How Do You Know if Your Cat Is Autistic
One of the things that we love nearly about our cats is how much like united states they ofttimes are. Whether it's the demand for affection and companionship or a deep desire to play, cats and humans take much in common.
This causes people to look for connections that may or may not be at that place. I such connectedness is behavioral weather condition found in humans; in one case you're familiar with these weather condition and their symptoms, you may get-go seeing them everywhere — even in your cat.
Many cat owners take wondered if their kitty can be autistic. Indeed, there is some overlap betwixt behaviors plant on the autism spectrum and those often exhibited by cats, but does that truly hateful that cats can be autistic?
Read on to discover out.
What is Autism, Exactly?
Autism isn't one single status; rather, it represents a range of weather condition marked past issues with speech, social skills, nonverbal advice, and repetitive behaviors. There tin be a huge difference in the type and severity of those issues, however, and one person's symptoms may be radically different from another's.
This is why many experts prefer the term "autism spectrum" (or the clinical term, "autism spectrum disorder") to "autistic." Autism isn't a cut-and-dry disorder, and some people only take to deal with slight issues, while others may need pregnant care their unabridged lives.
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability, and it affects a person'southward learning, thinking, and trouble-solving abilities. There usually aren't any physical clues that someone may be on the spectrum, which makes it difficult to diagnose and can cause issues for those on the spectrum, as many people have no idea that the person whom they're talking to may exist dealing with behavioral challenges.
There are quite a few behaviors that may be present in someone on the spectrum — besides many to talk over with any depth in this curt article — but here are a few that can often exist constitute in cats as well:
- Having trouble relating to others
- Avoiding eye contact and wanting to exist left alone
- Non wanting to be held, touched, or cuddled
- Being interested in others but unable to communicate or play effectively with them
- Repeating the same deportment over and over again
- Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine
For more than information about Autism, delight visit Autism Parenting Magazine.
When it comes to the question of whether cats tin be autistic, let'south come across what the science says.
Tin Cats Be on the Spectrum?
Autism spectrum disorder is a mental condition, and while cats can suffer from mental weather like obsessive-compulsive disorder, there is currently no evidence that suggests that cats tin can be on the autism spectrum. Instead, most of the seemingly autistic behaviors that felines showroom are just cats beingness cats.
It seems that most of the mental issues experienced past cats are direct linked to physical causes, such as injury, illnesses, or birth defects. Autism, on the other hand, is largely linked to genetic risk factors, although environmental risk factors (such equally complications during pregnancy) tin also play a role.
It's important to empathise every bit well that your cat'due south behavior toward you, other people, and other animals comes with different expectations than inter-homo behavior. It makes sense that a cat might exist standoffish and aloof toward a foreign human; afterwards all, they could be a potential threat.
Many cats tin get away with behavior similar this, even if they tend to lash out violently, because they're cute and humans wait that beliefs from them. If a person acts this way toward other people, however, this behavior volition be labeled aberrant and attempts volition exist made to correct information technology.
As a event, in that location are more consequences for autistic behavior in humans than in animals. A person who doesn't like to brand center contact or struggles to communicate with others could be at a major disadvantage in life; a cat who acts that way may just be considered a fine representative of their species.
What About Enhanced Intelligence?
One potential past-production of being on the autism spectrum is enhanced abilities in fields like math or music. While this brilliance is relatively rare and oftentimes dramatically overstated in pop culture, it'southward ordinarily one of the beginning things that many people think of when they remember most autism.
Some of those same people will notice their cats performing amazing feats of intelligence and assume that they must have an autistic true cat on their hands.
All it explains, however, is that cats are intelligent creatures (and often food-motivated). Some breeds, such equally Abyssinians and Birmans, are especially known for beingness smart, so if you accept either of those, you may oftentimes exist impressed by their brains.
That doesn't brand them autistic, though, even when paired with a dislike for affection or difficulties communicating.
What About Repetitive Behaviors?
Some people on the autism spectrum are prone to exhibiting repetitive behaviors, such equally fidgeting with objects, rocking their trunk, or strictly adhering to certain traits and rituals. They can besides become fixated on certain interests, such as train schedules or sports statistics.
These behaviors may sound familiar if yous own a cat. Some cats are decumbent to obsessive behaviors like overgrooming, sucking on fabric, and chasing objects that may or may not exist visible to us.
These behaviors exercise not hateful your cat is on the autism spectrum, however. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is something that can touch on cats, likewise as humans, and it's typically what causes farthermost repetitive beliefs in cats. Obsessive-compulsive disorder can exist caused by anything from stress to chasing laser pointers.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder in cats tin be a serious outcome, and information technology'south definitely something that yous should talk to your vet nigh. It'southward not a sign of autism, yet.
You might also be interested in: Tin can Cats Take Down's syndrome?
- Come across also: Are Cats Self-Aware? Practise They Sympathize Mirrors & Their Self-Reflection?
What'southward the Verdict? Tin can Cats Have Autism?
While cats can often display some of the aforementioned behaviors plant by people on the autism spectrum, there'due south no reason to think that they suffer from the disorder. Instead, those behaviors are just signs that your cat is being themselves.
Unless your cat'due south behaviors are causing them (or you) physical or emotional harm, there's zilch to worry about. That'south not to say that you lot shouldn't check in on the other furry members of your household, however, considering there is some show that dogs tin can be autistic.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay
Source: https://excitedcats.com/can-cats-be-autistic/
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