Title: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF THE INDOOR-ONLY NEUTERED DOMESTIC CAT (FELIS CATUS, AGGRESSION)
Author(s): BARRY, KIMBERLY JOSEPHINE
Degree: PH.D.
Year: 1998
Pages: 00081
Institution: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA; 0077
Advisor: Director: SHARON L. CROWELL-DAVIS
Source: DAI, 59, no. 06B, (1998): 3042
Abstract: The domestic cat exhibits a wide variety of social behaviors. The aim of this experiment was to investigate factors that influence the affiliative and aggressive behavior of the indoor-only neutered domestic cat. Sixty households comprised of either two males, two females, or a male and female cat were observed. The cats were between 6 months and 8 years old and were always restricted to the indoors. Each pair of housemates was observed for 10 h. There were no differences in affiliative or aggressive behavior based on cat gender. The male/male households did spend more time in close proximity. The amount of time the cats had lived together was negatively correlated with the amount of aggression observed during the study. Factors such as size of the house and weight difference between the cats did not correlate with the aggression rate. Large standard deviations and the correlations of social behavior between housemates indicated the importance of individual differences in behavior.
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