Ottawa Veterinary Behaviour Services

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Ottawa, ON
Ottawa Veterinary Behaviour Services

Need help with your pet’s behaviour? Dr. Michelle Nicholson is a vet with a special interest in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine.

She is able to offer virtual consult as well as occasional in person appointments.

05/29/2026

While many cats are comfortable spending time alone, others may find it more difficult. When cats show changes in behaviour around departures, or during time alone, it can be a sign that something about the experience feels stressful.

Some signs your cat may be uncomfortable with alone time include increased vocalization, changes in litter box habits, destructiveness, shifts in appetite or sleep, and overgrooming. These behaviours can have more than one cause, including medical factors or other sources of stress, which is why speaking with a behaviour vet is important.

Understanding what’s driving the behaviour is the first step toward helping your cat feel more comfortable and secure when you’re away. If you’re noticing these patterns and aren’t sure what they mean, we can help you sort through possible causes and next steps.

05/26/2026

From a veterinary perspective, behaviour is closely tied to an animal’s emotional and physical state. Many of the behaviours we see in clinic are influenced by overwhelming feelings or discomfort — not stubbornness, laziness, or dominance.

Because of that, our goal is not to stop behaviour, but to understand what is driving it. Punishment may interrupt behaviour in the moment, but it does not address the underlying cause. In some cases, it can increase stress, reduce communication, and make behaviour more difficult to assess and treat over time.

When we suppress a behaviour, we might actually lose valuable information about the effectiveness of our intervention. All behaviour is feedback to us about how our cat or dog is feeling and coping. Instead, behaviour support should focus on reducing stress, addressing medical contributors, and helping animals develop safer, more sustainable ways to cope with (and thrive in) their environment.

If you’re navigating behaviour challenges and aren’t sure where to start, we can help you build a plan that supports behaviour without compromising wellbeing. Click the link in our bio to learn more.

05/23/2026

Behavioural changes can be an early indication that something doesn’t feel right for a cat. Increased vocalization, changes in litter box use, shifts in sleep, resting spots or appetite, excessive grooming, sensitivity to touch, and changes to social interactions are ways a cat might communicate pain, stress, or underlying health issues.

Cats are very good at masking physical discomfort, so these changes are sometimes mistaken for behaviour problems rather than signs of a medical or physical issue. Looking at behaviour through a medical lens helps us understand what might be physically contributing to changes, especially if these changes are sudden or progressive for your cat.

When we address discomfort, like pain, illness, or another physical stressor, behaviour change can follow. If you’ve noticed changes in your cat and aren’t sure what they might mean, we can help you look at the full picture and decide on next steps.

05/20/2026

Many pets trial more than one medication before they find the right fit. Medication trials are a normal part of finding the most effective support for your pet.

Just like in human medicine, there isn’t always a single medication that works for every individual. There are a lot of options available to treat one single condition. It can take time, observation, and a few adjustments to find the option — or combination — that fits your pet best.

We have research on which drugs best support your pet’s condition, but your individual pet may respond better to the second or third option they trial. While we try different medications, we’re watching closely, making changes, and using your pet’s response to guide next steps.

Assessing whether or not a medication is supporting your pet in the best way is part of the behaviour change process. If you’re wondering whether it’s time to have your pet’s medication plan reviewed, let's connect.

05/14/2026

Exercise doesn’t need to be fast or high-impact to be effective. Especially indoors, it is important to choose physical activities that support safe movement, rather than the ones that get your dog running the most. This helps reduce the risk of injury while still meeting physical and mental needs.

Activities like (thoughtful!) tug, scavenger hunts, simple strength and mobility exercises, and search games provide outlets for movement, problem-solving, and natural behaviours. But they have the added benefit of encouraging movement that is either slow, or stationary, which means no repeated slipping and sliding, sharp turns, abrupt stops, or collisions.

For dogs who currently are not doing walks for exercise, these indoor activities work the body comfortably, but also support regulation and focus. Save this post to get some low-impact exercise suggestions the next time your dog needs to get their wiggles out through indoor activities!

05/11/2026

Indoor exercise can be a helpful option for many dogs, especially when outdoor environments feel overwhelming. But indoor play poses some challenges that we don’t encounter in natural, outdoor spaces.

Playing inside often means slippery flooring, limited space, obstacles, and repetitive movement. For dogs, this can cause repeated slipping, scrambling, or abruptly stopping to avoid bumping into furniture or walls while playing. Overtime, these maneuvers can lead to strain on your dog’s body.

For dogs who are already dealing with stress or behaviour challenges, physical discomfort can lower tolerance and influence how they respond to their environment. Looking at how and where a dog is moving is an important part of supporting behaviour and overall wellbeing.

Save this post for the next time you want to do indoor play with your dog, and stay tuned for a second post on indoor activity suggestions that reduce risk of injury.

04/28/2026

Scratching is not something cats do to be destructive. It’s a normal behaviour that serves several important purposes.

Cats scratch to stretch, maintain their claws, mark territory, and regulate stress. Because of that, the goal usually isn’t to stop scratching. It’s an important behaviour for your cat to perform. But that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your couch to fulfill their scratching needs.

There are plenty of ways we can provide cats with appropriate scratching options that are more appealing than the couch. Texture, height, stability, and location all matter. Some cats prefer vertical surfaces, others horizontal, and many have strong preferences about material. To encourage use, put scratchers where your cat already spends time, especially near resting areas, common pathways, or places where stress tends to show up.

What’s your cat’s favourite thing to scratch, other than the couch?

04/23/2026

Play is an incredible part of behaviour support for many pets. How play is offered matters just as much as how often it happens. Using appropriate toys, ensuring your pet is enjoying play, allowing animals to “win”, and ending play sessions in a calm, predictable way can reduce frustration and support emotional regulation.

Well-structured play is so much more than enrichment. It’s also a preventative tool that supports wellbeing, lowers stress, builds confidence and positive mood, and helps pets interact more safely with the people around them.

How does your pet like to play? Let us know in the comments!

04/20/2026

We want dogs to love their muzzles, and that begins with ensuring a comfortable fit. A muzzle should allow a dog to breathe comfortably, pant fully, drink water, and take treats without restriction. Proper fit matters because a muzzle that is too tight, too short, or unstable can create unnecessary discomfort and make stressful situations harder rather than easier.

A well-fitted muzzle sits securely without rubbing, stays clear of the eyes, and leaves enough room at the front so the nose does not press against the end. For many dogs, the right fit and careful conditioning can make a significant difference in how comfortable they feel wearing their muzzle.

When introduced thoughtfully, muzzles are a safety tool. If you think your dog might benefit from muzzle training, we’re happy to talk you through sizing, fitting, and conditioning a muzzle. ❤️

04/15/2026

Enrichment is often thought of as something we offer when a pet seems bored, but its effects go much deeper than simple entertainment. Activities that encourage sniffing, licking, chewing, scratching, foraging, and problem-solving help many pets emotionally regulate using behaviours that come naturally to them.

When enrichment is offered at the right level of challenge, it can reduce stress, improve confidence, and provide meaningful outlets for instinctual behaviour. Many behaviour concerns are influenced by unmet needs, frustration, or a lack of appropriate ways to interact with the environment. A robust enrichment plan isn’t extra. It goes hand-in-hand with behaviour modification.

What types of activities does your pet find enriching? Do you see changes in their behaviour when they have access to these activities?

Address

Ottawa, ON
K2P0K8

Telephone

+16134545818

Website

http://ottawavetbehaviour.ca/

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