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According to the “Journal of Veterinary Behavior,” most cats (81 percent) purr most of the time or when they are petted. They meow almost the same number of times when they want to go outside or go to another room. And this may come as no surprise to cat fans: Just under 70 percent of animals almost always or always respond when called.
The aim of the research was to find out what factors influence a cat’s behavior. In addition to breed, origin and age at the time of purchase, these include, among other things, time spent alone, the presence of other pets and the previous experience of the respective owner.
According to the researchers, owners can use the resulting data to determine how normal their own cat’s behavior is compared to animals with similar basic needs. The results could help people who want a cat understand what it’s like to have such a pet at home.
More than 3 million cats are given away each year in the United States
The domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) is one of the most popular pet species in the world. According to the research, approximately 90 million households (46 percent) in the EU have at least one pet; The most common is cats.
At the same time, more than three million cats are given to animal shelters every year in the United States alone. And it is known that, at least in Spain, behavioral problems are at the top of the list of reasons for taxation. Studies have shown that such problems are generally quite common in domestic cats; but cat owners receive less advice from experts than dog owners.
The team, led by David Menor-Campos from the University of Córdoba (Spain), used the “Fe-BARQ”, a 100-point questionnaire, as a research tool to assess cat behavior. It can be used by cat owners to better evaluate their pet’s behavior. The number of times a particular behavior has occurred in the past few months is indicated on a 5-point scale – from “never” to “always”.
Fe-BARQ information obtained from 816 cat owners was evaluated for the study. Most of the animals evaluated are neutered and already adults. Only a small portion were purebred; European Shorthairs, Siamese and Persians were predominantly represented. 83 percent of the animals showed interest in novel objects or changes in their environment all or most of the time. For 88 percent of cats, their owners stated that they never or rarely sprayed urine outside the litter box, for example on furniture or trouser legs.
Potential cat owners may find it reassuring that, according to owners, approximately 90 percent of animals never or almost never attack the feet or legs in a way that has nothing to do with play. When the cat is alone at home, the rate of not tearing or scratching the objects is just as high.
Living with a dog has a big impact
Females were said to be more aggressive towards both strangers and their owners, while males were said to be more social, easier to train and louder. Sterilized animals were more playful on average. Cats that were regularly left home alone for more than four hours were more likely to exhibit compulsive behavior. Cats that slept on a bed rather than in their own baskets were more playful on average, but they also competed more for attention and had higher rates of separation-related behavioral problems.
Living with a dog had a big impact: on average, cats in homes with dogs purred more often, played, and showed fewer behavioral problems, according to their owners. According to the researchers, responses from a small portion of pedigree cats showed that Siamese cats were more social than Persian cats and were more afraid of new things and separation than European shorthair cats.
However, when it comes to the connections found, it should be noted that the corresponding groups are sometimes very small, so the results cannot be considered statistically reliable. The researchers also note that limitations of the study include the fact that survey owners may have subjective biases when answering the survey. In addition, neutered animals and households with multiple cats were likely overrepresented. (SDA)
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
