Changes

===Distance Reducing Behaviour===

===Distance Reducing Behaviour===

Cats are not asocial, they will live in large colonies where resources are plentiful and they do develop [[Feline Social Behaviour|affiliative relationships]] with each other. So, distance reducing behaviours are an essential part of communication that allows cats to approach one another.

Cats are not asocial, they will form colonies where resources are plentiful and they do develop [[Feline Social Behaviour|affiliative relationships]] with each other when there is a mutual benefit. For example, groups of related females may form in an area where there is an excess of hunting and sheltering opportunities. The primary means of identification between cats in a social group is through the establishment of a group odour. This requires that cats approach close enough to groom and rub against each other (allogroom and allorub). It would not be possible to establish a group odour if cats did not have some communicative mechanism for reducing distance. So, distance reducing behaviours are an essential part of communication that allows cats to approach one another.

 

This is particularly important when we consider that cats have evolved a system of establishing group identity using odour, through '''allorubbing''' and '''allogrooming'''. It would not be possible to establish a group odour if cats did not have some communicative mechanism for reducing distance.

===Allogrooming and allorubbing===

===Allogrooming and allorubbing===