Pet cats are often conditioned to engage with humans. If there’s news at Penn, you’ll find it here. I think it’s very likely to be distress from being in an unfamiliar environment, but I’m not convinced that it’s separation distress. /* ----------------------------------------- */ Today more than 650,000 people look to Alley Cat Allies for leadership on saving cats’ lives, developing communities that safeguard cats, and helping shelters embrace feline-friendly policies. While some cats are fussy, others love company! It’s a project of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, and all the chapters are written by diplomates of the College and edited by myself and two of my colleagues. Let us go inside the cat brain. Cats are numerically more common than dogs in the United States, but there are fewer cat-owning households than dog-owning households, which means that people may be owning more than one cat and thus have less to spend on each one. Serpell: Some of it may relate to the fact that cats are a prey species as well as being a predator. Dogs make a lot of prolonged physical contact, whereas cats may stay close to the person they like, but they don’t necessarily engage. As part of the Penn Lightbulb Cafe speaker series, Professor of English and Africana Studies Herman Beavers and Professor of English and Director of the Asian American Studies Program Josephine Park discuss finding antiracist solidarity in past and present poetic movements. Dr. Vitale and the first study’s authors note that cats have historically gotten less attention from the scientific community than dogs. Find out more about common cat behavior issues to help you address some of our feline friends' behaviors and habits. These complex issues affect entire species, whole ecosystems, and millions of animals. Choosing the survival of either cats or wildlife over the other is wrong and unnecessary. I think that’s right; my cats respond to their names. The majority of research to date has focused on the behaviour and impacts of unowned (i.e. A study of feline behavior shows that cats can be taught—despite their reputation for being untrainable and aloof. Siracusa: Sometimes I say, ‘If you need to hug something, get a stuffed toy.’ Don’t do that to your cat if she doesn’t like it. Maintaining ecological balance is far more complicated than cats versus birds, predator versus prey. A cat will eat whatever is easiest to obtain—be it garbage, cat food, or sometimes prey. Serpell: Well, it would be interesting to see whether the process of domestication has shifted the cat cognitively in the way that people say it’s shifted the dog. So, I think they are definitely attached to people. So, I think people are getting on board slowly with the idea that pet owners are becoming more attached to their cats and that they are becoming much more significant members of people’s social groups. Cats are numerically more common than dogs in the United States, but there are fewer cat-owning households than dog-owning households, which means that people may be owning more than one cat and thus have less to spend on each one. They will discuss the vaccination effort and debunk common myths. Serpell: It’s a demonstration that the cat has some kind of association with this sound. For cats it’s not, ‘Oh, my name is Jack.’ It’s, ‘Usually when I hear this word something is about to happen.’ Serpell: The sense of smell. They prey on certain species—in the case of rats, small or fledgling birds and bird eggs—while being prey to larger predators themselves. Use a stick-and-feather toy. You seem skeptical about those findings. One of my cats loves people; when you arrive at the door, she rushes to the door, and she rubs against you. You will need to study cat behavior to understand and speak cat. Serpell: From our Fe-BARQ data we see that a surprising number of owners are reporting moderate to severe behavioral problems in a cat when separated from its owner. Read more. I don’t think they’ve evolved a social behavior as complex as dogs’ social behavior. And maybe as a result it’s harder for people to understand cats’ social behavior since it’s mostly based on distance and nonprolonged contact. Feral cats are opportunistic feeders—they will eat whatever food is easiest to find. One of my cats loves people; when you arrive at the door, she rushes to the door, and she rubs against you. They know their names. But I’m skeptical because the study assumed that the vocalization of the cats indicated separation distress. For example, if you want a nice interaction with your cat, use something cats like. But recently the Morris Animal Foundation sent a survey to veterinarians around the country and asked what they consider to be areas of primary importance that they needed help with. A greater understanding of cats’ behaviour and our influence on it will lead to better human-cat interactions, cat welfare and therefore the number of cats that are given to shelters and euthanized. Knowing this helps clients and veterinarians detect disease and discomfort and mon- itor efficacy of pain management. /* Content Template: Content template for Resources - end */ Surprise “gifts”: Cats are known for their excellent hunting abilities, and although housecats … Serpell: But cats have lived with humans now for about 9,500 years. There are so many dog cognition groups now around the world it’s almost funny. Cats play a complex role in local ecosystems and cannot simply be removed from any environment without consequences. Siracusa: We see this in clinics. Cats need to scratch surfaces to sharpen their claws but they also use this behaviour to deposit their scent. The behaviors of cats may mirror those of their owners, according to a study published earlier this year in the scientific journal PLOS One. Cats have lived outdoors for thousands of years.They are part of the natural landscape, and there are many biological and behavioral reasons why they are not a threat to other species. Some cats, as soon as you sit down, they’ll be on your lap, and they’ll monopolize you, but others won’t at all. As animal advocates, we want what’s best for all of them. There is actually a reason for most of the things your cat does. The Chicago Veterinary Behavior Consultants (2008) states that this is the aggression by a cat towards another person or another cat as a result of the inability of the attacker to get at another object of their aggression; An example would be a cat at the patio window watching a stray cat. The study utilized feline behavior questionnaire material on 6,000 cats collected earlier. In a recent survey, somewhere between 50 and 60% of cat owners said, ‘I have problems bringing my cat to the vet,’ or ‘My vet doesn’t understand the problems of my cat,’ or ‘I will only bring my cat to the vet when it’s strictly necessary.’ For many cat owners, just picking a cat up and putting it in the crate is a major drama. I think this study is a demonstration that cats respond similarly to this experimental paradigm as do dogs and for that matter as do human infants, and that's interesting, just in itself. You have a wealth of data about cat behavior from Fe-BARQ [the Feline Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire, developed by Serpell]. This event is hosted in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. Siracusa: I think the methodology is rigorous. Evidence suggests that cat predation is often “compensatory predation”—preying on animals that would likely have died anyway from disease or hunger. The best approach for all animals is the same: TNR. /* ----------------------------------------- */ The predators who fall lower on the food chain are called mesopredators. Maybe their cat is starting to nip at their toes, or maybe the cat is urinating on their furniture. The consequences of aggressive behavior in cats can be significant, ranging from injuries to other cats and people to the surrender of aggressive cats to shelters. There are actually some rational explanations behind the crazy stuff they do on a … As noted above, cats primarily scavenge for food and eat scraps and refuse—whatever food is easiest and most abundant to find—and typically hunt only when other, easier food sources are scarce. Whereas her brother is much more physically affectionate. But cats, boy. The most staunch opponents of TNR would prefer having all outside cats be rounded up and killed instead of allowed to continue their lives outdoors. Cats may be behaviorally categorized as active, playful and aggressive, calm and sociable, or timid and shy. The scratching of a cat is a visual sign to leave a message for someone who didn’t find them but will find the scratch. Siracusa: Many people want a cat to be a surrogate for a dog, like a low-maintenance dog, and it’s not. That’s why when you put cats in a small environment, like an urban apartment, especially with other cats, you may run into problems. There are very few dogs I've met that are standoffish the way a cat is often. Without the cats to keep prey species in check, the rabbits devastated local vegetation, which harmed other animal species, and a wave of more than 130,000 rodents entered the ecosystem. James Serpell is the Marie A. Moore Professor of Ethics and Animal Welfare and director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Understanding the Study of Cat Behavior. Now, while most cats will behave the same way, some cats tend to be timid than others. But it’s different from what we’ve seen in dogs, some of which have amazing vocabularies and can discriminate between more than a thousand different words. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions. Since there is no evidence that cats are a species-endangering threat to any of our bird species, there’s no foundation for calls to remove and/or kill outdoor cats from the American landscape. Also, people often fail to provide cats with enough stimulation. Is there something intrinsic to cats that explains this lack of attention to behavioral science compared to dogs? So, I think people are getting on board slowly with the idea that pet owners are becoming more attached to their cats and that they are becoming much more significant members of people’s social groups. Cats lack the facial muscles that dogs have so they’re limited in the expressions they can make. When they do hunt, cat diet studies show that instead of catching a large number of a specific species of bird, they catch individual birds of several different species—usually the most common species in the area.4 A study of cat predation on rabbits similarly observed that cats’ prey is the most numerous prey species in that area for that time of year. These are among the purported findings of recent scientific studies aimed at deciphering the behavior of some of our most mysterious yet ubiquitous companions: pet cats. Almost at the top of the list was cat behavior problems. Siracusa: It may help with the animals’ welfare, too, because if we understand them better, we can make sure we create an environment for them that will make them happier in their homes. Removing cats from the ecosystem can destabilize the relationships between the different predator and prey species, with dire consequences.10 On Amsterdam Island in the Indian Ocean, an attempt to eradicate feral cats to protect endangered birds caused a spike in the rat and mouse population. Birds are consumed only incidentally and not according to a regular feeding pattern. We try to set realistic expectations, and we provide them with alternative strategies. But I’m skeptical because the study assumed that the vocalization of the cats indicated separation distress. Serpell: I do. In our behavior clinics we see many fewer cats than dogs, I’m talking like 95% dogs and 5% cats. Do you think that cats are more varied in their sociability than dogs? People think of cats as cuddly.. Serpell: Some cats will play for hours. For this reason, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has said that “we have no scientific evidence of the impact of cat predation on bird populations that is strong enough to support such a call” to legislate against free roaming cats. Some cats may engage a little—one of my cats plays fetch with me—but only for a short time, and then she’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve had enough of this.’. Cats choose to live in an area for two reasons: because there is a food and water source and because there is shelter. In fact, a new study proves cats prefer people to both food and toys – although food is a close second. If I want to communicate with someone who is far away, I wouldn’t show it on my face but in my body, my posture. Teach them to do a trick to get a treat. Believed to be the first of its kind, the study enlisted volunteers to observe cats in their homes, a strategy to avoid what's historically been the main impediment to studying feline … That’s a long time, and they’ve evolved to be more tolerant of living in close proximity with people and with other cats. WDAS and Power 99 are stopping music to host “Street Talk,” a one-hour live event with radio DJs, the Black Doctors Consortium, and reporters from FactCheck.org Lori Robertson and D'Angelo Gore. Cat communication is the transfer of information by one or more cats that has an effect on the current or future behaviour of another animal, including humans. WebMD provides comprehensive cat health information covering a wide variety of behaviors affecting your pet. The Penn Employee Assistance Program leads this webinar aimed at empowering caregivers with coping mechanisms while still engaging with caregiving. One study of cat behavior showed that cats recognize their names, and another showed they can bond securely to their owners. Siracusa: Many people want a cat to be a surrogate for a dog, like a low-maintenance dog, and it’s not. Dogs make a lot of prolonged physical contact, whereas cats may stay close to the person they like, but they don’t necessarily engage. But recently the Morris Animal Foundation sent a survey to veterinarians around the country and asked what they consider to be areas of primary importance that they needed help with. The study, called "If I fits I sits: A citizen science investigation into illusory contour susceptibility in domestic cats," was published on April 30 … Alley Cat Allies has protected and improved the lives of cats for 30 years. and student profiles, research updates, and the latest happenings on campus. According to a new study from the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, cats adapt to and mimic the behavior of the humans around them. Although the cats in this scenario may occasionally prey on a bird, removing the top predator completely is far worse for the prey species’ survival.12, 13, When people misguidedly remove cats to protect wildlife, they risk seriously harming both the environment and the species they aim to protect. feral or “colony”) cats. “Despite fewer studies,” the study reads, “research suggests we may be underestimating cats’ socio-cognitive abilities.” © 2021 Penn Today, University of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. Being in an unfamiliar environment is potentially very unsafe for them, so it’s natural for them to go, ‘Oh, crikey, where am I, and what’s going to come at me next?’. These animals are much more sociable than their wild ancestors. these experiences are an active attempt to encourage good behavior, something which is begun by the cat's mother during their first weeks of life. What are some of the big myths or misperceptions about cat behavior? Carlo Siracusa is associate professor of clinical behavior medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. How do you try to correct clients’ misguided impressions about cats? We strive to bring you faculty, staff, A recent study reported that 27 percent of cats relinquished to shelters for behavioral reasons were surrendered for aggression. Why is that? Connecting students with Indigenous leaders, To improve climate models, an international team turns to archaeological data, Understanding and addressing barriers to COVID vaccine acceptance. And maybe as a result it’s harder for people to understand cats’ social behavior since it’s mostly based on distance and nonprolonged contact. Siracusa: Sometimes I say, ‘If you need to hug something, get a stuffed toy.’ Don’t do that to your cat if she doesn’t like it. So instead of simply putting their food in a bowl, give them a chance to stalk it, to toss it in the air and pounce, and reproduce the whole sequence of events that they would do when they hunt. So, what do we know about cat behavior?

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