Feline Behavior Course

Lesson 1 • Physical Anatomy and Behavioural Implications

Connects musculoskeletal structure, retractable claws, and flexible spine to natural behaviours. Explains how anatomy drives hunting, climbing, and grooming.

Lesson 2 • Feline Sensory Systems

Examines vision, hearing, olfaction, taste, and touch in cats. Links sensory capabilities to environmental perception and behavioural responses.

Lesson 3 • Evolutionary Origins of Domestic Cats

Traces the cat's descent from solitary desert predators to domestic companions. Provides evolutionary context for understanding modern behavioural tendencies.

Lesson 1 • Chemical and Scent Communication

Explains pheromone types, marking behaviours, and olfactory messaging between cats. Connects scent communication to territory and social bonding.

Lesson 2 • Reading Multi-Signal Communication

Integrates vocal, postural, chemical, and tactile cues into holistic behavioural assessment. Trains students to avoid single-signal misinterpretation.

Lesson 3 • Touch and Tactile Communication

Covers head bunting, allorubbing, kneading, and grooming as social bonding behaviours. Identifies when tactile contact signals comfort versus overstimulation.

Lesson 4 • Vocal Communication Repertoire

Catalogues meowing, chirping, trilling, hissing, and growling with their communicative functions. Distinguishes sounds directed at humans from those directed at other cats.

Lesson 1 • Juvenile and Adolescent Development

Examines play behaviour, predatory skill development, and social learning from eight weeks to one year. Links juvenile experiences to adult behavioural patterns.

Lesson 2 • Neonatal and Transitional Periods

Covers sensory development, maternal dependency, and early reflex behaviours from birth to three weeks. Establishes the biological baseline for later socialisation.

Lesson 3 • The Critical Socialisation Window

Defines the two-to-seven-week sensitive period for social exposure and its lifelong behavioural impact. Explains consequences of under-socialisation and fear generalisation.

Lesson 1 • Solitary vs. Social Feline Tendencies

Contrasts obligate solitary behaviour with facultative sociality observed in feral colonies. Establishes the spectrum of social tolerance in domestic cats.

Lesson 2 • Human-Cat Attachment and Bonding

Explores attachment styles, secure base effects, and owner interaction patterns. Connects human behaviour to cat trust and relationship quality.

Lesson 3 • Cat-to-Cat Relationship Dynamics

Analyses bonded pairs, affiliative behaviours, and competitive interactions amongst cats. Identifies factors that predict compatibility between individuals.

Lesson 1 • Common Feline Stressors

Catalogues environmental, social, and husbandry-related stressors in domestic and shelter settings. Prioritises stressors by frequency and behavioural impact.

Lesson 2 • Stress Reduction Strategies

Applies environmental modification, routine stability, and low-stress handling to reduce feline anxiety. Evaluates pheromone therapy and calming supplement evidence.

Lesson 3 • Stress Physiology in Cats

Explains the HPA axis, cortisol release, and immune suppression under chronic stress. Connects physiological stress responses to observable behavioural changes.

Lesson 1 • Aggression Risk Assessment

Applies structured assessment tools to evaluate bite risk, escalation history, and environmental triggers. Produces safety-informed management recommendations.

Lesson 2 • Classification of Feline Aggression

Distinguishes fear-based, play, redirected, territorial, and pain-induced aggression by aetiology. Accurate classification is prerequisite to effective intervention.

Lesson 3 • Safe Handling During Aggressive Episodes

Teaches low-stress restraint, protective equipment use, and de-escalation techniques for aggressive cats. Prioritises handler safety and cat welfare simultaneously.

Lesson 1 • Fear and Hiding Behaviour

Addresses chronic hiding, fear of visitors, and generalised anxiety as behaviour problems. Builds graduated exposure plans to increase confidence and social tolerance.

Lesson 2 • Destructive Scratching

Explains scratching as normal territorial and maintenance behaviour and redirects it to appropriate surfaces. Addresses owner frustration while preserving cat welfare.

Lesson 3 • Compulsive and Repetitive Behaviours

Identifies wool sucking, excessive grooming, and pica as potential compulsive disorders. Distinguishes behavioural from medical aetiologies and applies appropriate referrals.

Lesson 4 • Night-time Activity and Vocalisation

Addresses nocturnal activity bursts, attention-seeking vocalisation, and sleep disruption complaints. Applies environmental and schedule-based solutions.

Lesson 1 • Cooperative Care and Husbandry Training

Trains cats to voluntarily accept grooming, nail trims, medication, and veterinary handling. Reduces stress for both cat and caregiver during routine procedures.

Lesson 2 • Positive Reinforcement Training Techniques

Teaches clicker training, target training, and reward selection for cats. Builds foundational skills for cooperative care and voluntary behaviour.

Lesson 3 • Learning Theory Applied to Cats

Reviews classical and operant conditioning, reinforcement schedules, and extinction as applied to feline behaviour. Corrects common misconceptions about cat trainability.

Lesson 4 • Designing and Evaluating Behaviour Plans

Integrates assessment, goal setting, protocol selection, and outcome measurement into a complete behaviour plan. Teaches documentation and client communication skills.