Is My Pet Normal?

Throughout my career, I have had many people believe their cat or dog is plagued with something that only exists in the mind of the owner. As such, what's normal behavior often comes into question.

My answer: this depends on what you call normal or abnormal behavior. We do not know the total percentage of groups with interaction disorders since many people are unaware of their dysfunctions. Indeed, pet owners subjectively perceive the pet-deviant behavior phenomenon. We interviewed 44 cat owners and 44 dog owners in order to spot deviant behavior in their pets. We asked, “Do you think your cat/dog has any behavioral issues?”

Owners of 20 cats and 14 dogs pointed out certain deviations in their pets’ behavior. Cat owners, in most cases, mentioned aggression, motor stereotypes, and relieving themselves at home. Dog owners also mentioned aggression, motor stereotypes, and anxiety. Owners of six cats mentioned fear of strangers. When all the cat owners were once again asked if their pets were afraid of strangers, another five cats joined the group, simply because their owners did not initially see their fear as deviant.

Similarly, two dog owners mentioned their pets’ hyperactivity and hypervocalization. When all the dog owners were asked if they had noticed hyperactivity and unmotivated barking, another three dogs with similar behaviors were identified.

There is a tendency for people to only notice a “problem” only after other people discuss their issues. This is somewhat like “groupthink” in which everyone in a group strives to conform. How does this affect pets? Well, people may believe that their pet is abnormal and seek unnecessary treatment.