Attachment theory in cats

_Elsa_

Is there such a thing as having an attachment disorder in cats? If Licorise’s mom abandoned her at birth could Licorise show signs of fear and anxiety?

“Fear and anxiety are normal emotions that enable animals to avoid harm. In both states the animal is in a heightened state of arousal in preparation for a negative outcome (e.g. physical harm). The key difference is that in anxiety the threat is anticipated but not actually present, but in fear the threat is present or imminent. An animal may become anxious in a situation in which harm is anticipated, switching to fear when the threat has been identified. 

When frightened, animals engage in a set of Species Specific Defence Reactions (SSDRs), known as "The Four Fs". These include: Fight, Flight, Freezing and "Fiddling about" (performing apparently unrelated behaviours such as grooming)

The cat's primary response to fear is "flight" (avoidance or escape), but they will resort to aggression when escape is impossible in an attempt to drive the fear-eliciting stimulus away. Freezing tends to occur when either flight or fight are impossible, or as the animal evaluates its best option. A cat that is "frozen" but showing signs of stress can launch a sudden attack. Fiddling about may be a form of "self-distraction" in an otherwise inescapable situation of stress, but it may also have some value in diffusing tension in frustration and intraspecific conflict. Fear also potentiates the startle response, so fearful animals will react suddenly to unexpected stimuli and events.

Some of the effects from fear and anxiety are:

• The cat being withdrawn, secretive and tending to hide

• A decrease in interest in social and object play

• "Jumpiness" (fear potentiated startle response)

• Low-threshold flight response  (Info from here)

Let’s continue with the next part – Licorise might have a mental health disorder

Start at the beginning – The story of Licorise and Straberry