Cat Behaviour Problems

Cats that have been raised with humans and other cats may be extremely sociable. But, in general, cats often struggle to cope within households with a busy social life, with other cats or when other cats live near-by. Life can become particularly tricky when other cats are introduced into the home. Common problems we encounter in multi-cat households can include inappropriate toileting, aggression towards the other cats or towards their owners and marking behaviour. It is not only in multi-cat households where problems can arise, single cats can become anxious if changes occur in the household or if there is a large community of unfamiliar cats in their locality. In general, a clinical animal behaviourist, who specialises in feline behaviour, can help with feline problems associated with:

First time cat owners (pre or shortly after the cat or kitten joins the home)
Aggression towards people (family or strangers)
Aggression towards other cats
Inappropriate toileting
Indoor urine spraying
Repetitive behaviour problems (such as over-grooming)
Anxiety, fear or frustration related behaviour
Pica (chewing or eating non-food items)
Post environmental trauma problems (e.g. after a burglary or house move)
Geriatric issues
Bonding problems

As behaviour change is often initiated by ill-health, pain or discomfort, the first priority on identifying that your cat has a behaviour change or problem, is to ensure that your vet has thoroughly examined your cat to rule out health problems. Once the involvement of ill-health or pain has been ruled out and/or treated, your vet can refer your cat to a clinical behaviourist.

Would you like your vet to refer your cat to the clinic? Please download and complete a case history questionnaire and ask your vet to complete the referral form (please see ‘For Referring Vets’). Once these are completed and forwarded to the clinic, please phone the clinic for an appointment.

FELINE CLINICAL BEHAVIOUR CONSULTATION

Following referral from a veterinary surgeon, consultations usually take between 2 - 3 hours. They are followed by a report summarising the cat's behavioural motivation and the rehabilitation plan. Following the consultation, you may wish to have further discussions with the clinician via the telephone or email and this contact is included in your fee over a 2-month period after the initial consultation:
£300.00

FELINE BEHAVIOUR QUESTIONNAIRE DOWNLOAD

Follow up sessions:

These can occur via the phone or via a virtual consultation and they are priced per half hour (or part thereof):
£30.00

PRE-PURCHASE KITTEN CONSULTATION

An approximately 1-hour session that is individual to your family. During the session we will consider the type of cat that is likely to be emotionally suitable for your family's needs, how to go about finding a suitable kitten breeder and how to handle the early days as your kitten settles into its new home, to ensure that your kitten gets the best start to a long and happy life with your family:
£80.00

PRE-ADOPTION CAT CONSULTATION

An approximately 1-hour session that is individual to your family. During the session we will consider the type of cat that is likely to be emotionally suitable for your family's needs, how to go about settling a new cat into your home and how to provide for your cat's emotional welfare to ensure that your cat gets the best start to a long and happy life with your family:
£80.00

BOOKING CONDITIONS

Deposit on booking a clinical appointment: you will be charged when you make a booking and this deposit will be deducted from the total cost of your session (and hence, once paid, the booking fee will be deducted from any of the above fees):
£30.00

Two weeks prior to your appointment (or if you make first contact with us within two weeks of your appointment), the rest of your fee will be due.

If you have an emergency that requires you to re-arrange the appointment date, the £30.00 deposit will be retained to cover the cost to Companion Animal Behaviour Referrals of the administration involved in filling the empty session. If cancellation occurs within two weeks of the appointment and you have already paid your entire fee, the rest of your fee will be transferred to an alternative date (or, if you wish, refunded). However, if you cancel within 48 hours of an appointment, the entire fee will be forfeited (unless we find an emergency replacement for your appointment slot, in which case, your fee, minus the £30 deposit, will be reimbursed).

In the unlikely event that Companion Animal Behaviour Referrals have to cancel your appointment, your entire fee will be transferred to an alternative date (or, should you prefer, it will be returned to you).

COST OF A HOME VISIT

All feline cases requiring a visit to your home will also incur a visit charge which should be added to the cost of a consultation:

Minimum visit charge (covering a 20-mile radius from the clinic that includes visits to Llanelli, Swansea, Port Talbot, Carmarthen, Llandeilo):
£50.00

For distances further than a 20-mile radius from the clinic, a charge will be made of:

£50.00 plus 60p per mile (return journey) from SA14 8JW

Let's Work Together

Please contact us to discuss your case