Designing a Healthy Feline Environment: Evidence-Based Strategies to…

Presented by Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (feline practice)

Continuing education questionnaire

CE credit: 1

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Name

First name *

Last name *

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Province where you practise *

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Questions

1. Why is it important to provide a healthy feline environment? *

There is a strong tie between a healthy environment and a healthy cat

Deficient environments can promote undesirable behaviours

Deficient environments can predispose to health problems

All of the above

2. Which of the following are desirable to the domestic cat? *

Having another cat for company

Sharing food from the same bowl with other cats in the home

Routines, consistent and ample resources, and a safe space to consume prey

Travelling away from their defined territory for adventures

3. The domestic cat's personal defined territory *

Includes a core territory, territory and home range

Can be shared with other cats with no detrimental effects

Includes a core territory that is sheltered and safe for eating, sleeping, rest or play

Includes a core territory, territory and home range and includes a core territory that is sheltered and safe for eating, sleeping, rest or play

4. The health triad *

Highlights that illness or injury are the only consideration in feline well-being

Includes physical, cognitive and emotional health

Is not important when considering patient quality of life

Does not include emotional health

5. Feline Emotions *

Include positive (engaging) and negative (protective) emotions

Enhance and ensure survival

Include pain, which is both a sensory and emotional experience

All of the above

6. The 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment *

Is a concept which describes environmental enrichment for cats

Does not consider the cat's sense of smell and other senses

Is the guiding criteria to prevent and manage intercat tension

Describe the cat's need to cooperate with humans at all times

7. Pillar 1 of the 5 pillars of a healthy feline environment states 'Provide a safe place for each cat'. This includes the following considerations: *

Pillar 1 is fulfilled if a cat is strictly indoors, because indoor cats are safe at all times

A sense of safety is defined by the cat, not the caregivers

3-dimensional spaces, hidey holes and other spaces provided in ample numbers in multicat households helps minimize intercat tension

A sense of safety is defined by the cat, not the caregivers and 3-dimensional spaces, hidey holes and other spaces provided in ample numbers in multicat households helps minimize intercat tension

8. Synthetic feline pheromones play an important role in *

Minimizing the risk of and treating intercat tension

Reducing fear-anxiety triggered by changes in the environment

Facilitating reduction of fear-anxiety during travel away from home

All of the above

9. Foe (agonistic) behaviours between co-habitating cats are often overlooked by caregivers. Examples of agonistic behaviours include: *

Facial rubbing, tail wrapping and nose touching

Living in separate areas of the house

Playing together

Allogrooming

10. Undesirable behaviours such as house soiling and destructive scratching *

Signal that the cat is angry with the caregiver

Occur when the cat is tired of their litter box

Signal a disturbance in the health triad

Should be called inappropriate behaviours