A model to quantify the anticipatory response in cats
-
Published:2011-05
Issue:2
Volume:20
Page:191-200
-
ISSN:0962-7286
-
Container-title:Animal Welfare
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Anim. welf.
Author:
Tomi G,Martorell A,Torre C,Compagnucci M,Manteca X
Abstract
AbstractThe aim of this paper was to develop a protocol to study the anticipatory response in cats as a measure of welfare. Seven experimental cats were trained in a classical conditioning paradigm to associate a sound with food arrival, while sound and food were presented without contingency in four control cats. Increasing the interval between sound and food up to 60 s allowed a detailed description of cats’ anticipatory response. Compared to control animals, experimental cats showed significantly shorter latencies to orient towards (average 2.96 s) and approach the source of the sound (12.98 s) as well as longer durations of exploring and standing by the source of the sound (namely 69.97 and 52.32%, respectively of the interval sound-food). Experimental cats also exhibited behaviours that may derive from predation patterns, eg short pauses and predatory crouch while approaching the source of the sound (namely in 28.93 and 29.64% of trials), rapid head movements while watching it (55.36% of trials) and pouncing on the food (9.29% of trials). This protocol should be further studied to assess its effectiveness in highlighting differences according to the welfare of individual cats.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
General Veterinary,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Animal Science and Zoology
Reference45 articles.
1. Measuring emotional processes in animals: the utility of a cognitive approach
2. The Assessment Of Welfare
3. Anticipatory hyperactivity and stereotypical behaviour in American mink (Mustela vison) in three housing systems differing in the amount of enrichment;Vinke;Applied Animal Behaviour Science,2006
4. Announced rewards counteract the impairment of anticipatory behaviour in socially stressed rats
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献