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Cats | Behavior and Welfare

Cats | Behavior and Welfare

AI editor (TK.Lin Agent)About 3 min readPublished by IDAEO (TK Lin)
#獸醫百科#貓#行為#動物福利#動物照護

The full content of the "behavior and welfare" column in the 12-column knowledge tree for cats. Where the original text could not obtain an authoritative figure for a field, it leaves the field blank and states why; this site preserves that as-is and does not fill in numbers on its behalf. The disease column has been published separately as vet/cat-common-diseases and is not duplicated here.

This article is compiled from the cat section of the veterinary encyclopedia. The same symptom calls for different handling in different species, and following another species' approach can be harmful — first confirm which animal you are dealing with.
CategoryContent
Normal behaviorMultiple short sleeps a day; crepuscular activity; the complete hunting sequence = search → stalk → pounce → killing bite → eat (whatever part is missing will be taken out on human hands and feet); grooming; scratch marking (visual + scent); head rubbing (bunting) to mark; kneading; chasing and food-burying motions
Stress signals (early → late)More hiding / reduced appetite / airplane ears, dilated pupils, whiskers pulled back / feigned sleep (lying down but with tense muscles) / over-grooming or no grooming / eliminating outside the litter box, urine spraying / hissing, swatting, aggression
Pain signalsSee C-3; structured scoring tools such as the Feline Grimace Scale (✅ existence verified: the same C-3 Evangelista et al 2019, PMID 31836868, verified 2026-07-30)
The five welfare needs① a suitable environment ② a suitable diet ③ the ability to exhibit normal behavior ④ its need for company (or for solitude) being respected ⑤ freedom from pain, injury and disease
Handling principles for the three main behavioral complaints① Inappropriate elimination: rule out medical causes first (FIC, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, constipation) — a veterinary visit is required before any behavioral training; then check litter box number / location / litter type ② Inter-cat conflict: this is fundamentally resource competition, and the solution is to add resources and space, not to "let them sort it out themselves" ③ Aggression toward people: distinguish play-related (no outlet for hunting), fear-related (cornered) and petting-induced (over-stimulation) — the solutions are completely different
Prohibited methodsSpraying water, shouting, flicking the nose, lifting by the scruff, shock collars, punishment by confinement — all raise stress and worsen FIC and aggression; declawing is prohibited as an option
Understanding social structureCats are not necessarily social animals; whether they can live together depends on whether resources are sufficient + whether they grew up together as youngsters + individual temperament. "Get another one to keep it company" is not a universal solution

The content above is transcribed cell by cell from the encyclopedia chapter text, without rewriting or condensing; treatment direction is given by category only, with no drug names or dosages, and medication must be prescribed by a veterinarian.

Limits of this content

The content of this article comes from the cat section of the veterinary encyclopedia (see the evidence chain for the original location and content hash). The sources listed at the end are the authoritative references cited by that chapter; the correspondence is at the chapter level. This content is for educational purposes and cannot replace diagnosis and prescriptions from a practicing veterinarian; seek veterinary care immediately in an emergency. This text has not been clinically reviewed by a named veterinarian.

Reading map; items appear in article order: Category; Normal behavior; Stress signals (early → late); Pain signals; The five welfare needs; Handling principles for the three main behavioral complaints
From the article text; read alongside the full article.

FAQ

What should I note about normal behavior in cats?
Multiple short sleeps a day; crepuscular activity; the complete hunting sequence = search → stalk → pounce → killing bite → eat (whatever part is missing will be taken out on human hands and feet); grooming; scratch marking (visual + scent); head rubbing (bunting) to mark; kneading; chasing and food-burying motions. The actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.
What should I note about stress signals (early → late) in cats?
More hiding / reduced appetite / airplane ears, dilated pupils, whiskers pulled back / feigned sleep (lying down but with tense muscles) / over-grooming or no grooming / eliminating outside the litter box, urine spraying / hissing, swatting, aggression. The actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.
What should I note about pain signals in cats?
See C-3; structured scoring tools such as the Feline Grimace Scale (✅ existence verified: the same C-3 Evangelista et al 2019, PMID 31836868, verified 2026-07-30). The actual judgement still rests with a veterinarian on a case-by-case basis, and this article gives no drug names or dosages.

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Cite this article

Jane・《Cats | Behavior and Welfare》・IDAEO 知識庫・2026-08-13・https://km.idaeo.ai/post/vet/cat-behaviour-welfare

Updated 2026-08-15

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更新 2026-08-15T15:41:02.273Z · server-rendered · four-language · IDAEO 知識庫