scholarly journals Domestic cats (Felis catus) prefer freely available food over food that requires effort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikel M. Delgado ◽  
Brandon Sang Gyuc Han ◽  
Melissa J. Bain
Keyword(s):  
Home Environment ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Strong Preference ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Feed Tray

AbstractContrafreeloading is the willingness of animals to work for food when equivalent food is freely available. This behavior is observed in laboratory, domesticated, and captive animals. However, previous research found that six laboratory cats failed to contrafreeload. We hypothesized that cats would contrafreeload in the home environment when given a choice between a food puzzle and a tray of similar size and shape. We also hypothesized that more active cats would be more likely to contrafreeload. We assessed the behavior of 17 neutered, indoor domestic cats (Felis catus) when presented with both a food puzzle and a tray across ten 30-min trials. Each cat wore an activity tracker, and all sessions were video recorded. Cats ate more food from the free feed tray than the puzzle (t (16) = 6.77, p < 0.001). Cats made more first choices to approach and eat from the tray. There was no relationship between activity and contrafreeloading, and there was no effect of sex, age, or previous food puzzle experience on contrafreeloading. Our results suggest that cats do not show strong tendencies to contrafreeload in the home environment, although some cats (N = 4) ate most food offered in the puzzle or showed weak contrafreeloading tendencies (N = 5). Eight cats did not contrafreeload. Cats who consumed more food from the puzzle, consumed more food in general, suggesting a relationship between hunger and effort. Further research is required to understand why domestic cats, unlike other tested species, do not show a strong preference to work for food.

Nine ways to score nine lives – identifying appropriate methods to age domestic cats ( Felis catus )

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Fleming ◽  
Heather M. Crawford ◽  
Clare Auckland ◽  
Michael C. Calver
Keyword(s):  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats

Do prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) change their activity and space use in response to domestic cat (Felis catus) excreta?

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Keane ◽  
Phillip J. Long ◽  
Yasmeen Fleifil ◽  
Nancy G. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Space Use ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Microtus Ochrogaster ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Odor Cues ◽  
Risk Of Predation

AbstractBehavioral changes that reduce the risk of predation in response to predator-derived odor cues are widespread among mammalian taxa and have received a great deal of attention. Although voles of the genus Microtus are staples in the diet of many mammalian predators, including domestic cats (Felis catus), there are no previous studies on vole space utilization and activity levels in response to odor cues from domestic cats. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate responses of adult prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) living in semi-natural habitats to odor cues from domestic cat excreta. Contrary to expectations, neither adult males or females showed significant changes in space use or willingness to enter traps in response to cat odors. One hypothesis to explain our results are that prairie voles have not co-evolved with domestic cats long enough to respond to their odors. Other possible explanations include whether levels of odors in the environment were sufficient to trigger a response or that the perceived risk of predation from odor cues alone did not outweigh relative costs of changing space use and activity levels. Future studies should consider multiple factors when determining what cues are sufficient to elicit antipredatory behavior.

Bells reduce predation of wildlife by domestic cats (Felis catus)

2006 ◽  
Vol 256 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graeme D. Ruxton ◽  
Sarah Thomas ◽  
Jessica W. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats

scholarly journals Coinfection by Toxoplasma gondii and Leishmania spp. in domestic cats (Felis catus) in State of Mato Grosso do Sul

2014 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 796-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Rennó Campos Braga ◽  
Ana Paula Ferreira Lopes Corrêa ◽  
Lucilene Granuzzio Camossi ◽  
Rodrigo Costa da Silva ◽  
Helio Langoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Leishmania Spp ◽  
Mato Grosso Do Sul

scholarly journals Road kills of vertebrate fauna in Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2019 ◽  
pp. 152-154
Author(s):  
Sohail Anjum ◽  
Hazrat Ali ◽  
Awais Ahmad ◽  
Farzana Bibi
Keyword(s):  
Gallus Gallus ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Wild Animals ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Survey Period ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
The Road ◽  
Capra Aegagrus

Research on road kills of wild animals in the district of Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan has not been previously reported. This study was conducted to estimate the incidence of vertebrate fauna road-kills on a heavily used 22 km long stretch of the road within the study area. A total of 65 road kills of vertebrate animals were reported during a 7-month-long survey period. Overall, road kills of nine species were reported with the highest percentage being domestic cats (Felis catus) and the lowest percentage being goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and fowl (Gallus gallus).

scholarly journals A Molecular Survey on Neglected Gurltia paralysans and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus Infections in Domestic Cats (Felis catus) from Southern Chile

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1195
Author(s):  
Natasha Barrios ◽  
Marcelo Gómez ◽  
Macarena Zanelli ◽  
Lisbeth Rojas-Barón ◽  
Paulina Sepúlveda-García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cat ◽  
Southern Chile ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Aelurostrongylus Abstrusus ◽  
Factors Associated

Gurltia paralysans and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus are neglected metastrongyloid nematode species which infect domestic and wild cats in South American countries and in Chile, but no epidemiological studies on concomitant infections have been conducted in Chile so far. The aim of this study was not only to evaluate the occurrence of concomitant infections, but also to identify epidemiological risk factors associated with of G. paralysans and A. abstrusus infections in urban domestic cats (Felis catus) from Southern Chile. Blood samples from clinically healthy domestic cats from three cities of Southern Chile—Temuco, Valdivia, and Puerto Montt—were analyzed by an experimental semi-nested PCR protocol. A total of 171 apparently healthy domestic cats in Temuco (n = 68), Valdivia (n = 50), and Puerto Montt (n = 53) were sampled and analyzed. A total of 93 domestic cats (54.4%) were positive for G. paralysans, and 34 (19.9%) were positive for A. abstrusus infections. From those animals, 34 (19.9%) were co-infected. Cats positive with G. paralysans were found in all three cities; 47.2% in Puerto Montt, 48% in Valdivia, and 64.7% in Temuco. Levels of infection for A. abstrusus in the population under study were 4% (Valdivia), 10% (Puerto Montt), and 32.4% (Temuco). The present large-scale epidemiological study confirmed the presence of these neglected nematodes in domestic cat populations in Southern Chile, and described the possible risk factors associated with feline gurltiosis and aelurostrongylosis.

Factors affecting faecal glucocorticoid levels in domestic cats (Felis catus): a pilot study with single and large multi-cat households

2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Ramos ◽  
MN Arena ◽  
A Reche-Junior ◽  
AGT Daniel ◽  
MVC Albino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Factors Affecting

scholarly journals Prevalence ofToxoplasma gondiiand Other Gastrointestinal Parasites in Domestic Cats from Households in Thika Region, Kenya

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adele Nyambura Njuguna ◽  
John Maina Kagira ◽  
Simon Muturi Karanja ◽  
Maina Ngotho ◽  
Lucy Mutharia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽  
Domestic Cats ◽  
Toxocara Cati ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Dipylidium Caninum

Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites of domestic cats (Felis catus) not only cause morbidity but are also potential zoonotic agents. The current study aimed at establishing the prevalence of GIT parasites in cats kept by households in Thika region, Kenya. Fecal samples were collected randomly from 103 cats and analyzed for presence of parasites using standard parasitological methods. In descending order, the prevalence of the detected protozoa parasites wasIsosporaspp. 43.7% (95% CI: 40.4–47%),Cryptosporidiumspp. 40.8% (95% CI: 37.5–44.1%),Toxoplasma gondii7.8% (95% CI: 4.5–11.1%), andEntamoebaspp. 2.9% (95% CI: 1.6–6.2%). The prevalence of the observed helminths wasStrongyloides stercoralis43.7% (95% CI: 40.4–47%),Toxocara cati23.3% (95% CI: 20–26.6%),Ancylostomaspp. 9.7% (95% CI: 6.4–13%),Dipylidium caninum8.7% (95% CI: 5.4–12.0%), andAcanthocephalaspp. 1.9% (95% CI: 1–4.2%). The percentage of cats excreting at least one species of parasite was 73.2% (95% CI = 69.9–76.5%). The study shows that the cats have high spectrum (9) of parasites which are known to affect the cat’s health and some are of zoonotic significance.

scholarly journals Volatile faecal components related to sex and age in domestic cats (Felis catus)

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 766-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuji Uetake ◽  
Tomonari Abumi ◽  
Takehito Suzuki ◽  
Shin Hisamatsu ◽  
Minoru Fukuda
Keyword(s):  
Felis Catus ◽  
Domestic Cats
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