Two of the most common feline behaviour issues faced by owners are inappropriate elimination and introducing a new cat to the household ( to be covered in Part 2 and Part 3 of this series , respectively ). In both of these situations , you will benefit from understanding the owner ’ s home layout . Unless a home visit is possible , it is easiest to ask the owner to provide a diagram . This should include the garden , all windows and places where the cat can see outside , as well as all resources ( Figure 4 ). We also need an idea of the local cat population density , as this can factor into many issues faced in the home . that an individual has gone through rigorous training and assessment are indicated by postnominals , just as for VNs . The accreditation of Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist has been around for some time and will be identified by ‘ CCAB ’. Practitioners may also hold a Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians ( FABC ), which was introduced in 2020 .
As VNs , it is important that we recognise our limitations , and the point at which we should refer any behavioural cases . Section 1.2 of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses ( RCVS , n . d .) states that ‘ veterinary nurses must keep within their own area of competence and refer cases responsibly ’. This applies equally to cases of a behavioural nature .
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Figure 4 . Hand-drawn house plan .
DIARY
Finally , ask the owner to keep a basic diary recording occurrences of the problem behaviour , along with notes about each day . These will be helpful to you , and them , in identifying patterns . This information can then feed into a plan to correct the issue – hopefully resulting in a harmonious home once more .
Role of the pet behaviour counsellor and organisations
The APBC is an organisation that , while primarily UK based , offers an international network of pet behaviour counsellors who are both qualified and experienced ( APBC , 2010 ). As it stands , neither of the titles ‘ pet behaviour counsellor ’ or ‘ animal behaviourist ’ are protected , meaning anyone can set themselves up in these roles . Therefore , when looking to refer cases for behavioural counselling or therapy , it is vital that organisations like the APBC are utilised , to find individuals with formal qualifications and relevant experience . Qualification and memberships denoting
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