Licorise struggles with fear and anxiety

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Licorise is a mischievous kitty full of energy who enjoys playing with her sister, Straberry.

But that is not always the case. Licorise is no ordinary kitty as you may have noticed.  Since she is entirely made of sticky licorice, you would think that she would be as sweet as she can be; however, that is not true. When she is with other feline cats she can be very mischievous, and very territorial.  She begins to hiss as she arches her back. She is very protective of her sister and her body language says “you better not step over that line”.  

Licorise was abandoned by her mother at a very early age. She displays the typical signs of a feral cat.

A feral cat is a cat who has either never had any contact with humans or her contact with humans has diminished over time. She is fearful of people and survives on her own outdoors. A feral cat is not likely to ever become a lap cat or enjoy living indoors. (Info from here)

Normally, cats depend on their location and territory for security, rather than other individuals. This could be described as an attachment; cats show signs of anxiety and distress when taken away from their territory and will attempt to return to it. This is because cats are solitary hunters and do not require other cats to help them to gain the resources that they need to survive. The territory provides everything that the cat needs to survive and thrive. It is unlikely that cats develop exactly the same kind of attachment related problems as are seen in obligate social species such as the dog. However, since cats are so reliant on their environment and free access to resources in order to feel secure, this could provide a basis for problems if the environment is inadequate. (Info from here)

Let’s continue with the next part –  Attachment theory in cats

Start at the beginning – The story of Licorise and Straberry