Some shelters are pioneering "behavioral first aid." Instead of labeling a cat as "feral" (untouchable), they use pharmacological intervention: a one-time dose of gabapentin makes the cat tractable for a veterinary exam, vaccines, and neutering. Once the painful underlying condition (e.g., a fractured tooth or infected uterus) is treated, the "feral" behavior often vanishes, revealing a scared but adoptable cat. This is veterinary science correcting behavior by fixing the body.

The next frontier of animal behavior and veterinary science is data. We are entering the era of precision ethology.

The reverse pathway is equally important: medical conditions can directly cause or exacerbate behavioral problems.