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Cat behaviour in the secure base test: Comparison between owned and shelter animals
Cinthia Sayuri Yoshizawa Takeda1, Suzana Helena Luchesi1, Fernanda Peixoto Martins2
1Departamento de Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia (IP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil.
Behavioural Processes
|January 15, 2024
Summary
Shelter cats exhibit more affiliative behaviors and seek closer proximity to humans than owned cats, especially after separation in a novel environment. This suggests a secure base effect similar to human children in felines.
Area of Science:
- Animal Behavior
- Comparative Psychology
- Feline Ethology
Background:
- Understanding feline social behavior is crucial for welfare.
- The 'secure base effect' is well-documented in human children, but less so in domestic cats.
- Differences in environment (owned vs. shelter) may influence cat-human interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare affiliative behaviors of owned and shelter cats towards humans.
- To investigate cat responses in a novel environment after a temporary human absence.
- To explore the 'secure base effect' in domestic cats.
Main Methods:
- A Secure Base Test was administered to 20 owned and 20 shelter cats.
- The test involved three 2-minute episodes: presence, absence, and return of a human.
- Behavioral coding included proximity to human, allo-rubbing, and tail-up postures.
Main Results:
- Shelter cats demonstrated significantly more proximity maintenance with the human.
- Shelter cats displayed more affiliative signs (allo-rubbing, tail up) towards the human.
- Both groups showed increased affiliative behaviors upon the human's return.
Conclusions:
- Cats, particularly shelter cats, utilize humans as a secure base in unfamiliar environments.
- Findings suggest parallels between feline and human infant secure base behaviors.
- Environmental context (shelter vs. home) impacts cat-human affiliative interactions.
