Cat Hissing is a Defense Mechanism, Not Personality... Decreased Activity in Senior Cats is Caused by Pain

There are many behaviors and health facts that cat owners commonly misunderstand. Representative examples include believing that a cat hissing is a personality issue, or that the reason a senior cat does not move is simply due to age. According to the YouTube video 'Cat Talk by Veterinarian Kim Tae-hyeop', these misunderstandings often arise from not accurately understanding a cat's instincts and physical condition.

Hissing is a Defense Mechanism, Decreased Activity in Senior Cats is a Pain Signal

A cat hissing is not because they have a bad personality, but is a normal defense mechanism to protect themselves when fear or arousal levels increase. The video explains that cats hiss when they want to escape their current situation or want to keep distance from an opponent. If a cat hisses at its guardian in the home, where it should feel most comfortable, this is an unnatural situation and may require behavioral treatment.

Furthermore, one should not judge a cat's decreased movement as being simply due to aging. Unless it is a super-senior cat aged 15 or older, most causes for decreased activity lie in pain. Even if X-ray results come out normal, there are many cases where cats move well again if pain is managed appropriately. Therefore, rather than unconditionally neglecting them because they are old, it is important to check for the presence of pain.

Misconceptions about Scaling, Tartar, and Establishing Hierarchy

There are also incorrect perceptions regarding dental care. After scaling, it may feel as though tartar is more visible, but this is because the tartar stands out more against the cleaned teeth. If the polishing process, which makes the tooth surface smooth, is properly performed after scaling, tartar accumulation can be prevented, but fundamentally, brushing is the most important. There is no medicine that removes tartar that has already formed, and supplements only serve to help prevent tartar from accumulating as much.

'Establishing hierarchy,' which is frequently mentioned in multi-cat households, is also not a universal solution. Conflicts between cats are not resolved by waiting until a hierarchy is established. For cats, it is more important how abundant the resources within the space are, whether they can control the environment themselves, and whether they can engage in activities without interference from other individuals, rather than hierarchy. Especially if it is a relationship where one side is unilaterally bullied due to differences in temperament, rather than leaving it to hierarchy establishment, they should go through behavioral treatment and a reintroduction process. Rather than the guardian trying to suppress the cat by fighting for hierarchy, an attitude of adjusting life while respecting the cat's habits is required.