Changes

Jump to navigation Jump to search
no edit summary
Line 8: Line 8:     
==Relationship with Human Activity==
 
==Relationship with Human Activity==
The activity of domestic cats is also significantly influenced by human activity. In conditions that more closely resemble an average domestic environment, cats that were more closely involved with their owners showed greater levels of activity during daylight<ref>Piccione, G., Marafioti, S., Giannetto, C., Panzera, M., Fazio, F., (2013) Daily rhythm of total activity pattern in domestic
cats (''Felis silvestris catus'') maintained in two different housing conditions. ''Journal of Veterinary Behavior.'' ePub online.</ref>. Given that man-made lighting, including light pollution, maintains the outdoor environment in towns and cities at a constant level of illumination that resembles the crepuscular period, many cats are exposed to a distorted photoperiod that does not favour proper entrainment and is likely to favour more idiosyncratic patterns of behaviour. For many generations domestic cats have been exposed to a different set of selection pressures related to photoperiodicity of behaviour and the availability of prey, such that entrainment would have a much lower survival value.
+
The activity of domestic cats is also significantly influenced by human activity. In conditions that more closely resemble an average domestic environment, cats that were more closely involved with their owners showed greater levels of activity during daylight<ref>Piccione, G., Marafioti, S., Giannetto, C., Panzera, M., Fazio, F., (2013) Daily rhythm of total activity pattern in domestic
cats (''Felis silvestris catus'') maintained in two different housing conditions. ''Journal of Veterinary Behavior.'' ePub online.</ref>. Given that man-made lighting, including light pollution, maintains the outdoor environment in towns and cities at a constant level of illumination that resembles the crepuscular period, many cats are exposed to a distorted photoperiod that does not favour proper entrainment and is likely to favour more idiosyncratic patterns of behaviour. For many generations domestic cats have been exposed to a different set of selection pressures related to photoperiodicity of behaviour and the availability of prey. In these altered environmental conditions cats which continued to follow a traditional feline pattern of proper entrainment, i.e. greater levels of activity during the twilight period would have a much lower survival value.  
    
==References==
 
==References==

Navigation menu