Maddie's Insights: Early life stressors and the behavior and physiology of rescue kittens (On demand)

Recorded On: 03/12/2026

Maddie's® Insights are monthly webcasts with practical tips based on current research to help pets and people.  

Across species, early-life stressors, such as inadequate nutrition, maternal separation, unreliable access to shelter, threats/abuse, and disease, profoundly affect brain development and behavior. Research has shown these stressors can impair cognitive, emotional, and social functions as well as alter the body's stress response systems, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In kittens specifically, early nutritional stress and maternal separation have been linked to learning deficits, abnormal fear responses, increased aggression, and altered play behavior.

At the end of this webinar, you will :
- be able to identify several different examples of early life stressors
- understand why hair cortisol concentration (HCC) may be useful to measure
- be able to provide potential reasons for high and low HCC
- understand why relative telomere length (RTL) is measured
- be able to provide potential causes for shortened telomeres
- be able to provide examples of how early life stressors were associated with the behaviours that rescue kittens displayed during testing

Presenter:
Jennifer Vernick, DVM, Behavioural Medicine Resident at Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI

This webinar has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (CAWA) and by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). It has also been approval for 1 hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval until 2/23/2028. Complete the quiz to earn a certificate of attendance to use for CAWA and NACA. 

Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/InsightsMarch2026

keywords  Maddie's Insights, rescue kittens, kitten behavior, kitten health, Jennifer Vernick

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Maddie's Insights: Early life stressors and the behavior and physiology of rescue kittens (On Demand)
Recorded 03/12/2026  |  55 minutes
Recorded 03/12/2026  |  55 minutes
You must register to access.
Quiz for continuing education certificates
5 Questions  |  3 attempts  |  4/5 points to pass
5 Questions  |  3 attempts  |  4/5 points to pass Take this short quiz to earn continuing education credit.
You must register to access.
Certificate for RACE CE
1.00 RACE CE credit  |  Certificate available
1.00 RACE CE credit  |  Certificate available RACE CE
You must register to access.
Certificate - CAWA and NACA CE
1.00 CAWA CE, NACA CE credit  |  Certificate available
1.00 CAWA CE, NACA CE credit  |  Certificate available
You must register to access.
Have questions or comments about this presentation?
Recorded 03/12/2026  |  60 minutes
Recorded 03/12/2026  |  60 minutes View resources and continue the discussion with the presenter on Maddie's Pet Forum https://maddies.fund/InsightsMarch2026
You must register to access.

Jennifer Vernick, DVM

Behavioural Medicine Resident

Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI

Jennifer Vernick, DVM is a Behavioral Medicine Resident at Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI.  Jennifer has eight years of diverse veterinary experience spanning emergency medicine, primary care, and large animal practice, combined with a dedication to client education and compassionate, kind, evidence-based patient care. She specializes in behavioral medicine and clinical research, focusing on early-life stressors and anxiety-based pathologies in puppies and kittens. Currently, she is completing a dual residency in Behavioral Medicine (ACVB-approved) and PhD in Animal Behaviour at the Atlantic Veterinary College under the mentorship of Dr. Karen Overall. Her proven expertise in clinical case management, psychopharmacology, and translating research findings into evidence-based treatment protocols is evident a numerous peer-reviewed veterinary journals.