Cat Fight? AAFP Intercat Guidelines Released

by Amy Shojai | Jul 19, 2024 | Cat Behavior & Care | 1 comment

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has announced the release of the 2024 AAFP Intercat Tension Guidelines: Recognition, Prevention, and Management Guidelines. These Guidelines are designed to help you understand social behavior between cats and, more specifically, recognize intercat tension, prevent or minimize its occurrence, and manage stressors.

I’ve covered many of these issues in my book ComPETability, and am very pleased to know that the contents of this book remain timely and up to date. The AAFP guidelines offer even more details and are particularly helpful for veterinary staff, shelter professionals, and other feline professionals.

You can also find tips for dealing with cat fights on the blog here.

Key contents of the Guidelines

Debunking the 10 common myths that have the potential to negatively impact the wellbeing of cats
Visual examples of intercat tension
An Appendix with several case studies
A comprehensive table of psychotherapeutic medications
A detailed algorithm that outlines a systematic approach to preventing, recognizing, and resolving intercat tension
A step-by-step approach to introducing a new cat into a household with one or more resident cats
A range of management tools to promote caregiver education

Cats Are Different, So One-Size (doesn’t) Fit All

To enhance cat caregiver assessment and education, the Guidelines offer diverse management tools, including a multi-cat home profile questionnaire, a behavior modification handout, and a comprehensive step-by-step guide for introducing a new cat(s) to a home with resident cat(s). These resources cover home preparation and proper introduction techniques and are complemented by an accompanying caregiver brochure.

The 2024 AAFP Intercat Tension Guidelines: Recognition, Prevention, and Management Guidelines was produced thanks to an educational grant provided by Ceva, Hills, and Sleepypod. The Guidelines and supplementary materials are available for free on the AAFP website at catvets.com/tension and caregiver resources available at catfriendly.com/tension.

DOWNLOAD GUIDELINES HERE

I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.

Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!

1 Comment

Frank Steele on July 27, 2024 at 7:34 am

Thank you for the great weekly lessons! Each week, I learn something new and valuable.
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