Fearfulness associates with problematic behaviors and poor socialization in cats

Salla Mikkola; Milla Salonen; Emma Hakanen; Hannes Lohi

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105265

Fearfulness associates with problematic behaviors and poor socialization in cats

iScience. 2022 Oct 3;25(10):105265. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105265. eCollection 2022 Oct 21.

Authors

Salla Mikkola^{1

2

3}, Milla Salonen^{1

2

3}, Emma Hakanen^{1

2

3}, Hannes Lohi^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
² Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
³ Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Problematic behavior is a remarkable welfare issue in cats (Felis catus), as it is one of the most common reasons for relinquishment. The probability of developing problematic behaviors is likely influenced by several variables, but these remain little studied. In this study, we examined the associations of fearfulness, aggression toward humans, and excessive grooming with nearly thirty variables in a survey dataset of over 3,200 cats. To identify the most important variables influencing these behaviors, we used generalized linear models. All behaviors were associated with each other suggesting comorbidity between problematic behaviors. Breed and several environmental variables were also associated with behaviors. Poor socialization with humans and a history of being a rescue cat were associated with higher fearfulness, indicating that the proper socialization of kittens is beneficial for avoiding fear-related problematic behaviors. Overall, our study highlights the complexity of three problematic behaviors in cats.

Keywords: biological sciences; ethology; zoology.