The effect of time left alone on cat behaviour
There is not much known about the relationship between a cat and its owner. Cats display a variety of behaviours towards their owner, but some of these behaviours are hard to interpret in an ethological context. In this study, the aim was to find out if cats are affected by the duration of time left...
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| Formato: | H2 |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés sueco |
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SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231)
2015
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| Sumario: | There is not much known about the relationship between a cat and its owner. Cats display a variety of behaviours towards their owner, but some of these behaviours are hard to interpret in an ethological context. In this study, the aim was to find out if cats are affected by the duration of time left alone at home. 12 single-housed indoor cats were tested in two treatments, before, during and after 4 h (T4) and 0.5 h (T0.5) separation from their owner. The cats were recorded in their home environment by digital cameras, and their behaviour was observed and recorded through instantaneous sampling, one-zero sampling and continuous sampling. Some households with pair-housed cats were also observed in this study.
The results showed a difference in time spent lying resting during the time left alone. Cats in this study spent more time resting in T4, and they also tended to stay in the hallway near the front door before the owner left in this treatment. In the last 5 min of alone time, cats tended to be more attentive towards unidentified sounds and object in T4, and during reunion they tended to vocalize (purring), stay close to the owner and stretch more, and the owners tended to take verbal contact more often. The conclusion of this study is therefore that cats are affected by the duration of time left alone at home. |
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