporation, 1996.
Laurence, Kay. Clicker Intermediate Training. Chipping Camden,
Gloucestershire, U.K.: Learning About Dogs Limited, 2004.
Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) Level 2 with Feline Jazzmanda 17

Powell, Russell A., Diane G. Symbal , and Suzanne E. MacDonald.

Introduction to Learning and Behavior. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2005.

Pryor, Karen. Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats. Waltham,

MA: Sunshine Books, Inc., 2001.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008
18
Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression
by Mikel Maria Delgado, CCBC
F eline status aggression toward humans is an uncommon,
little understood and much understudied behavior. There is
controversy about whether it truly even exists. This article will
explore the traditionally accepted definition of this behavior, as
well as the author’s observation of its presentation in two different
settings: the animal shelter and the home environment. I will also
cover special considerations for consulting with owners whose
cats display these behaviors.
What Is Status Aggression?
The general understanding of status aggression (also known
as assertion or dominance aggression) is that it involves the desire
to control a situation. This is usually in regards to an animal’s
being moved, handled or corrected. As the term implies, there is
typically some form of aggression toward humans—either biting,
scratching or threatening posturing. It is not the same thing as
petting aggression (overstimulation), although the two are often
confused (Overall, 1997; Hetts, 1999).
One thing we can agree on about the feline hierarchy is that
there is little agreement about it! There is a lot of information
available about dominance aggression in dogs. Because the social
system of dogs is much clearer, and is in fact similar to that of
humans, canine status aggression is a long-accepted behavior
problem. Cats have long been thought of as antisocial because
they are solitary hunters, although they will clearly form groups
around resources such as shelter and food, as in feral cat colonies.
In some cases, one cat appears to be the leader of the group but
may not display aggression in regard to food or territory. The other
cats in the group may defer to the “leader cat” (Dodman, 1999).
In other social groups of felines, the dominant cat may assert his
position through aggression or other threatening behaviors or
body language (O’Farrell and Neville, 1994). Territory and social
ranking may also affect aggression between cats (Overall, 1997).
Another consideration is the possibility that dominant
behavior toward humans is unrelated to a social hierarchy or to
how the cat relates to other cats, but is a response to a specific
situation or trigger that becomes reinforced over time.
Presentation and Examples
From 1995 until 2008, the San Francisco SPCA shelter had a
program dedicated to rehabilitating cats with behavior problems,
as well as providing resources for the community regarding feline
behavior. Cat behavior specialists on staff were trained in cat
behavior consulting, as well as temperament testing and behavior
modification of shelter cats. I was fortunate through my work in
the SF SPCA Cat Behavior Program to evaluate and temperament
test thousands of cats. Of these, perhaps just a few dozen
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
exhibited what could be defined as status aggressive behavior.
The presentation in the shelter is similar to what is described by
clients experiencing this form of aggression in the home.
We were able to observe some of these cats over an extended
period, using a standardized evaluation process that has been in
use and refined over the past 12 years. In cats showing behaviors
that were more complex, we would have all three cat behavior
specialists on staff separately evaluate the cat to see if the
assessment was reliable. The cats in the shelter stay in condo-
style housing; rooms vary in size from 25 square feet to 300
square feet. All rooms have cat trees, beds and toys–and give the
cats the space to remove themselves from handling that they find
threatening or irritating.
One trait we have found to be common in cats showing status
aggression is sensitivity to restraint, especially being handled or
held back around the chest area. Most of these cats are extremely
confident, settling into the shelter environment within a day or
two (many cats need several days to get comfortable). Almost all
are “lap cats” and quite insistent on sitting on a human visitor,
usually lying on the chest and facing the person. They often
display mixed body language, including ear movement and tail
swishing, with or without petting.
When overstimulated, these cats tend to stay on a lap rather
than move away. Their bites are often hard, without inhibition or
warning, and in many cases break skin. Even after aggressing,
they will stay on a lap or try to return to sitting on the human’s
chest within seconds. Extensive eye contact is also typical, and
before biting, the pupils are constricted rather than dilated.
A few of these cats are very focused on faces and will lunge
at the face rather than biting hands or arms when aggressing.
Gerald, a two-year-old neutered male, was at the shelter for almost
two months. He was immediately confident and demanding of
attention. Daily progress reports noted that he was often sitting
on a lap and intensely rubbing his cheeks against the faces of
visitors. After about two weeks, volunteers noted an increase in
biting tendencies.
His reevaluation progressed as follows: “Gerald was meowing
and out of his tree immediately as I entered the room. I sat down
and he planted himself on my lap, purring and rolling around.
He definitely wanted to be on the lap but never fully relaxed or
settled, instead, repositioning himself several times. He allowed
some petting to his head, and I continually gave him breaks from
petting. After about nine minutes, he suddenly lunged at my arm
although he did not make contact. He had not given signals of
irritation before this. After this, he wanted back on my lap and
tried to crawl up toward my face. I blocked my face with my
arm and he lunged and bit it. I stayed calm and he eventually
backed down. After a brief time out from interaction, I brought
out the interactive toy, which he played with for a good 10 to 15
Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression 19

minutes, leaping and chasing, stalking and pouncing, before he Within 17 seconds, he was attempting to get on the lap for cuddling
started getting a bit ‘lazy’ about the play. He stayed on his rug without solicitation (seven and eight).
and I moved the toy slower, until I let him play with it on his
own. He scooped it in his paws and chewed at the toy for several
minutes, until he seemed done. Shortly after this, (another staff
member) entered the room and we talked without paying attention
to him for a few minutes. He was very curious about people in
the hallway. He jumped up on her lap. Without much petting, he
suddenly lunged and bit at her arms several times. When he got
no response, he gave up briefly and got down on the floor and did
the same at her legs, biting and kicking. At this point he seemed
like he was not going to calm down. He again jumped on her lap
and went to lunge at her face, which she stopped with a scruff
hold. We left the room after this” (author’s notes). 7 8
Video Stills of Robbie
More typical behaviors in the home environment include
The first two show Robbie receiving petting during temperament
extreme resistance (possibly accompanied by biting) to being
testing.
moved off a lap. These cats may also aggress when being picked
up and moved off other surfaces, such as furniture or counters.
They may also lie in a doorway, blocking the owner’s access
to free movement within their home. They will often choose to
lunge at and bite the human who walks by. In other situations,
these cats will be territorial toward or protective of certain pieces
of furniture or bedding, such as a cat condo or fleece bed. They
may also be difficult to groom or medicate.

1 2
The third through fifth show him aggressing two seconds afterward
and the resulting hiss one second later (still number six).

Simba had a history of aggression.

Simba arrived at the shelter in February of 2002 with a broken

jaw. He was a seven-year-old intact male, brought in as a stray. He
displayed overstimulation immediately, but was simultaneously
3 4 very pushy and needy for attention. He was soon healed, neutered
and adopted, but was returned to the shelter after attacking his
adopter’s leg. The adopter had tried to move Simba away from an
outdoor welcome mat that had apparently been marked by other
cats or raccoons. While this was a classic example of redirected
aggression, after Simba’s return he developed more dominant
behaviors.
It took Simba more than 400 days to get adopted again, so we
had ample opportunities to get to know him and observe different
behaviors. To keep him away from other cats, and also allow him
the opportunity for more human interaction, he was frequently
housed in the Cat Behavior Office. One day, he dashed out the
5 6 office door when it was opened, and an animal care attendant
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
20 Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression

picked him up, returned him to the office, and put him on top of How Does Aggressive Behavior Develop in Cats?
the cat condo that had been placed there for Simba’s use. Simba
Feline aggression is typically classified into one of three
immediately started swatting, then came down from the cat tree
categories: offensive, defensive and predatory. Different sources
and jumped on the attendant’s leg, biting. The staff member was
will list anywhere from four to thirteen sub-types within these
able to quietly withdraw and leave the room.
broad categories. Predatory behavior is hardwired in cats because
Later that day, a volunteer allowed Simba onto his lap (which they are obligate carnivores. As territorial animals who are both
Simba was soliciting), and when the volunteer picked him up to predators and prey, it is not surprising that they would display both
move him off, Simba turned and attacked. The volunteer yelled, defensive and offensive types of biting, scratching and aggressive
which seem to further antagonize the cat, who started yowling and warnings toward other animals.
chuffing. The bites and scratches broke skin, and it took Simba a
Aggression may be related to genetic or biological factors.
few hours to calm down. At that point, we had to more strictly
Some studies show that confidence and sociability with humans is
control Simba’s environment and interactions with people, while
related to how “friendly” the cat’s father was (Turner, 2000). Other
still meeting his need for attention and mental stimulation.
research demonstrates that in some animals, a lowered level of
Over the next 15 months, Simba’s behavior did improve serotonin may be associated with increased aggression (Edwards,
significantly. He was still very pushy and insistent on being on 1997). Some authors claim a correlation between early separation
laps. He would bite for attention when ignored (such as when staff from the mother or siblings and aggression toward people and lack
were doing phone consultations), and was resistant to grooming of inhibition when biting (Horwitz, 1993). Dominance aggression
and restraint. With gentle petting, plenty of exercise and continual develops in dogs during social maturity (Overall, 2000), and this
careful behavior modification, we were able to get Simba adopted may be similar in cats.
into a very experienced, quiet home where he would be the only
It is interesting to note that almost all the cats exhibiting this
pet. He is doing very well with his new adopter, and no significant
behavior in the shelter (and through consultations) were males,
aggression problems have been reported.
often young adults. There may be some genetic or biological
Another common behavior in the status-aggressive cat is predisposition toward status (or other forms of) aggression that
resistance to correction. They may outright ignore it, or may show unfolds with maturation or when triggered by environmental
even more agitation afterward, including becoming aggressive. factors.
Telling a cat “no” for biting may cause them to pause briefly
Aggression toward humans is often related to learned habits.
but aggress again. Such was the case with Buck, a six-year-old
The behavior may be reinforced when owners encourage rough
neutered male, who was in the shelter for six weeks. Buck was
play with their hands or play chase games. Owners who do not
living in the Public Relations Office temporarily, so he could
recognize early signs of overstimulation and overhandle their pets
get more exercise and lose some weight before undergoing a
may “train” their cats to bite when irritated. A lack of exercise,
dental procedure. Unfortunately, the environment was both very
play and mental stimulation can lead cats to direct their playful/
stimulating (with frequent office visitors, including dogs) and one
predatory behavior toward moving body parts such as legs,
where people were trying to work rather than focus on Buck’s
eyelashes or hands. The response from the human, although often
need for attention.
intended to be punitive, may be exciting enough to allow the
His behavior escalated over the course of a few weeks, as he behavior to continue, especially in a very bored cat.
started climbing up on the office workers desks, quickly becoming
There are a few other ways owners may inadvertently
overstimulated from petting, and jumping on people’s legs when
reinforce aggression in their cats. Given the possibility of a
they left the room. By the time behavior staff was notified of the
predisposition toward aggression, certain environments may
situation, the problem was quite severe. A typical scenario was
make the problem worse. One of these is a household where there
that Buck would sit in front of a computer, the worker would tell
are both many rules for the cat and few opportunities for natural
him “no,” put him down, and he would immediately jump back
behaviors. These are the households where the most common
up again. This would be repeated until finally Buck would bite the
word spoken to the cat is “no.”
human.
One example is a shelter cat, Swiffer, who was fostered out
When I checked his behavior, he solicited petting and seemed
with his siblings as an underaged kitten. Swiffer was adopted in
quite needy, but becamed overstimulated almost immediately and
June 2004, shortly after reaching two months of age. When he
gave a firm bite. When I told him “no” in a stern voice, he backed
was approximately 11 months old, his owners contacted the SF/
off for a moment and gave me a hard stare with constricted pupils,
SPCA Cat Behavior Program for help with a severe aggression
then launched at my arm, this time biting much harder (author’s
problem. His foster parents noted on his return that he “had issues
notes). Buck was removed from the office and given some time
with dominance” and that “he may do best as an only cat” (foster
to calm down, and then we instituted a behavior modification
parent notes).
plan that included regular attention and exercise, as well as
consistent handling. His adopters were given specific information Swiffer was a very active and curious cat who frequently “got
on working with attention seeking behavior and preventing into” things—knocking items off shelves, getting into garbage cans
aggressive episodes in the home, and on follow-up, things were and chewing plants. He was getting aggressive with his owners
going very well. and visitors, sometimes stalking and pouncing, although most
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression
attacks seemed unpredictable. Swiffer also engaged in attention-
seeking behavior, including destructive behavior that resulted in
negative attention, such as scratching furniture. Punishment and
correction escalated his aggressive response.
A home visit revealed that the owners were very concerned
about two things: one was their valuables and breakables on
shelves and mantle pieces; the other was Swiffer’s safety. Both
owners were artists and left paints, glass and other art supplies out
in their workspace. Because of this, Swiffer was confined to one
large room and a hallway for most of the day when his owners
were not home, as well as when they were sleeping. Although he
did have a cat tree in his room, the space did not provide enough
mental stimulation and exercise to keep up with his energy level.
During the consultation, he attacked and bit both visitors as well
as his owners a few times. The aggression did not seem to be
playfully motivated.
The owners were resistant to making any major changes
in the way they had the home set up, such as when we strongly
urged them to secure any dangerous items in a childproof
cabinet or storage container and secure breakables so that they
could allow Swiffer to have full run of the house. Swiffer was
clearly frustrated, and while the challenges to his owners may
have started out of boredom, they seemed to be taking a more
serious direction. A few months later, the owners reported slight
improvement in Swiffer’s aggressive tendencies but had not made
many environmental changes.
Another way dominant behavior can be reinforced is when
owners give in to the cat’s demands. A cat who has learned to get
his way by biting—be it the ability to stay on the lap or a favorite
piece of furniture, to avoid grooming or to get attention—is more
likely to continue the dominant behavior and escalate it over
time. As owners become more afraid of their cat, the cat tends to
become more aggressive, and a vicious cycle has begun.
Other Circumstances
This behavior is not limited to cats who show confidence in
a new environment. Monty, a five-year-old male who had been
living in a feral colony, was brought into the shelter in March
of 2002. He was very scared, refusing to come out of hiding,
although he was responsive to gentle petting. After five weeks in
the shelter, he started biting and swatting, but showed a fearful
response to any correction. He had become a lap cat, but started
fixating on hands. He did not show much interest in interactive
playtime.
Daily progress reports noted: “4/13—he swatted whenever
I tried to pet his head, but was fine with full body pets and kept
rolling around so that he could be petted more”; “4/26—he
accepted some petting, small meows and nips were frequent. I
tried to limit the petting to one or two at a time, then withdrew.
At one point he walked up to my hand and rather boldly bit my
knuckle hard”; “5/2—Would walk up to my hand and nip if I
didn’t pet him”; “5/5—Did walk up and bite my finger when I
wasn’t paying attention to him.”
We attributed Monty’s behavior to a lack of socialization and
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
21
Monty was conflicted about human attention.
to overstimulation. He seemed confused and unsure about hands,
and his behavior modification plan focused on improving these
behaviors. In mid-May, Monty was adopted to an experienced
person. He was scared for the first few weeks, then was very
comfortable in his new home and started displaying some
different behaviors. He became more and more insistent on being
on his owner’s lap all the time. He would sit on her chest and
nip her chin when she was trying to watch television. When she
would move him off her lap so that she could stand up, he would
frequently turn and give her a hard bite. He also started lying
in hallways when she needed to walk by, swatting at her ankles
as she passed. After a month of putting behavior modification
techniques to good use, Monty’s adopter stopped by the shelter
to let us know that things were going great, and that his behavior
had improved significantly.
Status aggression does not appear to be related to how a cat
interacts with other felines. It can occur in multi-cat or solitary
environments, and cats who seem to defer to other cats may try to
boss their humans around. In the shelter and in the home, Monty
tended to be picked on by other cats.
Considerations for Consulting
(Note: A thorough veterinary exam before a consultation is
recommended for any cat displaying aggression, especially if this
is a sudden change in behavior.)
Clients whose cats are attacking them are understandably
upset, and in some cases very afraid. It is important to take the
client’s fear seriously. Not only may they be afraid of their cat,
but they may also be considering rehoming or euthanizing their
pet due to the behavior problem. Acknowledge their fear and let
them know that it is okay to want to feel safe with their pet. Even
if the bites or scratches are not severe, there may be serious safety
concerns, such as immunocompromised individuals or children in
the home.
You may work with people who believe they are being bitten
due to the cat’s dislike of them. While it is important to thoroughly
explore the client’s relationship with their cat (including everyone
in household), explaining the reasons for cat aggression as well
22
as factors that may have reinforced the behavior will prove more
helpful than focusing on how the cat may perceive the owner.
A general lack of bonding will require additional suggestions
for positive interactions between the owner and the cat. If the
owner is used to having cats of a particular personality type, they
may need to get comfortable with some other ways of having a
relationship with their cat, such as interactive playtime instead of
cuddling.
Unfortunately, the term “status aaggression” or “dominance
aggression” tends to bring up a certain image in people’s minds.
There is also a serious lack of information available about this
behavior. These are important reasons to not casually use this
term. A common misconception among the public is that the
best way to fix dominant behavior is for the human to somehow
become assertive over the animal. However, attempts at physically
punishing or intimidating a cat who is displaying status aggression
will likely backfire. The biggest risk is that the cat will escalate the
aggression, seeing their human’s behavior as more of a challenge
than a threat.
Because feline status aggression is rare, be sure to first rule out
other types of aggression. The most common overlapping types of
aggression are play/predatory aggression, overstimulation/petting
aggression, territorial behavior and redirected aggression. (Pain or
general “irritability” due to other animals in the environment may
also be overlapping factors.) Recommendations for modification
of these behavior problems will, in most cases, coincide or help
with working on the status aggression.
Be sure to obtain a thorough history of the behavior problem,
emphasizing information about body language both before
and after the aggression. Explore the owner’s reaction to the
aggressive incidents as well as to other misbehaviors and find out
what rules or restrictions the owners expect the cat to conform
to. Consultants should not ignore another important piece of
the puzzle—the cat’s daily routine, including how and when the
owner interacts with the cat.
Behavior Modification
A behavior modification plan for cats exhibiting status
aggression will focus on prevention as well as giving the cat some
other things to do besides bossing their humans around! Clients
should avoid physical confrontation with the cat whenever
possible. If the cat is on their lap and they need to move, they
should stand up slowly, letting the cat fall off their lap, rather
than picking the cat up or pushing him off their lap. If the cat is
sitting on a piece of furniture that the owner would like to use,
A few things to look for when assessing status aggression:
Overstimulation with hard bites
Demanding to be on a lap, even when clearly agitated
Mixed signals, such as lots of ear movement, cranky vocalization
or tail swishing yet still soliciting attention
Very focused on faces
Intense, prolonged staring
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression
they should encourage the cat to move of his own volition. This
could be done by luring the cat with an interactive toy, by rattling
a treat can, or by tossing a small stuffed toy mouse. Even better
would be to train the cat using either a clicker or voice command
to do an incompatible behavior, such as “go to mat.”
Some believe that clicker training and trick training will
help the cat learn that they must defer to the owner for rewards
(the “nothing in life is free” principle) (Overall, 1997; Johnson-
Bennett 2007). The stereotype of cats being less motivated than
dogs to please humans, if in fact true, could make training an
uncertain fix for status related aggression. Regardless, training
is a good way to provide mental stimulation. There are many
resources available on clicker training, both in print and on the
Internet. Classes on clicker training for cats are becoming more
available to the public as well.
Scheduled feeding is helpful for many types of behavior
modification, and can be used in combination with training
to reinforce the cat seeing the owner as the source of food. In
general, it is a good idea to increase environmental enrichment
(solo play toys, food puzzles, cat grass, bird feeders to watch, cat
condos, etc.) and provide the cat with as much interactive exercise
as possible. Not all cats with status aggression are playful, but
owners should be encouraged to try several different interactive
toys.
If the owner is constantly engaging negatively with the cat
over certain behaviors (such as furniture scratching, counter
climbing, etc.), these problems need to be addressed separately.
The frequency of “no’s” tends to increase the cat’s frustration
and perhaps his desire to have control over his environment. The
owners may want to “choose their battles” and prioritize what
issues they would like to work on first. For example, the cat may
be allowed on the computer desk but not on the dinner table.
Alternatives for climbing and scratching must be provided. The
goal is to prevent or, if necessary, correct a situation where the
owners are constantly saying “no” to the cat. It’s also important
not to forget rewarding positive behaviors! Treats, praise, play or
a special toy can all be used to reinforce good behavior. 
If the cat tends to become overstimulated quickly or want to
“call the shots” when being petted, the owner should keep petting
and handling to a minimum, always leaving the cat wanting more,
rather than less. If the cat allows a few pets without any aggressive
moves, the owner can reward him with a treat. The owner should
not risk seeing “how far” they can get with the cat, i.e., testing the
cat’s reaction to more petting or handling of sensitive areas. This
will likely lead to a bite and the interaction will end not only on
Constricted pupils
Upset when moved
Upset with restraint
Aggressive with verbal correction
Attention-seeking behavior that includes hard bites
Challenges owners
Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression 23

a negative note, but also with the cat controlling when the petting has been that cats can notice hesitation and uncertainty in their
session ends. Desensitization and counter-conditioning can be owners, and will soon learn how to alter human behavior to suit
helpful in increasing tolerance for petting, but would probably be their needs.
safer when aggressive incidents have been reduced.
In some cases, careful re-homing should be considered. Some
A cat with a history of aggressing should not be allowed to get
cats at the shelter were deemed unsafe for adoption. Gerald, for
close to his owner’s face. If he is climbing up on someone’s chest,
example, was placed on a farm where he would have his basic
he should be gently discouraged, again by luring or by moving
slowly in a direction that will make it less desirable or possible needs met but close contact with humans was restricted. Other
for the cat to be in their face. Some cats can be discouraged from cats may not fare so well. But if you have resources for your
approaching faces by blocking them with open arms, if this can clients, status aggression need not be a death sentence for a cat.
be done without physically touching the cat. Owners should also
be discouraged from allowing these cats to mark them by rubbing
excessively on hands, chins, etc. After one or two rubs, the owners
should slowly and gently withdraw if possible (and safe).
A large component in working with aggressive behavior in
cats is minimizing or eliminating the human’s response to the
bites, including, in most cases, correction. Status-aggressive
cats do best with confident cat owners who are not intimidated
by their cat’s bossiness. Karen Overall (1999) has noted that “…
the response of the challenged cat determined the hierarchical
relationship. It is unclear whether the individuals had higher
status in the system because they had made the required response,
or because they were capable of making other animals respond to
them. The latter appears likely…” (p. 72). This could help explain Gerald: a little too interested in faces.
why many cats seem to target members of the household who
have a larger reaction to their aggression. Since many of these
Feline status aggression is a fascinating subject. As we
cats also engage in attention-seeking behavior, it is possible that
continue to learn more about the social structure of cats and how
any type of correction may be reinforcing.
humans can fit into this structure, we will undoubtedly have a
Reducing reaction to aggression is difficult, as most people better understanding of this behavior. In the meantime, we have
have an instinctive response to being bitten, which is to pull away the tools we need to work with and significantly improve this
and cry out. If the biting is predictable, owners may need to “brace behavior, as well as to educate the public about reducing and
themselves” for a bite and try to control their response. Another preventing aggression in cats.
option is to wear padded and protective clothing around the house,
such as wildlife gloves, leather, a heavy jacket or ski pants (if you
can convince your client to do so). Double-sided tape placed on Mikel Maria Delgado, CCBC, worked as a full-time Cat
the arms and legs of such clothing, while not changing the cat’s Behavior Specialist at the San Francisco SPCA from 2002
motivation for the aggression, will make it less enticing. to 2008.  In addition to behavior consultations and adoption
counseling, this job entailed staff and volunteer training,
A water spray bottle can be used in extreme cases to stop a community education, temperament testing and behavior
cat from attacking. The owner will need to carry the spray bottle modification of shelter cats. She is now a partner in Feline Minds
around with them, but it is important that they do not punish the (www.felineminds.com), a San Francisco Bay Area cat behavior
cat too early. If the owner is very frightened of the cat, they may consulting business. Mikel serves on the IAABC Board of Directors
tend to punish body language rather than a behavior. Certainly, as secretary and is a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant. She lives
for some cats, body language is the first sign of aggression, but in Berkeley, California, with her two cats, and is currently a
the owner must be certain that they are interpreting the body psychology major at Cal State University.
language correctly. The cat who is being punished for no reason
will undoubtedly become more stressed out and is less likely to
form (or re-form) a positive relationship with their owner. References
Dodman, Nicholas H. Tufts University School of Veterinary
Medicine Animal Behavior Course. North Grafton, MA: Tufts
Successful Resolution
University, 1999.
Success is related both to minimizing the owner’s fear and the
severity of the bites and scratches. An experienced cat owner who
has previously dealt with aggression in their cats may be more Edwards, Donald H. and Edward A. Kravitz. “Serotonin, social
comfortable with a behavior modification plan that relies on their status and aggression.” Current Opinion in Neurobiology, Vol 7
ability to stay calm during an aggressive incident. My experience (6), (Dec 1997): 812-819.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
24 Beyond Bossy: Feline Status Aggression

Hetts, Suzanne. Pet Behavior Protocols. Lakewood, CO: AAHA

Press, 1999.

Horwitz, Debra F. “Feline socialization: how environment and

early learning influence behavior.” Veterinary Medicine, August
1993, 743-747.

Johnson-Bennett, Pam. Starting from Scratch: How to Correct

Behavior Problems in Your Adult Cat. New York, NY: Penguin
Books, 2007.

Landsburg, Gary, Wayne Hunthausen and Lowell Ackerman.

Handbook of Behaviour Problems of the Dog and Cat. Oxford,
UK: Reed Educational and Professional Publishing Ltd., 2000.

O’Farrell, Valerie and Peter Neville. Manual of Feline Behaviour.

Gloucestershire, UK: British Small Animal Veterinary Association,
1994.

Overall, Karen L. Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small

Animals. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, Inc., 1997.

Overall, Karen L. “Natural animal models of human psychiatric

conditions: Assessment of mechanism and validity.” Progress in
Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, Vol 24(5),
(Jul 2000): 727-776.

Turner, Dennis and Patrick Bateson. The Domestic Cat: the

Biology of Its Behaviour. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University
Press, 2000.

Voith, Victoria L., and Peter L. Borchelt. Readings in Companion

Animal Behavior. Trenton, NJ: Veterinary Learning Systems,
1996.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008

Medical Evaluation of the Feline Behavior Patient
by Lore I. Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB
C ases are often presented to us where we are at a loss in trying
to decide whether an animal has a behavioral problem or a
medical problem. This approach is much like trying to decide
whether a behavior problem is caused by nature or nurture, or
originates with the cat or the owner. All of these are pointless
arguments. An individual’s genetics, behavior and physiology
are so intimately intertwined that they are inseparable as discreet
components. The first “symptom” of any disease process usually
is a change in the animal’s behavior. Additionally, alterations in
an animal’s behavior, especially behaviors we would consider
to be indications of poor adaptation skills (such as compulsive
disorders) or that are associated with stress, produce changes in
the animal’s physiology, some of which may become permanent.
Humans and animals undergo changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-
adrenal (HPA) axis, immune competency, and gene transcription
(activation and translation of genetic material) in response to
environmental influences that affect their behavior.
A veterinary examination should be part of every program
when an animal presents to any professional with a behavior
problem. This evaluation serves to identify medical issues that
may contribute to the behavioral presentation, as well as to
identify changes in the animal’s health status as a result of the
behavioral problem.
When an owner presents their animal to a veterinarian for
a medical evaluation of a behavior problem, the worst thing the
veterinarian can do is dismiss the owner’s concerns. Similarly,
non-veterinary behavior consultants do their clients a disservice
if they tell an owner, or imply to the owner, that the cat does not
need a veterinary evaluation because the animal’s problem is “just
behavioral.” If for no other reason, these evaluations should be
done so the owner has the peace of mind that they have addressed
that step.
Inappropriate or problematic behaviors are manifestations
of underlying problems, whether those problems are primarily
psychological or physiological. Just as itching is not a disease,
aggression is not a behavior problem per se. Itching is a symptom
of an underlying pruritic (itchy) condition, just as aggression is
a symptom of an underlying issue (such as fear, territoriality,
conflict). Behavior problems should be addressed in a
comprehensive way by evaluating the animal’s environment, diet,
exercise routine, social relationships, and physiological (medical)
status.
Although disease processes are not the single direct cause
of most behavior problems, diseases or chronic illnesses will
certainly affect the expression of behavior (usually in a negative
way). Medical triggers should be highly suspected:
• In very young animals
• In senior animals showing the onset of a new behavior
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
25
• When there is a sudden onset of a new behavior or a sudden
change in the status of a pre-existing behavior
• When the behavior truly appears unpredictable in context,
frequency and/or intensity
Medical evaluations are also necessary if pharmacological
intervention is being considered. In some cases, a comprehensive
diagnostic evaluation is beyond the owner’s desire or resources;
however, such evaluations should still be discussed and offered to
the client.
There are limitations to our knowledge and diagnostic
capabilities, so while many animals may have “neurological” or
neurodevelopmental problems causing their behavior issues, we
currently may be unable to diagnose them.
Applicable diagnostic tests will vary with the age, breed,
and symptoms of the animal. Generally, most of my cases have
at least a complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistry panel
and thyroid test (for middle-aged to older cats). Inappropriate
elimination cases require a urinalysis and/or fecal exam, as well.
If infectious disease are suspected, titers may be needed as well.
However, titers are often an unreliable way to diagnose actual
infection, particularly for rickettsial diseases and some viral
diseases in cats. The specificity and sensitivity of any individual
test should be determined before recommending the client spend
money on such a test. In some cases, treating a suspected infection
(for example, doxycycline for suspected rickettsial infection) is
the preferred approach.
Brain imaging is indicated in cats who present with signs
suggesting neurological disease, unless a metabolic or toxic cause
is suspected. MRI is generally superior to CT scans for assessing
soft tissue structures, although high-quality CT machines can also
give excellent images. Diagnosis of neoplasia outside the brain
and spinal cord is generally done by some form of imaging such
as radiography (X-rays) and/or ultrasonography. Some masses
can be aspirated or biopsied for cytologic examination.
The quality of any test or procedure is only as good as the
lab and personnel that run it and the proficiency of the person that
evaluates the results. There is much misinformation in the public
sector about the usefulness and validity of certain diagnostic tests.
Tests should be evaluated based on concrete data rather than just
personal or anecdotal experience or opinions.
It is important for professionals and cat owners to understand
that treatment of an underlying medical issue, even if it was
the inciting cause for an aberrant behavior, may not resolve the
behavioral issue. Learning plays a role in every behavioral issue,
and long-standing behavior patterns in particular may persist even
when the inciting cause is removed. Additionally, animals with
neurodevelopmental disorders and early alteration in cortisol-
stress responsiveness will always show some level of persisting
26
abnormality, although behavior modification and appropriate
pharmacological intervention can help normalize the animal on a
neurochemical level.
Medical differentials for some of the common categories
of behavior problems in cats are outlined below. These are the
medical conditions that should be investigated and ruled out when
dealing with these behavior issues.
Inappropriate Elimination
In cats, by far the most common medical factor contributing to
inappropriate urination is sterile cystitis (that is, idiopathic, or
interstitial, cystitis) and other lower urinary tract diseases. In
young cats, pain (and abrupt litter changes) due to declawing
surgery can trigger housesoiling. Primary urinary tract disease,
including kidney or bladder stones or kidney infections, are
common causes of inappropriate urination.
Disorders of incontinence must be differentiated from true
inappropriate elimination, because the former is always a medical
issue. Any drug or medical issue that triggers increased drinking
and/or urination (including diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney
disease/failure) may also initiate urination outside the box.
Urine spraying is not generally associated with a medical
condition (for example, cystitis will not make a cat urine spray).
However, medical disorders may affect a cat’s relationship with
other cats in the home and indirectly trigger urine spraying.
For fecal housesoiling in cats, the cat should be evaluated
for food intolerance/allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable
bowel syndrome, constipation/megacolon, parasitism, neoplasia
(such as gastrointestinal lymphosarcoma), metabolic disease
(kidney, liver, pancreas), endocrine disorders (hyperthyroidism),
pancreatic insufficiency, and other malabsorption syndromes.
Medical evaluation is particularly crucial if the cat’s feces ever
appear abnormal in texture, color, or consistency. If the cat is
dropping feces as he moves or stands (true fecal incontinence),
rather than posturing somewhere outside the box, the problem is
medical in origin.
Geriatric-onset housesoiling in cats is almost always
associated with an identifiable disease process.
Older cats may begin housesoiling due to arthritic conditions
that make accessing the box difficult. This may be because the
sides of the box are too high or because the box is located in an
area requiring physical exertion for the cat to get there (such as
jumping over a dog gate). Other conditions such as obesity may
also make box access difficult, particularly if the box is small
and/or covered. Similarly, sensory decline, especially visual, may
make box access difficult if the box is located in a cramped and/
or poorly lit area. The cat’s failing senses may make the cat more
sensitive to potential environmental danger and shift the cat’s box
preference to a more private or more open location.
Viral (such as FIV) or other infectious diseases may cause
marked or low grade encephalitis which can impact the cat’s
cognitive function. Additionally, cats do suffer from cognitive
dysfunction syndrome, similar to dogs, and this may trigger
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Medical Evaluation of the Feline Behavior Patient
housesoiling in the geriatric cat.
Aggression Disorders
Aggression is affected by a variety of physiological
problems, including disease and drug administration. The trigger
for the aggression can indicate the areas to concentrate a medical
investigation. For example, a cat who is aggressive when being
handled around his head and neck may need careful otoscopic
(ears) examination, oral examination and evaluation for cervical
spinal pain. In young animals with aggression, other medical
causes to consider include congenital neurologic disease (such as
hydrocephalus), portosystemic shunt, storage diseases (although
rare), infectious diseases (viral such as FeLV, FIV, FIP; protozoal
such as Toxoplasmosis, Neospora; rickettsial such as Bartonella)
and toxins. Of these, the most commonly identified are congenital
neurologic disease, particularly hydrocephalus, and infectious
diseases (FIP, FeLV or FIV).
Middle-aged to older animals should be evaluated for arthritis,
endocrine disease (hyperthyroidism, adrenal disease, diabetes),
neoplasia, primary neurological disease (neoplasia, granulomatous
meningoencephalitis, feline ischemic encephalopathy, parasitic
brain migration, seizures [uncommon as a cause of aggression]),
infectious diseases (viral, protozoal, rickettsial, fungal), ocular
disorders (cataracts, uveitis), and cognitive dysfunction.
Evaluation procedures are described earlier in this article.
Acute or chronic pain often plays a role in aggression.
Feline hyperesthesia syndrome (FHS) is frequently associated
with aggression (as well as other symptoms, including excessive
grooming, twitching of the skin over the back, tail chasing,
episodes of spontaneous growling and running through the house).
FHS has been associated with a variety of disorders, and in many
cases the cause is unknown. However, the cat should be carefully
evaluated for neurological and dermatological disorders, anal sac
disease, and pain syndromes.
Drugs that have commonly been implicated in inducing
or exacerbating aggression include glucocorticoids (steroids),
theophylline, benzodiazepines, and acepromazine.
Anxiety Disorders and Phobias
In very young animals, serious anxiety disorders, fears
and phobias are likely to be related to neurodevelopmental
issues, prenatal and postnatal stress, socialization deficits, and
learning events. However, congenital disorders (hydrocephalus,
portosystemic shunts) and infectious disease (feline viral,
rickettsial, protozoal diseases) can influence the animal’s behavior
and development (by sensitizing the cortisol-stress [HPA] axis to
hyper-respond to stress and threat signals).
In adult animals, infectious diseases, endocrine disease,
chronic pain (such as spinal pain, intestinal cramping) and
neurological disorders can mimic or worsen anxiety states. Some
episodes of spontaneous panic may represent limbic system
(temporal lobe) seizures. Hyperadrenocorticism, although
uncommon in cats, can readily mimic or worsen an anxiety
Medical Evaluation of the Feline Behavior Patient
disorder.
In cases of nocturnal anxiety/restlessness (including nocturnal
vocalization in cats), cognitive dysfunction should be considered,
along with deficits in sensory perception (smell, hearing and/or
vision). Hyperthyroidism in cats is a common cause of nocturnal
activity and vocalization.
Other intracranial neurological disorders will affect
behavioral adaptability. Additionally, animals with osteoarthritis
often experience more pain at night and have difficulty finding a
comfortable place to rest. Seizure disorders and sleep disorders
may also cause restlessness, vocalization and, less commonly,
aggressive outbursts.
Repetitive Behaviors and Excessive Grooming
Repetitive behaviors include stereotypies and compulsive
disorders manifesting as excessive licking (of self and/or objects),
hair pulling/grooming, tail chasing, self-mutilation, wool sucking,
and pica, among others.
The great majority (over 75 percent, Waisglass, et al., 2006) of
cats with excessive grooming have an underlying dermatological
issue causing or contributing to the problem. A large percentage
of these cats have food allergy, flea allergy, and/or atopy, although
parasites such as Demodex mites have also been identified.
In cats, hair pulling is sometimes associated with feline
hyperesthesia syndrome (other symptoms include tail chasing,
vocalization, bouts of frantic running, and aggression).
There is a medical cause for any repetitive behavior that
responds to steroid administration. For owners who are reluctant to
delve into extensive diagnostics, a steroid trial may be warranted
to suggest whether the problem is medical. If the cat responds to
steroids, then a more exhaustive work-up should be done.
Cats with tail chasing/mutilation should be screened for spinal
cord disease (IVDD, cauda equina, neoplasia, neuropathies),
central neurological disease (hydrocephalus, infectious, neoplasia,
encephalitides, storage diseases), anal sac disease, and urogenital
tract problems.
Seizures are a potential underlying cause for any form of
repetitive behavior, particularly tail chasing, shadow chasing,
episodic excessive licking, and fly snapping. Neuropathic pain or
paraesthesias are probably linked to a significant number of tail
chasing and self-mutilation cases; however, diagnosing these often
is problematic. In many cases sequential drug trials with steroids,
pain medications (NSAIDs, opioids), and anticonvulsants are
necessary to diagnose some of these disorders.
Pica in cats has rarely been associated with iron or zinc
deficiency, pancreatic disease, malnourishment/malnutrition,
and neurologic diseases (Landsberg, et al., 2003). However,
most cases of pica are not due to these issues. There is no definitive
single cause for pica.
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Hyperactivity Problems
Hyperactivity problems are typically related to management (lack
of enrichment and exercise) and training (inappropriate and/or
inconsistent punishment) issues. However, there are a few disease
processes that can contribute to or trigger hyperactive behavior.
Hyperthyroidism and drug administration are not uncommon
causes. Hyperkinesis is a notable, although rare, cause of
hyperactivity and other behavioral manifestations in dogs. I
have seen some cats who showed behaviors that were perhaps
suggestive of a feline version of hyperactivity/hyperkinesis.
However, this concept has not been studied in cats.
Cognitive dysfunction and general brain aging are often
associated with nocturnal restlessness. Food allergies and food
intolerances have been associated with hyperactive behavior
as well. Central neurological diseases, including seizures,
portosystemic shunts and toxins (lead) may also be causes.
Excessive Vocalization
Vocalization is most often seen in geriatric cats and typically
occurs at night. A common cause of vocalization in older cats
is hyperthyroidism, and this should be part of the cat’s routine
annual screening. Cognitive dysfunction is also a common cause
of nocturnal vocalization and alterations in sleep cycles. (Owners
should remember that by nature cats are crepuscular to nocturnal
and it is part of their natural circadian cycle to be active in the
early morning hours.) Other causes of vocalization include pain,
sensory decline (triggering contact calling) and, potentially, FIV
or other neurological diseases.
In summary, consultants should encourage clients to
work closely with their cat’s veterinarian during any behavior
modification program. Similarly, veterinarians should not dismiss
a client’s concerns about potential physiological contributions to
their pet’s behavior.
Lore I. Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB, CPDT, CABC, graduated
from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993 and
completed a master’s degree and behavior residency in 2003.
She was board-certified by the American College of Veterinary
Behaviorists in 2003 and headed the Animal Behavior Service at
Texas A&M CVM until 2007. She currently has a private referral
practice in Sugar Land, Texas.
28 Medical Evaluation of the Feline Behavior Patient

Glossary and Abbreviations

CBC: complete blood count
CT scan: computer tomography scan
FeLV: feline leukemia virus
FIP: feline infectious peritonitis
FIV: feline immunodeficiency virus
HPA axis: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; this is
the fight-flight system—the part of the body that prepares
the animal for stress and helps cope with stress.
MRI: magnetic resonance imaging
NSAID: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
IVDD: intervertebral disc disease
PET scan: positron emission tomography scan

References
Landsberg, G., W. Hunthausen, and L. Ackerman, L. Handbook
of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat, 2nd ed. Philadelphia:
Elsevier, 2003.

Waisglass, S.E., G.M Landsberg, J.A.Yager, and J.A. Hall.

“Underlying medical conditions in cats with presumptive
psychogenic alopecia.” Journal of the American Veterinary
Medical Association, no. 228 (2006): 1705-1709.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008

Establishing Professional Relationships
with Veterinarians
by Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC
Introducing Yourself to Local Veterinarians
Your relationships with local veterinarians are crucial to
establishing and maintaining your reputation and acquiring
client referrals. Ideally, the relationship will benefit everyone—
veterinarian, behavior consultant, and client. Although you can’t
control how willingly a veterinarian may embrace the idea of
using your services, there are numerous things you can do to
introduce yourself as a professional. The more professional and
experienced you are, the more likely a veterinarian will recognize
the value of your service.
Don’t underestimate every aspect of how you present yourself
and your business. Everything matters—from the look of your
brochures to the way you dress. If you don’t take your appearance
and marketing materials seriously, neither will veterinarians and
prospective clients.
The First Meeting
Don’t just stop into a veterinary clinic unannounced and ask
to leave brochures there. That’s for pet sitters and people looking
to adopt out unwanted puppies or kittens. You’re offering a very
specialized service and the veterinarian needs to meet you and
gain a full understanding of what you do and why you’re qualified
to do it. The veterinarian’s relationships with his or her clients
are important, and you can’t expect that to be jeopardized by a
referral based solely on a stack of business cards or brochures left
on the waiting room table.
The veterinarian’s time is limited. Your requested meeting
should be short and scheduled at a time that is most convenient
to the veterinarian. You can request this appointment by either
calling to ask for a brief meeting with the vet, or you can write an
introductory letter. If you chose to write a letter, keep in mind that
this will be your first professional impression. Use your business
letterhead and include a brief description of your business,
professional affiliations, and a brochure (if you have one).
Don’t write a two-page letter that explains everything
you’ve ever done. The introductory letter should be just that—an
introduction. Put enough information in the letter to explain that
you are an experienced professional and why your services are
valuable, but save the very detailed information for your face-
to-face meeting where you can answer specific questions the
veterinarian may have. If you have brochures, information sheets,
or other marketing materials, put them together in a professional-
looking folder with the introductory letter on top.
When you meet the veterinarian, dress as a professional. If
you want to be viewed as a professional, then look like one. Invest
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
29
in a lint roller! View this as a job interview.
Be respectful of the veterinarian’s time. Explain your
services, your experience, offer references, and efficiently answer
all questions. Some veterinarians will welcome your services with
relief because they’ll recognize the value of having a behavior
expert as a part of their extended practice. Some veterinarians
will politely (or not so politely) say thanks but no thanks. Many
veterinarians will be interested but unsure. For them, you may
want to offer one or more complimentary consultations. The time
investment you make will pay off when a long-term professional
relationship is established.
Some veterinarians may have concerns about whether you
are someone who crosses over into inappropriate territory and
attempts to diagnose medical conditions or bypass veterinary
medicine altogether. Be familiar with the IAABC Code of Ethics
so you can explain the high standard to which you are held as
a member of the IAABC. Invite the veterinarian to learn more
about the IAABC.
Have your brochures and business cards with you so you can
leave them with the veterinarian, if requested. Some clinics prefer
to display pet service brochures in their waiting rooms, while
others prefer to hand out information as needed. Keep track of
the methods each clinic uses so you’ll know approximately how
many brochures you’ll need to print in the future. Some clinics
only want business cards and some may prefer to simply keep
your name in their Rolodex.
Follow up your introductory meeting with a thank-you letter
and an offer of availability for any additional questions that may
come up.
Consultation Follow-Up
Your professional relationship with veterinarians doesn’t
end with the referral. Be diligent about providing written follow-
up reports. This is important for three reasons. First, it provides
the veterinarian with valuable information regarding the quality
of your services. Second, it allows the veterinarian to monitor
the animal’s progress during future clinic visits. And finally, it
becomes a written record should the client be non-compliant.
This can be very important if one of your non-compliant clients
reports back to the veterinarian that your methods didn’t work.
All client follow-up reports should be in writing. Even if a
veterinarian wants you to call after a consultation, it’s wise to
follow that with a written report. A written report protects you, it
protects the veterinarian, and ultimately, it protects the pet.
The report should be efficient and consistent. You can write it
30
on your letterhead in letter form, or you can create a template for
follow-up forms. Make the form easy to read with well-defined
sections for your evaluation, behavior modification plan, and
follow-up instructions. In your follow-up, remember to thank the
veterinarian for the referral and invite him or her to call you with
any comments or questions. Follow-up reports should be concise.
Don’t write a book. Veterinarians want to be informed but they
don’t have the time to read six single-spaced pages.
If you’ll be consulting with the client on several occasions,
don’t send a follow-up for every visit. Set up a schedule for
follow-up reports that cover multiple visits, or as requested by the
veterinarian. On your final visit to the client, send a final report
to the veterinarian. Some veterinarians may request customized
follow-up procedures, so keep a written record of individual
preferences. If a veterinarian prefers to only receive phone
follow-ups, or if he or she doesn’t want any follow-ups (gasp!),
create a written follow-up for your own files that details what you
discussed with the veterinarian during the phone call.
This may seem obvious, but before you send off your written
follow-up report, proofread it carefully and then make a copy for
your own files.
Professional Courtesies
Veterinarians often call me to reaffirm basic behavior advice
they plan on giving their clients or to discuss whether a case needs
to be referred to a behavior consultant. I have also consulted with
veterinarians regarding their own cats. I offer these services at
no charge. Extend a professional courtesy to veterinarians as an
effective way to demonstrate your expertise.
Offer Additional Services
This is where you can really work with the veterinary clinic
in a way that benefits everyone. Start by creating client handouts
on basic training or certain common behavior problems. These
should be either one-page sheets with training or behavior tips
(usually done in bullet points) or, if your budget allows, create
brochures on single-topic issues. Include new pet topics as well.
Many veterinarians have new puppy/kitten packs that they hand
out to clients that include pet food samples, information sheets
on vaccinations, and some marketing material. Your handouts,
behavior tip brochures, and/or general business brochures could
be included in there. If new pet packs aren’t available for a
particular species, this is a great opportunity for you to create
information to be handed out.
Offer to teach seminars at the veterinary clinic. You can do
basic training seminars as well as specific topic seminars based
on what the veterinarian feels would be most appreciated by his
or her clients. In addition to seminars for clients, the veterinarian
may welcome a seminar for the veterinary staff on basic
behavior problems. We don’t want technicians inappropriately
dispensing behavior advice, but the more accurate they are when
recommending basic techniques, the better. My experience has
been that the more you inform the veterinary staff about all that’s
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
Establishing Professional Relationships with Veterinarians
involved in properly evaluating and handling a behavior problem,
the more likely it is that you’ll raise their awareness of the value
of certified behavior experts. The seminar should also cover the
issue of when it’s time to contact a behavior expert.
In-clinic seminars give you valuable face-to-face time with
the staff, and that’s how you develop relationships and build trust.
The staff members are more likely to refer you after they’ve met
with you personally and are confident you’ll be a valuable asset
for their clinic. Compare that with the “behavior expert” who
merely asks the receptionist if he or she can leave brochures in
the waiting room.
Consider offering new pet classes at the veterinary clinic.
New puppy classes are always needed. If you work with cats
and you want to offer an extremely beneficial service, consider
teaching a kitty kindergarten class at the veterinary clinic. New
parrot or horse classes would be very valuable and in many cases,
and you could create a unique service if there aren’t any such
classes currently in your area.
Maintain Professionalism with the Veterinarian’s
Clients
One of the quickest ways to damage your professional
reputation is to speak poorly about a veterinarian during a
consultation. A client has no obligation to uphold confidentiality,
and anything you say might get back to that doctor, a member of
the staff, or other veterinarians. If a client asks for your opinion
regarding a particular veterinarian, remain professional. Don’t fall
prey to gossip or anything that will cause you to lose credibility
with the doctors in your area. Listen to your clients’ concerns
and offer suggestions to help them better communicate with the
veterinarian. If they’re unhappy with the veterinarian, tactfully
suggest that they have the option of getting a second opinion.
A client’s relationship with the veterinarian is very complex.
It isn’t just based on the quality of care the animal receives.
Clients choose a particular veterinarian for a variety of reasons—
convenience, personality, gender, referrals from others, and so on.
Keep in mind that there are two sides to every story.
Show Appreciation
Even though veterinarians will be receiving your follow-
up reports, everyone in the clinic will appreciate knowing that
their referrals are acknowledged with gratitude. Remember every
clinic at the holidays with something special. Whether you choose
cookies, candy, or other gifts, the thought will go a long way in
showing you appreciate the trust they’ve placed in you.
If you want to go beyond the typical cookie or candy-type
gifts, search on the Internet for companies that supply corporate
gifts. For the veterinarians who provide me with most of my
referrals, I arrange for the clinics to have lunch delivered. So as
not to get lost in the Christmas gift-giving chaos, I often schedule
the lunch deliveries for Valentine’s Day or simply an ordinary
weekday.
Remembering birthdays and other special personal days will
Establishing Professional Relationships with Veterinarians 31

also be appreciated. You don’t have to break your budget to show

appreciation. If a simple card is all you can afford, it will still go
a long way to show your gratitude and thoughtfulness.

Stay Professional and Avoid Getting Gimmicky

I saved this section for last because it will apply to all of the
above. You want your business to stand out and you’ve spent time
and money to create an attractive web site, beautiful letterhead,
and attractive brochures. You’ve also probably spent time trying
to find the ideal gifts to give veterinarians. There’s a line that
you shouldn’t cross though, and that’s the one that leads toward
becoming gimmicky.
Watch out that your web site and marketing materials don’t
become cutesy. Your marketing material is read by the average pet
owner but also by members of allied professions. Gifts that you
send can be creative, but don’t get carried away so that it looks as
if you’re more of a salesperson than a professional. You want to
be remembered for your excellent animal behavior skills and not
because you can bake cookies in the shape of dog biscuits.

Pam Johnson-Bennett is a certified cat behavior consultant

and the founder and chair of the IAABC cat division. She is the
author of seven books. Pam is the cat behavior expert at Yahoo
and the spokesperson for Friskies. She runs Cat Behavior
Associates, which is a private veterinarian referral behavior
service in Nashville, Tennessee.

Recommended Reading
Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New
York: Free Press, 2004.
This classic book is a guide to personal change and growth. Its
lessons will carry over into your professional relationships.

Maxell, John, and Jim Dornan. Becoming a Person of Influence.

Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, 2006.
A valuable resource for improving the ways you interact with
others.

Miller, John. Flipping the Switch. New York: Putnam, 2005.

This book discusses personal accountability for overcoming
roadblocks and creating opportunities for you, both professionally
and personally.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008
32
Being Prepared for Disaster
by Susan Bulanda, MA, CABC
T he events of September 11, 2001, the way we think of disasters.
Previously, most people thought they were limited to natural
disasters, which only affected certain areas of the country. Now
we realize disaster can strike anywhere at any time. As behavior
consultants, we can play a vital role in helping our communities
and clients be prepared for a disaster, either natural or human-
made. We also must realize that as behavior consultants, we may
be called upon to help handle pets who are abandoned, injured or
need to be transported during and after a disaster. To better serve
your community and clients, this article addresses two aspects of
being prepared for a pending disaster.
Hurricane Katrina made people aware of the impact of a
major storm. One of the sad consequences was the many animals
who were left behind, as well as the owners who refused to leave
their pets at the risk of their own lives.
However, we did learn some important lessons from this
disaster. One is to have what is known in search and rescue as a
“pre-plan.” Everyone should have two pre-plans: One plan if you
decide to ride out the storm, and the second to evacuate. Often a
person may decide to ride out the storm and then, due to weather
changes, realize they must evacuate.
Many agencies have pre-plans to help eliminate the chaos
that comes with a natural or human-made disasters. Each town or
city, no matter how small, should have a pre-plan.
Just like cities, each person should have a pre-plan for their
family and pets. Many times, people feel that it will never happen
to them. But this attitude may cost people their lives. Most people
do not realize that the biggest danger in a disaster situation is
panic. By having a pre-plan, this can be avoided. A good pre-
plan will help to reduce panic and will provide all equipment and
supplies needed to survive.
When deciding on the best pre-plan, a consultant should keep
in mind the rule of threes: Animals can live without air for three
minutes, without shelter for three hours, without water for three
days and without food for three weeks. The rule of threes will
help prioritize your pre-plan needs.
Pre-Plan One: Riding Out the Disaster
All pets should have permanent identification on them. A
pet can be microchipped, and birds can have a band on their leg.
Remind clients that it is important that whatever agency keeps
the identification records for their pets has the most current
information.
Each family member should memorize the pre-plan and the
entire family should act it out periodically. This will test the plan
and reveal any aspect that does not work as intended. Remember,
as the years go by the needs of the family will change. A plan that
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
accounts for the needs of a juvenile pet may change as the animal
ages.
The first thing to consider is which part of the house is
safest for the types of disasters that are common in your area.
For example, if you live near water or in a flood zone, the target
site might be the attic, the second floor of a house or, in some
cases, the top floor of a barn or garage. If wind without the risk of
flooding is more likely, the safe place might be the basement or
the most interior room of the house.
Prepare a human and pet disaster emergency kit and keep it
in an easy-to-access place or in the safety zone Pack the items of
the kit inside large, waterproof plastic bags and put them into a
sealed, plastic box. This will provide double protection for the kit
and will help keep it fresh. If the kit is kept in a central location,
move it to the designated safe area at the first sign of a problem.
The Disaster Kit should include but is not limited to:
1. Two week’s supply of food and water. Water can be
stored a number of ways. Emergency water can be purchased in
special containers from most military supply stores or outdoor
stores. You can buy five-gallon water containers to use for such
necessities as flushing the toilet and washing. You can also store
water in empty, rinsed, two-liter soda bottles if a single drop of
bleach is added to each. It is not a bad idea to have more water
than you anticipate. This will ensure that you have a ready supply
if clean cannot be resupplied immediately.
2. A medical first aid kit. If any family member needs
medications, it is advisable to keep two months of daily/monthly
medications in your kit, but remember to check them once a month
for expiration. The kit should also include but not be limited to:
• Roll bandages; these are handy to use to dress wounds or to
make a temporary muzzle for a dog
• Gauze pads
• Vet wrap to hold gauze pads and roll bandages in place
• Antibiotic first aid cream to put on minor wounds
• Alcohol to wash scratches
• Cotton balls for cleaning
• Small scissors
• Tweezers
• Face cloth
3. Health contacts and records. All family members
should have a list of health issues. For pets, include copies of
any veterinary documents, such as tests and inoculations. Put
these documents in a waterproof plastic bag with the first aid kit.
Be sure to list the names and phone numbers of family doctors
Being Prepared for Disaster
and veterinarians. If there are emergency clinics for people and
animals in the area, include the name, address, directions and
phone numbers for these.
4. A recent photo of each family member. Include photos
of pets and other identifying marks/numbers. Attach these to the
medical records, so it’s clear which record goes with each person
and pet.
5. Human and pet bedding and towels. You’ll want
something that you know is clean and dry. Include at least four
bath towels for each person and pet. These are used to wrap the
pet, if needed, as well as to dry him. The towels also provide extra
cushioning to lie or sit on for everyone. In some cases, they can
provide extra warmth.
6. A confinement system (such as a crate or cage) for the
pet. Some animals can become very panicky at the noise of a
severe storm, even if they are in “their” house. Putting them in a
crate or cage will help keep them safe and prevent the pet from
getting loose and possibly running out of the house. If the pet is
taken out to eat or relieve himself, he should always be on a leash
or line, no matter how well trained he may be.
7. Extra collars, harnesses and leashes for pets.
8. Toys and games. Plan to have some toys, games, etc., for
the humans, and some chew toys such as a Kong for a dog and
play toys for cats.
9. A list of emergency contact people who do not live in
your area.
10. Clean-up supplies. Often in a disaster, the area outside
or the part of the house with bathroom facilities is not usable.
Therefore, have enough paper towels, odor neutralizer (best kept
in a spray bottle for easy use), and zip-type plastic bags to clean
and store any accidents the pet may have. Think of a way for the
humans in the family to handle toilet issues.
In a multiple-person household, make each person responsible
for a particular pet or a specific job. Post the assignments as part
of the pre-plan. If all family members are not at home when the
first warning is issued, decide at what point everyone should go
to the safe area.
Secure any items outside of the home that could cause
damage. You can put these items in the house, a garage or a shed.
A lawn chair, for example, could be blown against a house and
break a window. If you cannot put things away, tie them to a tree
or even together to keep them from blowing away. Be sure to put
these items in a place that will not block your ability to evacuate,
if necessary.
It is important to let someone outside your area know that
you are riding out the storm. You should establish:
• A contact schedule so that they know you are okay. You
must consider how you will make contact if phone lines, cell
towers or other means of communication are not available.
• A plan in case you lose contact.
• Emergency numbers to call, if necessary.
And the most important: Practice your plan. Hold a disaster
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
33
drill.
As part of your on-going preparedness, be sure to keep all
perishables fresh by rotating them regularly. This also applies to
stored gas, which must be rotated every month or treated with a gas
stabilizer. Run generators periodically to be sure they will operate
when needed. Keep a supply of fresh batteries for flashlights and
lanterns. You can purchase survival candles at military or outdoor
supply stores.
Be sure to spend some time in the safe area with your pets so
they feel comfortable there. Consider camping out in the safe area
as part of a drill. Make it fun and the pet will enjoy going there.
Do this every few months.
With the proper preparation, riding out the storm can be safe.
However, always be aware of the condition of the storm and be
ready to evacuate if advised. Do not try to ride out the storm if
there is risk of injury to both people and pets. Be sure to have an
emergency evacuation pre-plan.
Pre-Plan Two: Evacuate!
The most important part of this pre-plan is to decide when you
will evacuate. Some people feel better leaving at the first storm
watch or warning. It is always better to err on the side of safety
then regret it later. Whatever the family decides, they should not
wait to see if the situation will improve!
Keep in mind that it is much more difficult to travel with pets
and find a place that will allow them to stay. Pet-friendly hotels
will fill up first. The safest and perhaps the easiest thing to do is
to implement the pre-plan when the first storm watch is issued,
before the official evacuation orders are given.
The evacuation pre-plan should include the following steps.
1. A supply of gas should be ready for a generator as part of
pre-plan one, and rotated monthly or treated with a gas stabilizer.
People tend to wait until the last minute to get gas. This creates
shortages and long lines. Having enough gas handy saves time
and guarantees that it will be available when you need to drive
away. If the power goes out, you will not be able to pump gas at
the gas station.
2. Collect and store valuables in waterproof plastic bags, and
put them in plastic containers with secure lids. You will leave
these items behind. You can keep them in a safe or hide them in
your house in the most secure area. Be sure that each bag and box
has contact information in it.
If possible, keep all identity items, such as credit card
numbers, receipts, bills, etc., in a secure locked place in your
home. This will help keep them safe and protect against identity
theft. If the area is prone to frequent storms, it might be wise to
store these items in a safe deposit box in a bank.
Too many times, people waste time and space in their vehicles
trying to gather and save these things. You should only take items
that you need for survival and safety. Nothing else!
3. Valuable documents such as birth certificates and insurance
policy information (account number and phone numbers) should
34 Being Prepared for Disaster

be stored in a locked box designed for this purpose. This box must Susan Bulanda, MA, CABC, is vice president and Dog
be kept in a place where you can take it quickly. Include phone Division Chair of the IAABC. She is an author, speaker, search
numbers, copies of veterinarian records, identification photos, and rescue incident commander, and adjunct Professor at
and other identifying information for your family and pet. Load Kutztown University. (www.sbulanda.com)
the box in a spot in the vehicle where it cannot be accidentally lost
or dropped.
4. Secure any items outside that can cause damage or prevent
evacuation.
5. Be sure to keep pets in a crate or cage for smaller animals
and a canine seat belt for larger dogs, so that they cannot escape
and can be kept safe (in a crate/cage) at the destination. If you
have to stop along the route, be sure to keep all pets on a leash and
never open a vehicle door with a loose pet inside.
6. You’ll need a destination. Make a list of friends, relatives,
and pet-friendly hotels located out of the danger area, with
directions and phone numbers. If you plan to go to a hotel, make
reservations when you get the first storm watch or warning. Don’t
worry if you do not need to go to the hotel. It’s better to have to
cancel a reservation and even pay one night fee than be left with
no place to go.
7. Have maps in the vehicle so that detours can be
navigated.
8. Pick one or two people to keep in touch with as you
evacuate. Give them updates as you travel and when you arrive at
your destination.
9. Store about a month’s worth of food, medications and water
in a safe, secure place in your home. Often, when you return there
will be a shortage of supplies and you may need these items.
10. Have a disaster evacuation kit. The kit should include but
not be limited to:
• Enough water (about one two-liter bottle per 35-pound pet,
per day) for a few days of traveling, and food to last at least
a month. For humans, take enough bottled water for the trip
to the destination.
• A month’s supply of medications for everyone who needs
them, including pets.
• Extra leashes, harnesses, and collars for pets.
• For the children, books, games and other types of entertainment
that do not rely on a power supply.
• Toys to entertain the pets.
• A medical first aid kit, as listed in Pre-Plan One.
• Paper towels, odor neutralizer (best stored in a spray bottle
for easy use) and zip-type plastic bags. These will be used to
clean any accidents the pet may have while traveling or at the
destination, of if the children get sick.
No one ever wants to go through a natural disaster, but being
prepared will help your clients have a well-thought-out plan
should the unthinkable occur. It will also give them—and you—
peace of mind.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008

Book Review:
The Emotional Lives of Animals by Mark Bekoff (New World Library, 2007)
Reviewed by Tonya Sakadinsky, BA, CDBC
H istorically, discussing emotions has been a hot potato in the
field of animal behavior. As animal behavior consultants,
we are quite familiar with the vernacular of emotions discussed
within the framework of a case we may be working on. But most,
if not all of us, have studied or received training in the Western
scientific approach to observing animals and developing a plan
for behavior modification. One aspect of that approach is that
suggesting animals have emotions is anthropomorphic. And
anthropomorphism had been frowned upon.
Marc Bekoff’s The Emotional Life of Animals admits to
the discussion an exploration of animal emotions using the
research tools and methods we were trained to use, while also
acknowledging the anecdotal information we humans use to
describe what we are seeing. As animal behavior consultants, it
is important for us to follow these discussions because right now
ground-breaking hypotheses on behavior and emotion are being
formed. It is in the nature of our work to investigate these new
ideas and adapt them to what we do.
Bekoff is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary
biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is a former
Guggenheim Fellow. In 2000 he was awarded the Exemplar
Award from the Animal Behavior Society for major long-term
contributions to the field of animal behavior. He is also regional
coordinator for Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program, in which
he works with students of all ages, senior citizens, and prisoners,
and also is a member of the Ethics Committee of the Jane Goodall
Institute. He and Goodall co-founded Ethologists for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals: Citizens for Responsible Animal Behavior
Studies in 2000. He is also the author of numerous other books,
including Animal Passions and Beastly Virtues and Minding
Animals.
Bekoff begins this book by offering historically recognized
emotions in humans, as defined by Charles Darwin, Stuart Walton
(author of A Natural History of Human Emotions) and Antonio
Damasio (a behavioral neurologist and neuroscientist who heads
USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute). He discusses how research
is recognizing two different types of emotions. Primary emotions
are the generalized rapid reflexive emotions, such as fight or
flight response. These includes Darwin’s six original “universal
emotions” of fear, anger, disgust, surprise, sadness, and happiness.
Secondary emotions are those that are more complex.
Bekoff observes that “scientists now agree on the universality
of the primary emotions based on studies that show that humans and
animals share similar chemical and neurobiological systems”(p.
10). He introduces us to some basic arguments between skeptics
and supporters of the existence of emotions in animals. Most
important, he introduces his suggested “paradigm shift”— his
jumping-off point for the new, or at least refreshed, exploration of
Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice
Spring 2008
35
how we study animal emotions using scientific methods, for the
ultimate betterment of all species.
Bekoff defines cognitive ethology in terms he and others
such as Donald R. Griffin (the professor of zoology and animal
behavior who coined the phrase “echolocation” in 1938) have
spent an entire career understanding and even coming to define.
He offers a nice review of the work of Nobel Prize winners such
as ethologists Niko Tinbergen, Konrad Lorenz and Karl Ritter
von Frisch as they pertain to the study of animal emotions. And
he presents a comparison of work studying animal behavior in
the field with work studying animals in a laboratory setting. He
suggests that identifying emotions in animals is different from
understanding the social behavior of animals, and that researching
the two issues as they apply to one another will give us a better
understanding of each individual behavior we are exploring.
Bekoff’s years studying wild and domestic canids lends itself
to a discussion of social behaviors in many other animals and how
emotions such as love, joy, grief, and embarrassment could play
a part in complex social behaviors. He weaves into his discussion
stories of animals described in emotional terms, as offered by
fellow researchers in animal behavior science. He does not leave
out what Western science explanations he can offer for these
behaviors, but at the same time he allows each story to be told in
what might be called an anthropomorphic fashion. He also says,
“It takes training, experience, and research to correctly interpret
the complex interactions and behaviors involved in expression. .
. . (p. 45). So, for example, he talks of wild justice, empathy, fair
play, and even morality as “broadly adaptive strategies that have
evolved in many species” (p. 87). He offers descriptions of animal
emotions that see them as wide-ranging biological necessities for
social living.
Bekoff does not ignore the skepticism and even alarm he
raises within the scientific community when bringing up these
topics. He reaches back into much older works for definitions
and discussions of anthropomorphism that suggest it can inhibit
behavioral research by skewing the results according to how the
researcher observes and experiences the world. He also addresses
the idea that taking the viewpoint that animals are unfeeling may
be self-serving for scientists.
Beckoff believes that acknowledging the possibility of
emotion or feelings in animals is the most secure and ethical
safeguard when conducting detailed research of animal minds
and behavior. This, he says, is the “only guard against the
inappropriate use of anthropomorphism” (p. 128). He turns the
use of anthropomorphism around for us to evaluate what purpose
our belief system serves for us at the time we are conducting or
planning research. In other words, is our current belief about
whether animals experience emotion serving a greater good
36 Book Review

or serving the scientist? He states “[I]t is easy to get lazy and

presume that the way we see and experience the world must be
the only way. It is also easy to become self-serving and hope that
because we want or need animals to be happy or unfeeling, they
are” (p. 128).
Bekoff covers some work being done on mirror neurons in
humans. (Mirror neurons are neurons that fire both when an animal
physically acts and when an animal observes another animal of
the same species performing the same act. Mirror neurons are
believed to be one of the most important finding of neuroscience
in recent history.) These “suggest a neurobiological underpinning
of empathy” (p. 129). As is the case with most research in biology
and behavior that could be explored as emotion, the work in
mirror neurons is just beginning to scratch the surface. More
investigation is needed into the science of emotions. Yet, Bekoff
makes efforts throughout the book to synthesize all of work done
in a variety of scientific disciplines into not only answers about
emotions in animals, but also further hypotheses (and avenues of
study) about them.
In the final part of the book, Bekoff and other esteemed
in the field of cognitive ethology (such as Jane Goodall) offer
ideas on how to conduct more thoughtful research, and even
live by a more ethical code given this perspective on animals as
sentient and emotional beings. He embraces better, more modern,
ethical, noninvasive research through the use of technology.
His discussion is far-reaching, and includes conditions in zoos,
becoming conscientious omnivores, and further improving animal
rights within the law and court systems.
The book is wrapped up with a healthy end note section
divided chapter by chapter, containing information about
the sources used or cited in the book as well as web sites for
summaries of technical papers. It also includes a bibliography
rich in information.

Tonya Sakadinsky has a BA degree in psychology/behavioral

ecology. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and is
also a member of IAABC’s Cat, Horse and Parrot Divisions.
She has worked for 13 years in animal protection, sheltering
and consultation. She also created a court-approved animal
behavior class and consultation program for offenders of animal
violations.

Animal Behavior Consulting: Theory and Practice

Spring 2008