Friends or rivals? This says science about coexistence between the cats of the home

Friends or rivals? This says science about coexistence between the cats of the home

The amount of felines in the family, the time they have been together and the personality of each, are some of the factors that most influence these dynamics.

The cats are pets independent and mysterious, admired since ancient times for their elegance and autonomy. However, when several felines share the same roof, the coexistence It can be a real challenge for them and for their owners.

Unlike dogs, whose sociability is more explicit, these animals with mustaches usually show a more complex relationship. For this reason, understand how they relate to each other, that Factors They influence their links and how they react to the presence of other cats, it is essential for those who seek to give them a harmonious environment in homes with more than a feline.

In this scenario, a study Recent about animal behavior He sought to understand in depth the relationships between these pets of the same species. To do this, the scientists observed and analyzed the daily interactions Among groups of cats, paying attention to signals of affection, tolerance and conflict.

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What is coexistence between cats under the same roof?

In the investigation, more than 6,500 caregivers of cats in the United States and Canada, who had to see Ten short videosfive interactions positive Like mutual grooming and sleeping together, and five negative as fights and blows, to analyze how behaviors between two domestic cats are interpreted.

Then they had that qualify Each audiovisual piece in a Likert scalevaluing the general interaction and individual experience of each feline. In addition, they were asked to inform what frequency They observe the behaviors illustrated in each material in their own pets.

Previously, a group of Feline behavior experts He evaluated the same videos, allowing to compare the perceptions of caregivers and scientists.

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The results revealed that coexistence between cats is not a matter of “all or nothing.” It is not simply that they get along or hate each other, but a complex Practices Network that can range from indifference to mutual care.

In addition, the answers showed that the obvious positive interactions were reported more periodicly in pairs of cats that were relatives, they had been living together for more time, they were castrated males, lived exclusively indoors and shared a single food zone. On the contrary, the negatives were observed in the duos of major felines, with considerable age difference, history of aggression towards other animals and homes with a single sand box.

In this way, it was identified that there are certain Factors that influence this dynamic, such as the number of pets at home, the time they have been together and the personality of each. In turn, the establishment of Hierarchies and routines Common contributes to reducing tensions and favoring harmony.

Source: Ambito

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