TENSION PATTERNS IN CATS BY SARAH FISHER

Most Practitioners and Practitioners-in Training will have learnt how to look at the overall posture, areas of tension, gait irregularities or changes in the texture or appearance of the coat etc in dogs and horses but some may not have had the opportunity to apply these same observational skills to cats.

Posture is very important to cats; the way in which they present themselves can determine how other felines relate to them as well as how they feel and respond. Cats like humans, dogs and horses use their bodies to help relieve physical, emotional and mental stress and any inability to do so may cause psychological problems and distress. A cat that has tension patterns within its body will have a reduced ability to communicate and may lose confidence as a result.

The information you can gain by observing your cat on a daily basis encourages you to question why she acts in a certain way, rather than blithely assuming that it's just a quirk of character. It enables you to pick up on health problems earlier rather than later, and in the case of problem behaviours can help you to identify underlying causes and change them with TTouch work. It can also tell you not just how she's feeling physically, but whether she's actually enjoying (or merely tolerating) interaction between the two of you and enables you to watch for early warning signs that she might be about to react defensively.

By pointing out the postural tendencies of a cat to your client or shelter worker you will help them to gain a clearer understanding of why TTouch work is of benefit and will enable them to note when changes occur.

Why do tension patterns occur?

Tension patterns can occur for any number of reasons including:

Injury - as with humans, the presence of pain can affect posture, movement, and reduce tolerance levels. Even after an injury has healed, the body may maintain the previous posture, which then continues to affect behaviour.

Trauma - shock as a result of an accident or emotional upheaval can cause tension within the body. Cats are often very sensitive to   changes; not just major ones such as moving house or bereavement, but minor ones too, such as simply rearranging the furniture.

Disease - kidney problems, arthritis etc

Born that way - some cats show tension patterns from birth, rather than as a result of other factors.

How do you identify them?

Hot/warm/cool/cold areas; differences in temperature through the body can be easier to feel if you use the back of your hand rather than the palm.
Changes in coat texture such as areas where the coat is rough.
Lumps and bumps
Feelings of tightness in the skin or underlying muscle tissue.
Uneven muscle development - particularly over the hind quarters.
Whether your cat expresses concern when you touch certain places on her body; for example moving away from you, growling, or if the skin appears to spasm and ripple beneath your touch.

If your cat is reactive about being touched and likely to strike out with claws or teeth, use a long handled artists' paintbrush or goose/swan feather so you can keep your hand at a safe distance and minimise her concern about being handled.

What can be done?

Although it's often possible to effect a very rapid improvement with TTouch, it's important to be realistic about how much you can achieve within a certain period of time. Generally, the longer an area of tension has existed, the longer it will take to restore the balance, as the cat will have become very habituated in her pattern of behaviour and movement. Little and often is the key and cats are excellent at teaching you that a little bit of TTouch work goes a very long way. If your cat continues to show extreme concern about being handled your first port of call should be your vet to determine if there are physical problems. Cats are more prone to injury than we think and are more likely to have had an accident that has gone unnoticed as they spend a large part of their time out and about without us. X-rays and health checks on cats in shelters that were extremely reactive to contact have revealed fractures of the spine, tumours or advanced renal failure.

What to look for:

Mouth:

A lot of emotion is carried in the mouth, so it can provide you with a lot of information as to how your cat is feeling. If tight in the mouth, the ability to use the tongue - used for grooming as well as a sensory organ - may be inhibited. Those with very tight mouths are often picky eaters, inclined to be vocal, and are often more likely to bite. When stressed, the whiskers will shoot forward and bristle, but some cats have so much tension in the muzzle that the whiskers may be constantly held in this position. When looking for tension in the mouth however, look for other factors such as the ear and tail set. Some cats naturally carry their whiskers more forward than others so you cannot rely on the set of the whiskers alone to determine whether the cat is concerned.

Eyes:

The eyes are the window to a cats soul. If the eyes are hooded like those of an owl, it can be a sign of stress and trigger reactive behaviour, whilst staring eyes can be a sign of discomfort and/or escalating levels of stress. Very wide pupils can indicate a high degree of concern and that the cat is feeling threatened. Check the iris as well; felines that have suffered a lot of trauma, stress or have underlying health problems may have very blotchy irises. Something that has been well documented in humans by those practising iridology

Forehead:

Very anxious cats are often extremely tight in this area, producing the appearance of wide, staring eyes. If there's a lot of tension over the top of the head it may even feel hot to the touch, and the cat may be very reactive - and just stroking there can trigger such behaviour too.

Ears:

As with most animals, cats use their extremities to impart information; fast twitching ears are a sign of nerves; flattened ears a sign of increasing stress levels and often accompanied by a flattened back. Very taut, alert, pricky ears might indicate that your cat is interested in something, but can also be due to over excitement and arousal. Lack of ear movement may indicate deafness, whilst cold ear tips often accompany cold feet (timidity).

Neck:

Stiffness felt in the neck is often linked to a short, choppy stride when moving, and tension may be present in the back too. It can give rise to issues with having vaccinations; those which are tight in the neck and the jaw may also be difficult to pill.

Shoulders:

Often linked to tension in the neck, and stiff-legged movement, this posture is likely to unintentionally trigger reactive behaviour from other cats as it looks like a stalking/preying/pouncing stance. Sometimes the area between the shoulder blades has a gritty feel; it can occur as a result of getting caught up by a collar, or falling or twisting when descending from a tree or roof. Cats carrying tension and stiffness in the shoulders may be less inclined to groom their faces with their paws because they have lost dexterity through the front limbs; as this can be a de-stressing action, an inability to use it can cause them to become increasingly unhappy and stressed.

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Back: As you check along here, arching of the back, with a gentle flick of the end of the tail are both good indicators of a happy feline, as is a sleek, well cared for coat - a cat which is stiff won't be able to groom properly. Very reactive behaviour when touched, dandruff and scruffiness may be signs of tension present in that area; also rippling the skin and fur, particularly if accompanied by a swishing tail.or raised patches of hair. When distressed, a cat will tend to puff up the fur along it's back and tail; tightness within the skin and underlying muscles can, however, also cause the hair in that area to stand up giving the appearance that she is adopting a defensive/threatening posture, and sending all the wrong messages to other cats. This misinformation also affects how the cat feels herself, as she receives it within her own nervous system.

Observe how your cat sits too; the spine should follow a gentle curve, rather than flattening in an area - those which are notoriously difficult to pick up and handle often have immobile areas of spine. Since cats tend to get picked up a lot, discomfort in the spine or back can cause them to become increasingly defensive in their behaviour towards people.

Hindquarters:

A timid or worried cat will crouch down through her hindquarters and back legs, shrinking down the whole body, just as a person will try to make themselves appear less conspicuous by hunching up and looking smaller. A relaxed happy cat will often roll onto her side or back, but if pain or tension is present in the quarters she may be reluctant to do this, losing the ability to de-stress herself in this way. Tension around the quarters often also goes hand in hand with noise sensitivity and timidity; those who dislike their flanks or bellies being touched may have tension in the back or digestive problems.

Tail:

An extension of the back, the tail can be a mirror of what is happening through the rest of the spine - if a part of it feels stiff or your cat dislikes an area being touched, check again for signs of tension you may have missed noticing in the corresponding area of the back. A tail which kinks off to one side may indicate the hip is dropped on that side. Cats will use their tails a lot to express themselves, so also watch out for a waving tail (increasing stress), constant twitching (tension through the back), gentle twitching at the tip (happy), held high (welcoming), and lashing (get out of the way quick).

Paws & Claws:

Cold feet often accompany timidity or flightiness; sweaty pads can be a sign of stress, in the same way that you might have cold, clammy palms. Cats which dislike having their paws touched may be nervous, also those which tend to claw - one which is relaxed will slowly extend and relax her claws. If they knead excessively when handled, it often indicates they aren't feeling really relaxed about it, although they may be enjoying the company.

Purring:

Not all cats purr, and those that do aren't always expressing contentment! Those which don't are often very tight through the whole body, and especially so in their mouths. Cats can also purr when very stressed, even when dying, and it sounds exactly the same as when they're happy, so don't assume that just because she's doing this when being handled that it's a sign she's enjoying it. View it in context with the rest of her posture, rather than in isolation.

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