Changes

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.

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.

====Allogrooming and allorubbing====

====Allogrooming and Allorubbing====

Cats that are part of a social group will groom and rub against each other each other in order to transfer chemical odour signals between cats and establish a "group odour". This group odour is a common identifier that enables members of a social group to recognise each other. A significant benefit of this method of group recognition is that, since the odour is transferred from cat to cat throughout a group, not all cats need to groom each other, or even meet on a regular basis, in order to share enough elements of the group odour to recognise one another when they meet. It should be remembered that this system evolved to regulate interactions between related individuals, and the genetic contribution to personal odour in cats is not yet understood. It may be more difficult for unrelated cats to establish a group odour, if there is less commonality in their personal chemical identity.

Cats that are part of a social group will groom and rub against each other each other in order to transfer chemical odour signals between cats and establish a "group odour". This group odour is a common identifier that enables members of a social group to recognise each other. A significant benefit of this method of group recognition is that, since the odour is transferred from cat to cat throughout a group, not all cats need to groom each other, or even meet on a regular basis, in order to share enough elements of the group odour to recognise one another when they meet. It should be remembered that this system evolved to regulate interactions between related individuals, and the genetic contribution to personal odour in cats is not yet understood. It may be more difficult for unrelated cats to establish a group odour, if there is less commonality in their personal chemical identity.

====Affiliative Behaviour====

====Affiliative Behaviour====

When approaching to greet another cat, a cat will  move its '''tail into a vertical position''' (tail-up). A '''quiet trill or chirrup''' is issued, and after getting to within around 0.5 metres the approaching cat will '''sit down'''. '''Slow eye blinking''' is also used to indicate that this is a friendly approach. Physical contact only occurs between cats in in about 30% of these approaches. Two cats may approach each other with tail-up, in which case they will often sit down in close proximity, but still without physical contact. When cats do make contact during a greeting, it is often only briefly; one or two rubs or a brief period of grooming. Cats that are younger than 2 years of age are more sociable and also more likely to engage in closer contact after a greeting, possibly even playing.

When approaching to greet another cat, a cat will  move its '''tail into a vertical position''' (tail-up). A '''quiet trill or chirrup''' is issued, and after getting to within around 0.5 metres the approaching cat will '''sit down'''. '''Slow eye blinking''' is also used to indicate that this is a friendly approach. Physical contact only occurs between cats in about 30% of these approaches. Two cats may approach each other with tail-up, in which case they will often sit down in close proximity, but still without physical contact. When cats do make contact during a greeting, it is often only briefly; one or two rubs or a brief period of grooming. Cats that are younger than 2 years of age are more sociable and also more likely to engage in closer contact after a greeting, possibly even playing.

==Visual Communication==

==Visual Communication==

===Adaptations of the feline visual system===  

====Adaptations of the Feline Visual System====  

The function of the visual system of cats is highly biased in favour of [[Feline Predatory Behaviour|predatory behaviour]]. The cat’s [[Eye - Anatomy & Physiology#The Wall (retina, uvea and sclera)|retina]] has three times the rod density of the human eye, contributing to the light detection threshold in cats being eight times lower than in man. Although their vision is not monochromatic, cats have sixteen times fewer wavelength comparing retinal ganglia than primates and are '''behaviourally colour blind'''. The cat’s enhanced visual sensitivity to brightness, patterns and movement block learning associated with differences in colour; under normal conditions cats do not appear to learn associations based on colour discrimination. The [[Cranial Nerves - Anatomy & Physiology#Optic Nerve (II)|optic nerve]] in the cat has a much lower density of nerve fibres than in man, due to the much smaller amount of information transmitted from the cat’s retina. This is because the ratio of ganglionic cells to photoreceptors is very high in the cat; there is a far higher level of integration of information at the level of the ganglionic layer of the retina. The benefit of this is that '''movement detection is hard-wired into the sensory system''' and able to directly drive fast responding reflexive systems; the cat is therefore much more rapidly attentive and responsive to movement than a human. The overall effect is that cats are attentive to movement in the way that humans are attentive to colour.  

The function of the visual system of cats is highly biased in favour of [[Feline Predatory Behaviour|predatory behaviour]]. The cat’s [[Eye - Anatomy & Physiology#The Wall (retina, uvea and sclera)|retina]] has three times the rod density of the human eye, contributing to the light detection threshold in cats being eight times lower than in man. Although their vision is not monochromatic, cats have sixteen times fewer wavelength comparing retinal ganglia than primates and are '''behaviourally colour blind'''. The cat’s enhanced visual sensitivity to brightness, patterns and movement block learning associated with differences in colour; under normal conditions cats do not appear to learn associations based on colour discrimination. The [[Cranial Nerves - Anatomy & Physiology#Optic Nerve (II)|optic nerve]] in the cat has a much lower density of nerve fibres than in man, due to the much smaller amount of information transmitted from the cat’s retina. This is because the ratio of ganglionic cells to photoreceptors is very high in the cat; there is a far higher level of integration of information at the level of the ganglionic layer of the retina. The benefit of this is that '''movement detection is hard-wired into the sensory system''' and able to directly drive fast responding reflexive systems; the cat is therefore much more rapidly attentive and responsive to movement than a human. The overall effect is that cats are attentive to movement in the way that humans are attentive to colour.  

The cat's vision has therefore evolved to enable it to see in low light levels, break the camouflage of its prey and quickly detect movement. As a result of the wild cat’s camouflaged coat, [[Timing of Feline Activity|crepuscular and nocturnal activity]] and [[Feline Predatory Behaviour#Hunting Strategies|stealthy use of cover]], visual identification of affiliates is less important than the use of other sensory systems such as [[Feline Communication Behaviour#Olfactory Communication|olfaction]].

The cat's vision has therefore evolved to enable it to see in low light levels, break the camouflage of its prey and quickly detect movement. As a result of the wild cat’s camouflaged coat, [[Timing of Feline Activity|crepuscular and nocturnal activity]] and [[Feline Predatory Behaviour#Hunting Strategies|stealthy use of cover]], visual identification of affiliates is less important than the use of other sensory systems such as [[Feline Communication Behaviour#Olfactory Communication|olfaction]].

===Signalling===

====Signalling====

Visual communication involves '''facial and body postures''', as well as the '''visual aspects of''' certain behaviour such as '''spray marking''' and '''clawing'''. In general, visual signals operate over a limited range, in line of sight and are rapidly modified. This enables the signaller to alter its communication according to the response it elicits. Visual signalling is less effective at night, in adverse weather conditions and dense undergrowth. The main disadvantage of visual communication is that it must be delivered face to face with a competitor, which increases the risk of conflict and injury.  

Visual communication involves '''facial and body postures''', as well as the '''visual aspects of''' certain behaviour such as '''spray marking''' and '''clawing'''. In general, visual signals operate over a limited range, in line of sight and are rapidly modified. This enables the signaller to alter its communication according to the response it elicits. Visual signalling is less effective at night, in adverse weather conditions and dense undergrowth. The main disadvantage of visual communication is that it must be delivered face to face with a competitor, which increases the risk of conflict and injury.  

==Olfactory Communication==

==Olfactory Communication==

Scent signals are localised, persistent and offer only an indirect form or communication. They cannot be removed by the signaller once they have been deposited and thus they can convey information about the presence of the signaller that may be to its detriment. For example, giving away information about the resident animal's territorial range and the timing of its activities.

Scent signals are localised, persistent and offer only an indirect form of communication. They cannot be removed by the signaller once they have been deposited and thus they can convey information about the presence of the signaller that may be to its detriment. For example, giving away information about the resident animal's territorial range and the timing of its activities.

Rodents have also been shown to exhibit unconditioned fear and avoidance behaviour in response to feline odours<ref>Dielenberg, R.A., Hunt, G.E., McGregor, I.S. (2001) When a rat smells a cat': The distribution of Fos immunoreactivity in rat brain following exposure to a predatory odor. ''Neuroscience''. 104(4), 1085-1097.</ref>. ''[[Toxoplasma gondii]]'' infection in rodents has been shown to have a highly specific effect on this aversive response, producing not merely a loss of fear of feline urine odours, but an attraction to them<ref>Vyas, A., Kim, S., Giacomini, N., Boothroyd, J.C.,. Sapolsky, R.M., (2007) Behavioral changes induced by Toxoplasma infection of rodents are highly specific to aversion of cat odors. ''PNAS''. 104(5), 6442-6447.</ref>. This enables parasite to continue its life cycle by infection of its feline definitive host. The behavioural changes seen are completely specific to feline odours, with other fear and conditioning responses remaining unaffected.  

Rodents have also been shown to exhibit unconditioned fear and avoidance behaviour in response to feline odours<ref>Dielenberg, R.A., Hunt, G.E., McGregor, I.S. (2001) When a rat smells a cat': The distribution of Fos immunoreactivity in rat brain following exposure to a predatory odor. ''Neuroscience''. 104(4), 1085-1097.</ref>. ''[[Toxoplasma gondii]]'' infection in rodents has been shown to have a highly specific effect on this aversive response, producing not merely a loss of fear of feline urine odours, but an attraction to them<ref>Vyas, A., Kim, S., Giacomini, N., Boothroyd, J.C.,. Sapolsky, R.M., (2007) Behavioral changes induced by Toxoplasma infection of rodents are highly specific to aversion of cat odors. ''PNAS''. 104(5), 6442-6447.</ref>. This enables the parasite to continue its life cycle by infection of its feline definitive host. The behavioural changes seen are completely specific to feline odours, with other fear and conditioning responses remaining unaffected.  

Olfactory communication involves the deposition of scent marks in the environment to convey a signal indirectly to another individual. Apart from providing other cats with information about ownership and usage of territory, scent marks also convey information about the identity of the depositor, its sex, health and reproductive status. This enables more complex [[Feline Social Behaviour|social organisation]] than merely avoidance, with cats choosing to avoid an area or attempt to gain control of it, depending on the threat posed by the current resident and the need to gain access to the resources included in that area. Scent signals can also carry a considerable distance, as is the case in urinary scent marks by females during the reproductive season.  

Olfactory communication involves the deposition of scent marks in the environment to convey a signal indirectly to another individual. Apart from providing other cats with information about ownership and usage of territory, scent marks also convey information about the identity of the depositor, its sex, health and reproductive status. This enables more complex [[Feline Social Behaviour|social organisation]] than merely avoidance, with cats choosing to avoid an area or attempt to gain control of it, depending on the threat posed by the current resident and the need to gain access to the resources included in that area. Scent signals can also carry a considerable distance, as is the case in urinary scent marks by females during the reproductive season.  

Claw, urine and facial/flank scent marks are generally deposited on vertical surfaces, often on objects that are close to an entry point to a particular space, so that other cats will notice them.  The function of this marking behaviour is to identify the significance of certain locations to the ‘sender’ and ‘receiver’ of the mark. Scent marks, therefore, act both as a memento of previous experience in a location as well as a signal to others. When a cat encounters facial and flank marks on inanimate objects in the [[Feline Territorial Behaviour#Core Territory|core part of the territory]], they signify that this location has been safe in the past and when a cat leaves another face or flank mark, it is relabelling that place as safe based upon its current experience.  

Claw, urine and facial/flank scent marks are generally deposited on vertical surfaces, often on objects that are close to an entry point to a particular space, so that other cats will notice them.  The function of this marking behaviour is to identify the significance of certain locations to the ‘sender’ and ‘receiver’ of the mark. Scent marks, therefore, act both as a memento of previous experience in a location as well as a signal to others. When a cat encounters facial and flank marks on inanimate objects in the [[Feline Territorial Behaviour#Core Territory|core part of the territory]], they signify that this location has been safe in the past and when a cat leaves another face or flank mark, it is relabelling that place as safe based upon its current experience.  

The odours that cats share when allogrooming and allorubbing help to identify the group so that these and the core territory odours are a memento of previous interactions.  

The odours that cats share when allogrooming and allorubbing help to identify the group so that these and the core territory chemical messages are a memento of previous interactions.  

Other odour marks are intended to enable cats to maintain distance from one another; both claw marks and urine spray marks contain pheromone chemical signals that are intended to signal to cats outside the social group that they are entering an area that is also occupied by other cats.  

Other odour marks are intended to enable cats to maintain distance from one another; both claw marks and urine spray marks contain pheromone chemical signals that are intended to signal to cats outside the social group that they are entering an area that is also occupied by other cats.  

<references/>

<references/>

{{Unfinished}}

{{Jon Bowen written

 

{{OpenPages}}

[[Category:Normal Feline Behaviour]]

[[Category:Normal Feline Behaviour]]