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Frustration is often associated
with a state of agitation or high emotion. Feline
frustration is obvious when a cat watching prey
from behind a window chatters its teeth. The teeth
chattering is a frustrated form of the neck bit
the cat would have used to kill the prey. A cat
which has lost a fight to another cat may lash out
at its owner or may flee from a familiar
person.
The cat's body is still full of
adrenaline and primed for fight or flight. Any
approach from even a familiar person may trigger a
fear or fight response. Similarly, it may attack
other cats in the household. Female cats with a
frustrated maternal instinct may abduct and
protect another cat's kittens, other small animals
or kitten-like inanimate objects such as slippers.
Cats are wild creatures at heart, designed and
programmed for outdoor life. In modern indoor
cats, an owner must provide a stimulating
environment to reduce feline frustration. Playing
provides an outlet for predatory behavior and
produces satisfaction in return.
Other
Basic Emotions
There are a number of other basic emotions
which are recognized in humans and in cats. These
produce physiological responses and are varying
degrees of , or combinations of, the six basic
emotions. These include (but are not limited to):
 Stress
Stress
results from continued unhappiness where
there is no escape from the stimulus. It
affects the immune system, reducing the
immune response. Continued elevation of
adrenaline adversely affects other organs.
Different animals have different stress
levels. Some cats are nervous and more
easily stressed than others.
Depression
Also a form of continue unhappiness including
unhappiness due to pain. The chemical effects in
brain can lead to withdrawal to the point where
the animal loses the will to live. Depression can
override survival instincts.
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