The behavior may become a mechanism for coping when the cat is confronted with conditions that conflict with its needs, and owners may be unintentionally reinforcing the behavior by giving the cat attention or food when it behaves compulsively.Īge and gender do not seem to be factors in compulsive behavior. The behaviors may reinforce themselves due to the release of pain-relieving chemicals in the brain. If it continues over a long period of time, it may become fixed behavior that no longer requires the situation or environmental trigger that started the behavior in the first place. For example, grooming to the extent that fur is rubbed off compulsive pacing repetitive vocalizations and eating, sucking, or chewing on fabric. This is a behavioral disorder where a cat will engage in repetitive, exaggerated behaviors that are seemingly without purpose.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Cats
