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The Purrfect Personality - Individuality in the Cat
I have lived with numerous cats during my life and every one had their own unique personality. And what a cast of characters
they've been! Lucinda was so sweet; she'd lie in your lap for hours and never tired of being stroked. Harvey, in contrast,
was haughty and aloof. He considered public displays of affection as downright distasteful. Sam was a real "doggy"
cat. He fetched toys tirelessly, he came when he was called, and he enjoyed playing with water. Simon was a dedicated hunter.
He liked to ambush legs as they passed by the dresser, he pounced on toes wiggling under the blankets, he ran laps around
the apartment, and pity any hapless beetle or fly that made its way into my home - they never saw the light of day again.
Kitty was as bold as brass. She was the most social cat I've ever known. She met guests at the door and did her rounds, sitting
on one lap, then the next. My current cat, Carmen, is very timid. She hides whenever company comes to call, she is fussy about
her food, and she runs off after a few moments of patting. She loves the dogs though. She follows them from room to room and
sleeps curled up next to my oldest dog in his bed each night. Have you ever wondered what accounts for such diversity in the
feline species?
Do Genetics Influence Personality?
The contribution of genetics to an animal's personality is a fascinating question. There are many anecdotal reports of
personality differences among breeds. For instance, Siamese cats are oft described as demanding, extremely vocal, and out-going
with strangers. The Russian blue is characterized as quiet, gentle, and withdrawn, while the Persian is described as lethargic,
lazy, and reserved. Cat experts, primarily breeders and cat show judges, are quick to point out, though, that there are large
differences among individuals within a breed too.
There is also scientific evidence that individual variation in behavior may be related to the cat's genetic makeup. Researchers
in the UK scored kittens on "friendliness to people" and determined that paternity accounted for most of the variation.
Kittens sired by friendly fathers were more likely to be sociable than kittens sired by reserved fathers. The researchers
made sure the kittens never met their fathers so genetic factors would have to be responsible for this effect. The friendliness
of the mother had little impact on the kittens' sociability. Realize that genes do not code for specific behavior patterns
so the influence is indirect. For instance, the father's genes could produce a physical trait, like growth rate or coat color,
that sways the nature of the kitten's contact with people, which in turn, impacts sociability. It's too bad that we almost
never know a cat's sire, else those people wanting a friendly cat could just make sure to select a kitten with an affable
dad.
Another example of how genetics can indirectly influence behavior comes from research on genetically linked deafness.
White cats, especially those with blue eyes, are often deaf because the gene involved in the production of the white coat
color also induces unilateral or bilateral deafness. Deafness has a marked effect on behavior, with many owners describing
these cats as "not terribly bright." In addition, in some lines of blue-eyed white cats, the females are unusually
timid.
Does Experience Influence Personality?
Numerous experiments investigating feline development have demonstrated the influence of experience on individual characteristics.
Early socialization affects personality greatly. Kittens, raised in isolation from people or cats for the first seven months
of life, were extremely timid in new environments and displayed exaggerated fear responses when restrained by people. Kittens
handled regularly during the first 45 days of life approached novel objects and people more readily than non-handled kittens.
Sociable kittens were handled more frequently, handled for longer periods of time, and handled by a greater number of people
during the "socialization period" (4-12 weeks of age), than reserved and timid kittens.
Early nutrition is also an important factor in determining the personality of cats. Several studies have examined how
malnourishment in the mother impacts kitten behavior. Kittens of malnourished mothers are developmentally delayed, learning
deficient, and are more accident-prone during play. When separated from their mothers, the kittens of malnourished moms were
less distressed than normal kittens. Some of the kittens of malnourished mothers showed exaggerated levels of fear and aggression
toward other cats and people. Most of the behavioural abnormalities persisted into adulthood, despite the fact that the kittens
received appropriate nutrition after weaning.
The Inscrutable Feline
Humans have lived with cats for thousands of years and no doubt some of the appeal has to do with the enigmatic feline
personality. Scientific inquiry can shed light on some aspects of the diversity of cat behavior but we still have a great
deal to learn about the amazing differences between individuals. Living with and loving cats is sometimes frustrating, always
intriguing, and never dull!
© 2003 ASPCA
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