Cats are TRAUMATIZED by abuse, as ANY human or other animal would be. ABUSE causes emotional and mental scars -- there is NO “undoing” it -- only hopeful HEALING, if possible. It's NOT about conscious “forgiveness” -- it's about FEAR, pain, loss of trust in others.
“Cats don't forgive, and once they realize a person is causing them anxiety or hurt, they keep away.” So says John Bradshaw, an anthrozoologist at Bristol University and author of “Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet.”
Most animals that are being abused give tell-tale signs in their behavior. Commonly, the cats are described as seeming "cowed", hunkering down with dilated eyes, glancing around for an escape route.
Animal abuse, or animal cruelty is the crime of inflicting physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, usually a tame one, beyond necessity for normal discipline. It can include neglect that is so monstrous (withholding food and water) that the animal has suffered, died or been put in imminent danger of death.
Problems and Proofing Behavior
It is important that you never physically hurt your cat. This includes spanking, hitting, kicking, or hurting your cat intentionally. Attempting to teach a cat a lesson through physical means does not work and can actually lead to more disruptive, even aggressive, behavior.
Hitting or shaking your cat can scare them, create hand-shyness or potentially cause harm. You're more likely to experience these unintended consequences than to teach a lesson.
Of course, your cat may understand that the change in your volume means something is different, but yelling may scare your cat or call too much attention to negative behaviours. Yelling may cause your cat to feel stressed and anxious, which can cause additional misbehaviour. Don't rub your cat's nose in an accident.
Pushing or throwing your cat in frustration can harm her, both physically and in spirit. Always handle your cat with gentle care, and your cat is more likely to respond to your wishes.
Veterinarians have many tools available for evaluating animals suspected of having been abused: forensic clinical examinations, blood testing, urinalyses, cytology, diagnostic imaging, and forensic postmortem examinations.
Cats are one of the most common animals to be abused and mistreated. It is estimated that every minute there is an animal being mistreated. State laws try to prevent this abuse and some areas of the U.S. are better than others. Don't turn a blind eye to animal abuse if you see it.
Overhead movements or certain noises may frighten an abused cat, triggering a long-term memory of prior trauma. It's possible your cat will carry that unpleasant memory for the rest of his life. On a more positive note, cats are able to remember their cat parents, even when they've gone away for a time and return.
PTSD in cats is an anxiety disorder that can develop following exposure to a terrifying event or situation in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. This disorder can cause cats to change their behaviors drastically.
They can have it from abuse, abandonment, loss of an owner, and a life-threatening disaster. Treating a cat with severe PTSD should be done under the supervision of a professional. A veterinary behaviourist can make an accurate evaluation to determine the best course of action to take.
You can apologize to your cat by spending time with it. This could be as simple as reading a book or listening to music next to your cat, or giving him a nice, long petting session. It could also mean that you have to set aside some time to play with your cat.
There is no definitive answer as to how long your cat will do this. For many cats, minor misdemeanors seem to fall in the short-term memory category so it is likely all will be forgiven within a few hours to days. Kittens have a relatively short memory and can appear to be more forgiving than older cats.
It's clear that both negative and positive experiences can make a lasting imprint on our dog's mind, so traumatic events are certain to make an impact as well. Dogs may not fully understand their trauma and the details of how it occurred, but their brain will forever remember how they felt in that moment.
Animal abuse and animal cruelty are often used as interchangeable terms. However, animal cruelty more specifically describes physical abuse to animals. Actions such as neglect, while cruel, do not have a directly physical impact on the animal and thus are considered part of the wider category of animal abuse.
Because animal cruelty is a crime, we recommend that you first report any suspected abuse to the local police or sheriff. If you suspect an act of cruelty is presently occurring or will soon occur, and feel that emergency action is warranted to prevent serious injury or death to an animal, call 911.
It's often possible to discipline a cat out of these types of annoying behaviors by clapping your hands, raising your voice, or using an air spray. It's not a good idea, however, to discipline your cat by hitting it, frightening it, grabbing it by the scruff of the neck, or other negative methods.
These all cause psychological scars that can lead to the formation of PTSD, which may manifest months, even years, after the traumatic event. Sadly, even some dogs and cats that have lived for long periods of time in shelter environments have been shown to exhibit PTSD symptoms.
Research finds a clear and compelling link between animal abuse and other violent acts. Animal abuse does not only hurt animals; it affects our entire community. Animal abuse has a strong connection to domestic violence. Dogs and cats are often used by abusers as pawns to manipulate and control their victims.
Spraying your cat with water can make her uncomfortable
Spano explained. “[So] equating the discomfort a human feels upon being spritzed with water to the discomfort a cat feels upon being spritzed with water is unfair and not rational.”
Cats don't feel guilt. They do feel connected to us. And there are certain behaviours that show us they still think of us as part of their social group.