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An Sc 378 > Cat Behaviour > Flashcards

Cat Behaviour Flashcards

1
Q

Taxonomical order of cats?

A

Carnivora

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2
Q

What were the first carnivores classified as (family)

A

Miacidae

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3
Q

Cats branched off from miacidae as…

A

Viveravines

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4
Q

How did selective pressures affect african wildcats?

A

Cats more tolerant to people and other cats have access to more food and shelter (human granaries = mice and rodents)

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5
Q

What is allogrooming and allorubbing

A

Rubbing/grooming that helps form a bond and is RECIPROCATED

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6
Q

How do different breeds of cats differ from different breeds of dogs

A

Physical appearance varies, but behaviour mostly the same

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7
Q

How does the tapetum lucidum aid in night vision

A

Light reflects off the retina

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8
Q

Who exhibits the flehmen response most

A

Tomcats

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9
Q

Difference between home range and home territory?

A

Cat feels comfortable in the home range (can be multiple cats) but are willing to defend their home territory

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10
Q

What is epimeletic vs etepimeletic behaviour

A

Epimeletic = care-giving behaviour (mom)
Etepimeletic = care-seeking behaviour (kitten)

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11
Q

Why do cats scratch

A

Leave visible or scent cues, stretch

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12
Q

Why do cats spray

A

Mark territorial boundaries, during mating season males/females find each other

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13
Q

When do cats groom

A

When they feel safe OR when they’re frustrated

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14
Q

What is special about the meow vocalization

A

Usually only used to greet humans, rare in cat-cat communication

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15
Q

When are kittens weaned

A

7-8 wks. nursing time starts to decline at week 5

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16
Q

Describe typical African wildcat behaviour

A

Solitary species, shy of humans, adults only come in contact to mate, establish territories to avoid contact

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17
Q

Cats are induced ovulators, what is this

A

Ovulate after first mating

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18
Q

Why would free-living cats form a social group

A

Stable/concentrated food source, availability of shelter and nest sites

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19
Q

When would free living cats not form a group

A

When there is a surplus of dispersed food

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20
Q

What kind of cats form a social group

A

Related adult queens and offspring

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21
Q

If not part of the social group, what do tomcats do

A

Move between groups to mate

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22
Q

what are affiliative behaviours

A

Allogrooming and allorubbing, strengthen bond and are RECIPROCATED

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23
Q

Why does behaviour not differ significantly between different breeds? What does?

A

Physical appearance (coat colour/type, anatomy)
Behaviour not different because breeds were not selected/developed for different working functions

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24
Q

Describe cat vision

A

Near sighted, dichromatic, good night vision (tapetum lucidum behind retina reflects light), pupil changes aperture
Binocular vision = 100-130
Panoramic = 250-280

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25
Q

When do cats open their eyes

A

17 days

26
Q

Describe a cats hearing

A

Developed at 4 weeks, 10-60KHz (hunt small prey), pinna rotation 180

27
Q

Describe a cats sense of smell

A

Developed at birth (find teat, recognize home/litter mates/mom) more acute than humans, vomeronasal organ (tomcats = flehmen), mark territory

28
Q

What happens to a cat when it loses its sense of smell

A

loss of smell = loss of appetite, change toilet habits

29
Q

What is a home range vs home territory

A

Home range is the range in which the cat is comfortable roaming, territory is what they’ll defend

30
Q

What does the order of dominance depend on

A

Time and place

31
Q

What is agonistic behaviour

A

Tension/posturing to try to get another cat to move but not fighting

32
Q

What is the most important period of a cats life

A

Socialization period
Contact with more than one adult cat crucial
Primary contact is mom/siblings

33
Q

What is epimeletic vs etepimeletic behaviour

A

Epimeletic = care giving
Etepimeletic = care seeking (strange environment)

34
Q

What are the forms of scent marking in cats

A

Cheek and head rubbing, scratching, spraying

35
Q

Describe scratching behaviour in cats

A

Visible/foot scent gland secretions detectable by intruder.
Stretching
More scratching = more significant object

36
Q

Describe spraying behaviour in cats

A

Back up, raise tail, spray urine.
Mostly by tomcats (territorial boundaries)
Brings male & female together during breeding season

37
Q

Describe cheek and head rubbing behaviour in cats

A

Chair, table, legs
Scent glands on tail, forehead and lip/chin region marking special territory
Tactile communication in groups (affiliative)
Cats presence usually needs to be acknowledged before head rubbing against human

38
Q

How do feral and domestic cat rubbing differ

A

Feral cats rub more for conspecifics (dominance? Rub less against objects)

39
Q

How much time is spent by cats grooming per day

A

30%

40
Q

Why do cats groom

A

Reduce anxiety when frustrated
Keep skin healthy (dander, parasites)
Social grooming

41
Q

What are the three categories of cat body postures/facial expressions

A

Offensive threat (stare ready to attack)
Defensive threat (back arched; halloween cat, approach sideways)
Passive crouch (tail down, submissive)

42
Q

When is acoustic communication important

A

When cats cannot see each other

43
Q

What are the different call types

A

Purring (developed as kitten when full of milk/resting)
Meow (usually greeting person)
Growl/yowl for aggression
Hiss/spit is defensive
Yowl also for mating

44
Q

Do cats experience one period of estrus?

A

No, they are polyestrus

45
Q

How does a female in heat behave

A

Active/nervous, loud mating calls

46
Q

How do females act during proestrus

A

Rolling, purring, stretching, open/closing of claws rhythmically

47
Q

Does one female mate with one male during estrus

A

No, may be multiple

48
Q

How does mating occur in cats

A

Male approaches from behind, female receptively crouches, elevates her tail and holds it to the side.
Once penis withdrawn the female may become aggressive, roll and rub herself on the floor

49
Q

Queens behaviour before parturition?

A

Finds dark quiet place

50
Q

What does the Queen do right after the kittens are born

A

Licks them to stimulate respiration/clean. Licks/touches kitten crawling away
Nursing begins 1-2 h after birth
Teat order develops
Grooms kittens, plays with them, cleans nest

51
Q

What happens at the 5th week of life

A

Nursing time decreases, mother teaches kittens predatory behaviour (social play comes beforehand)

52
Q

Describe the prenatal period

A

Conception to parturition
63 days gestation (3-7 days longer than AWC)

53
Q

Describe the neonatal period

A

First two weeks
Closed eyes, poor auditory
Olfaction present at birth, developed at 3 weeks
Tactile —> auditory —> visual
Dominated by thermal, tactile, olfactory stimuli
Responds to sound at 5 days, orients towards sound at 2 weeks, developed at 4 weeks
Eyes closed until 7-20 days

54
Q

Describe the neonatal period

A

Immobile for first two weeks (paddling gait)
Teeth at 2 weeks
Mother licks to stimulate

55
Q

Describe the transitional period

A

2-3 weeks
Rudimentary walking at 3 weeks, moving well at 4 weeks
Solid food at 4 weeks (weaning begins)
Social play at 4 weeks

56
Q

Describe the socialization period

A

3-10 weeks
Righting reaction at 4-6 weeks
5-6 weeks = voluntary elimination, search for object disappeared
Weaning done at 7 weeks
Adult sleep patterns = 7-8 weeks
Complex motor patterns 11-12 weeks

57
Q

Describe the juvenile period

A

Adult teeth at 3 and a half months

58
Q

when is olfaction fully developed

A

3 weeks

59
Q

what does mutual gaze signify

A

Threat

60
Q

How do cats scent mark

A

Scratching, spraying, cheek/head rubbing,

61
Q

when do feral cats mark more

A

In front of conspecifics

62
Q

A female in proestrus period will…

A

Roll, purr, stretch, rythmically open/close claws

An Sc 378 (21 decks)

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