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Article: Cat Behaviour

Social Behaviour Notes

Reference: Leyhausen, P. (1979). Cat Behaviour: The Predatory & Social Behaviour of Domestic & Wild Cats. New York, New York: Garland Publishing Inc. p 164-216

Ideal and friendly encounter between strange cats^[1]:

Cats sniff nose to nose with head and neck extended

ears are front facing and pointed up

they sniff and feel with whiskers, to finally smell the anal region

They both circle each other in attempts to smell the other's anal region, eventually one cat allows the other to smell anal region and the other then reciprocates.

Not ideal or friendly encounter between strange cats:

one cat approaches other cat too fast, which initiates a defensive reaction

defensive cat lowers body to ground, ears flatten, and it looks up slightly at other cat

if other cat makes a motion to smell or approach defensive cat, then the defensive cat will hiss and hit other cat with paw on the nose.

Usually defensive cat runs away

if cat does not run a fight may occur

Tomcat Duels:

Reference: Beadle, M. (1977). The Cat: History, Biology, and Behaviour. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster. p 100-111

Cats pick fights rarely

When they do they are intense

Screaming and spitting, ears flatten and back, hair on end

Will charge an intruder

females fight to defend territory or protect a litter

males fight for territory and/or a mate^[2]

Reference: Spotte, S. (2014). Free-Ranging Cats: Behaviour, Ecology, & Management. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. p 49-59

Cats were thought to be solitary but under certain circumstances they may be seen in a groups

depends on location and food availability^[3].

Reference: Turner, D. C., & Bateson, P. (1988). The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p 112-113

Hunting behaviour in domestic cats:

2 hunting styles: sit and wait, and stalking^[4]

Section of article to be worked on (Copied from Wikipedia page)

Socialization

Some kittens are naturally afraid of people at first, but if handled and well cared for in the first 16 weeks, they become friendly with the humans who care for them. They often engage in play-fighting, with non-aggressive biting, chewing, scratching, and rapidly repetitive leg-kicking.

Feral kittens around two to seven weeks old can be socialized usually within a month of capture.^[5] This period of time is the kitten's socialization period and is the only time a cat can socialize with humans.^[5] Some species of cats cannot be socialized towards humans because of factors like genetic influence and in some cases specific learning experiences.^[5] The best way to get a kitten to socialize is to handle the kitten for about 5 hours a week according to some studies.^[5] The process is made easier if there is another socialized cat present but not necessarily in the same space as the feral. If the handler can get a cat to urinate in the litter tray, then the others in a litter will usually follow. Initial contact with thick gloves is highly recommended until trust is established, usually within the first week. It is a challenge to socialize an adult. Socialized adult feral cats tend to trust only those who they trusted in their socialization period, and therefore can be very fearful around strangers.^[5]

Cats can be extremely friendly companions. Cats become social between the second and seventh week of life. During this time, social skills are developed.^[6] Kittens are curious creatures and treat many objects as toys. Supplying toys and climbing poles helps to keep them occupied while they are being slowly socialized.

Cats sometimes are shy and fearful, and may express aggression around people. This is often a result of lack of socialization, especially when cats are young.^[7] Cats relate to humans differently from dogs, spending some time on their own each day as well as time with humans.

Cats have a strong "escape" instinct. Attempts to corner, capture or herd a cat can thus provoke powerful fear-based escape behaviour such that the colloquial term 'herding cats' is sometimes used to describe an unfeasibly difficult or time consuming challenge. Socialization is a process of learning that many humans can be trusted. When a human extends a hand slowly towards the cat, to enable the cat to sniff the hand, this seems to start the process.^{[citation needed]}

There is a widespread belief that relationships between dogs and cats are problematic. However, both species can develop amicable relationships. The order of adoption may also cause significant differences in their relationship. Sometimes, the dog may be simply looking to play with the cat while the cat may feel threatened by this approach and lash out with its claws, causing injury. Such an incident may cause an irreversible animosity between the cat and dog.

First Draft of Article

Socialization

Socialization is defined as a member of a specific group learning to be part of that said group.^[8] It is said to be a continuous learning process that allows an individual to learn the necessary skills and behaviours required for a particular social position.^[9]

Cats, domestic or wild, do participate in social behaviours, even though it is thought that cats (besides lions) are solitary, anti-social animals.^[3] Under certain circumstances, such as food availability, shelter, or protection, cats can be seen in groups.^[3]

The social behaviours that cats participate in are colony organization, social learning, dominance and social conflicts, and socialization with humans.

Colony Organization

In Lions

Lions are the most well known wild cat that form very prominent colonies, known as prides. The social structure of these prides are very interesting. Within prides, the female lions play a crucial role. They form the center of the pride along with their young.^[1] They are also responsible for hunting and feeding the members of the pride.^[1] Male lions are in small numbers, about 2 - 5, are present in a pride and are around for reproduction and defensive purposes.^[1]

The number of members within a pride stay constant. Young male and female lions only get to stay in the pride to make up numbers that have dwindled from death.^[1] Female lions that are kicked out of their original pride roam alone in search for territory to start her own pride or to find a pride low in numbers that will take her in.^[1] Females within a pride are better protected and this protection allows for better hunting efforts^[10] ensuring survival. Male lions that are kicked out usually stick together in groups and search for a female pride in need of males or they will compete with other males for their pride.^[1]

In Free Living Domestic Cats

Free living domestic cats tend to form small to large colonies^[11] Small colonies consist of one female, known as a queen, and her kittens. Large colonies consist of several queens and their kittens.^[11] Male cats are present in both types of colonies and serve the purpose of reproduction and defending territory. Within these colonies altruistic behaviour occurs. This means that if an expecting queen helps another queen that just gave birth, then the helping queen will get help when she gives birth in return^[11]

Although free living cats are found in colonies. Stable social order, like that of the lion, does not exist.^[3] Free living cats usually are found in colonies for protection against predators, and food availability.^[3] Although there are many advantages of group living, such as easy access to mates, and defensive measures to protect food, there are also disadvantages such as, sexual competitions for mates, and if the group becomes too big then fights may break out over food. ^[11]

Social Learning

Cats are observational learners.^[11]^[12] This type of learning emerges early in a cats life,^[13] and has been shown in many laboratory studies. Young kittens learn to hunt from their mothers by observing their techniques when catching prey.^[11] The mother ensures their kittens learn hunting techniques by first bringing dead prey to the litter, than live prey. With the live prey, she demonstrates the techniques required for successful capture to her kittens. Once this is done, she then brings live prey to the litter for the kittens to catch themselves.^[11] Prey-catching behaviour of kittens improves over time when mothers are present over when they are not. ^[14]

Observational learning for cats can be described in the terms of the drive to complete the behaviour, the cue that initiates the behaviour, the response to the cue, and the reward for completing the behaviour.^[13] This is shown above when cats learn predatory behaviour from their mothers. The drive is hunger, the cue is the prey, the response is to catch the prey, and the reward is to relieve the hunger sensation.

Kittens also show observational learning when they are socializing with humans. They are more likely to initiate socialization with humans when their mothers are exhibiting non-aggressive and non-defensive behaviours.^[11] Even though mothers spend most time with their kittens, male cats play an important role by breaking up fights among litter mates.^[11]

Observational learning is not limited to kitten-hood, it can also be observed during adulthood. Studies have been done with adult cats performing task, such as pressing a lever after a visual cue.^[12] Adult cats that see others performing the tasks, learn to perform the same task faster than those who did not witness another cat.^[12]

Socialization between Cats

When strange cats meet, ideally they would cautiously allow the strange cat to smell its hindquarters, but this does not happen very often.^[1] Usually when strange cats meet, one cat makes a sudden movement that puts the other cat into a defensive mode. The cat will then draw in on itself and prepare to attack if needed.^[1] If an attack were to happen the subordinate cat will usually run away, but this does not happen all the time and it could lead to a tomcat duel.^[1] Dominance is also seen as an underlying factor for how conspecifics interact with each other.

Dominance

Dominance can be seen among cats in multi-cat households. It can be seen when other cats submit to the "dominant" cat. Behaviours such as walking around the dominant cat, waiting for the dominant cat to walk pass, avoiding eye contact, and retreating when the dominant cat approaches.^[11] Dominant cats present a specific body posture as well. The cat displays ears straight up, the base of its tail will be arched, and it looks directly at subordinate cats.^[11] These dominant cats are usually not aggressive, but if a subordinate cat blocks food they will become aggressive.^[2] When this aggressive behaviour occurs it could also lead to the dominant cat preventing subordinate cats from eating and using the litter box.^[11] This can cause the subordinate cat to defecate somewhere else and create problems with human interaction.^[11]

Social Conflicts

Social conflicts among cats depends solely on the behaviour of the cat. Some research has shown that cats rarely pick fights, but when they do its usually for protecting food and/or litters, and defending territory.^[2]

The first sign of a tom cat duel is when both cat draws themselves up high on their legs, all hair along the middle of their backs are standing straight up, and they mew and howl loudly as they approach one another.^[1] The steps the cats make become slower and shorter the closer they become to one another. Once they are close enough to attack, they pause slightly, and then one cat leaps and tries to bite the nape of the other cat.^[1] The other cat has no choice but to retaliate and both cats are rolling aggressively on the ground, and loud intense screams come from both cats.^[1] Before you know it both cats separate and stand face to face to begin the attack all over again. This can go on for some time until one cat does not get up again and remains seated.^[1] The defeated cat does not move until the victor has completed a sniff of the area and moves outside the fighting area. Once this happens the defeated cat leaves the area ending the duel.^[1]

Socialization with Humans

Humans and cats have a long history starting back with the ancient Egyptians, who were the first to domesticate cats.^[15]

Cats between the age of three to nine weeks are sensitive to human socialization^[4], after this period socialization can less effective.^[15] Studies have shown that the earlier the kitten is handled, the less fearful the kitten will be towards humans.^[15] Other factors that can enhance the socialization are having many people handle the kitten frequently, the presence of the mother, and feeding.^[4]^[15] The presence of the mother is important because cats are observational learners. If the mother is comfortable around humans then it can reduce anxiety in the kitten and promote the kitten-human relationship.^[4]

For Feral kittens around two to seven weeks old can be socialized usually within a month of capture.^[5] Some species of cats cannot be socialized towards humans because of factors like genetic influence and in some cases specific learning experiences.^[5] The best way to get a kitten to socialize is to handle the kitten for many hours a week.^[5] The process is made easier if there is another socialized cat present but not necessarily in the same space as the feral. If the handler can get a cat to urinate in the litter tray, then the others in a litter will usually follow. Initial contact with thick gloves is highly recommended until trust is established, usually within the first week. It is a challenge to socialize an adult. Socialized adult feral cats tend to trust only those who they trusted in their socialization period, and therefore can be very fearful around strangers.^[5]

Cats are also used for companion animals. Studies have shown that these animals provide many physiological and psychological benefits for the owner.^[15] Other aspects of cat behaviour that are deemed advantageous for the human-cat bond are cat hygiene (cats are known for good hygiene)^[16], they do not have to be taken outside (use of the litter box), they are perfect for smaller spaces, and they have no problems with being left alone for extended periods of time.^[15] Even though there are a number of benefits for owning a cat, there are a number of problematic behaviours that affect the human-cat relationship. One behaviour is when cats attack people by clawing and biting.^[12] This often occurs all of a sudden or could be triggered by sudden movements.^[12] Another problematic behaviour is the 'petting and biting syndrome', which involves the cat being pet and then suddenly attacking and running away.^[12] Other problems are house soiling, scratching furniture, and when a cat brings dead prey into the house.^[16] It is because of these kinds of behaviours that puts a strain on the socialization between cats and people.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Leyhausen, Paul (1979). Cat Behaviour: The Predatory & Social Behaviour of Domestic & Wild Cats. New York, New York: Garland Publishing Inc. pp. 164–216, 227–231. ISBN 0-8240-7017-8.
^ ^a ^b ^c Beadle, Muriel (1977). The Cat: History, Biology, and Behaviour. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 100–111. ISBN 0-671-22451-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Spotte, Stephen (2014). Free-Ranging Cats: Behaviour, Ecology, & Management. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. pp. 49–59. ISBN 978-1-118-88401-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Turner, Dennis C.; Bateson, Patrick (1988). The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 112–113, 159–168. ISBN 0-521-35447-1.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Casey, Rachel; Bradshaw, John (November 2008). "The effects of additional socialisation for kittens in a rescue centre on their behaviour and suitability as a pet". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 114 (1–2): 196–205. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.01.003.
^ "Socializing Your Kitten". ASPCA. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
^ "Shy or Fearful Cats". WebMD. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
^ "Socialization". Encyclopedia Britannica. October 18, 2018.
^ "Socialization". Dictionary.com. October 18, 2018.
^ Haas, S. K.; Hayssen, V; Krausman, P. R. (2005). "Panthera leo". Mammalian Species. 762 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2005)762[0001:PL]2.0.0.CO (inactive 2022-06-09).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of June 2022 (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Crowell-Davis, Sharon, L. (2007). "Cat Behaviour: Social Organization, Communication, & Development". The Welfare of Cats. Netherlands: Springer, Dordrecht. ISBN 978-1-4020-3227-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bradshaw, John W. S. (1992). The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat. Wallingford: CAB International. pp. 78, 198–200. ISBN 0-85198-715-X.
^ ^a ^b Alder, H.E. (1955). "Some Factors of Observational Learning". The Journal of Genetic Psychology. 86 (1): 159–177. doi:10.1080/00221325.1955.10532903. PMID 14354164. ProQuest 1297110751 – via ProQuest.
^ Caro, T. M. (1980). "Effects of the Mother, Object Play, and Adult Experience on Predation in Cats". Behavioural and Neural Biology. 29 (1): 29–51. doi:10.1016/S0163-1047(80)92456-5. PMID 7387584 – via Science Direct.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bernstein, Penny L. (2007). "The Human-Cat Relationship". The Welfare of Cats. Springer, Dordrecht. pp. 47–89. ISBN 978-1-4020-3227-1.
^ ^a ^b Heath, Sarah E. (2007). "Behaviour Problems and Welfare". The Welfare of Cats. Springer, Dordrecht. pp. 91–107. ISBN 978-1-4020-3227-1.

Peer Review

Going forward you should focus on increasing content more specifically related to course content, specifically the “social learning” section.

Some specific pointers:

•You should work on removing filler statements such as “throughout this section we will explore the complexities and simplicities of cat social behaviours”.

•You should define ambiguous terms such as “advantageous location”.

•Be careful about using words such as pretty or very. They imply an opinion. For example, “the number of members within a pride stay pretty constant”.

•If you’re going to state “some studies” you’ll need more than one source. For example, “the best way to get a kitten to socialize is to handle the kitten for about 5 hours a week according to some studies”.

•Cite the original paper not the textbook: “Studies have shown that the earlier the kitten is handled, the less fearful the kitten will be towards humans”.

•Avoid imparting emotion into your article “tom cat duels are quite a sight to be seen”.

•You should try to increase the number of peer reviewed articles in your reference list. Currently only two out of fourteen are peer reviewed.

•You might benefit from 3rd order headings.
For example:

Colony Organization

In Lions

In Free Living Domestic Cats

[:1-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Leyhausen, Paul (1979). Cat Behaviour: The Predatory & Social Behaviour of Domestic & Wild Cats. New York, New York: Garland Publishing Inc. pp. 164–216, 227–231. ISBN 0-8240-7017-8.

[:4-2] Beadle, Muriel (1977). The Cat: History, Biology, and Behaviour. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster. pp. 100–111. ISBN 0-671-22451-4.

[:0-3] Spotte, Stephen (2014). Free-Ranging Cats: Behaviour, Ecology, & Management. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. pp. 49–59. ISBN 978-1-118-88401-0.

[:5-4] Turner, Dennis C.; Bateson, Patrick (1988). The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 112–113, 159–168. ISBN 0-521-35447-1.

[auto-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Casey, Rachel; Bradshaw, John (November 2008). "The effects of additional socialisation for kittens in a rescue centre on their behaviour and suitability as a pet". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 114 (1–2): 196–205. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.01.003.

[auto1-6] "Socializing Your Kitten". ASPCA. Retrieved October 23, 2014.

[7] "Shy or Fearful Cats". WebMD. Retrieved 2017-01-29.

[8] "Socialization". Encyclopedia Britannica. October 18, 2018.

[9] "Socialization". Dictionary.com. October 18, 2018.

[10] Haas, S. K.; Hayssen, V; Krausman, P. R. (2005). "Panthera leo". Mammalian Species. 762 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2005)762[0001:PL]2.0.0.CO (inactive 2022-06-09).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of June 2022 (link)

[:2-11] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Crowell-Davis, Sharon, L. (2007). "Cat Behaviour: Social Organization, Communication, & Development". The Welfare of Cats. Netherlands: Springer, Dordrecht. ISBN 978-1-4020-3227-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[:3-12] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bradshaw, John W. S. (1992). The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat. Wallingford: CAB International. pp. 78, 198–200. ISBN 0-85198-715-X.

[:8-13] Alder, H.E. (1955). "Some Factors of Observational Learning". The Journal of Genetic Psychology. 86 (1): 159–177. doi:10.1080/00221325.1955.10532903. PMID 14354164. ProQuest 1297110751 – via ProQuest.

[14] Caro, T. M. (1980). "Effects of the Mother, Object Play, and Adult Experience on Predation in Cats". Behavioural and Neural Biology. 29 (1): 29–51. doi:10.1016/S0163-1047(80)92456-5. PMID 7387584 – via Science Direct.

[:6-15] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bernstein, Penny L. (2007). "The Human-Cat Relationship". The Welfare of Cats. Springer, Dordrecht. pp. 47–89. ISBN 978-1-4020-3227-1.

[:7-16] Heath, Sarah E. (2007). "Behaviour Problems and Welfare". The Welfare of Cats. Springer, Dordrecht. pp. 91–107. ISBN 978-1-4020-3227-1.

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