Researchers from the University of Helsinki have developed a new comprehensive questionnaire for examining the personality and behavior of cats. A dataset of more than 4,300 cats representing 26 breed groups revealed seven personality and behavioral traits, with significant differences between breeds.
Cats are our most common pets and cat behavior is increasingly being researched due to a range of behavioral issues. Another interesting topic besides behavioral traits is personality, as it can be related to behavioral problems.
“Compared to dogs, less is known about the behavior and personality of cats, and there is a demand for identifying related problems and risk factors. We need more understanding and tools to eliminate problematic behavior and improve cat welfare. The most common behavioral problems associated with cats are related to aggression and inappropriate elimination,” says doctoral researcher Salla Mikkola of the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center.
In a questionnaire designed by the research group of Professor Hannes Lohi, personality and behavior were examined on the basis of a total of 138 statements. The questionnaire contained extensive sections on background and health-related information. By applying factor analysis to process the data, among other things, a total of seven personality and behavioral characteristics were identified.
“While the number of traits identified in previous research has varied, activity/playfulness, fear and aggression are the traits identified in our study and most common in previous studies. Litter problems and excessive growling are not personality traits as such, but they can indicate a cat's sensitivity to stress," adds Mikkola.
In addition to individuals, clear personality differences can be found between races. In other words, certain personality and behavioral traits are more common in certain cat breeds.
“The most fearsome breed was the Russian Blue, while the Abyssinian was the least fearful. The Bengal was the most active breed, while the Persian and Exotic were the most passive. The breeds with the most excessive growls were the Siamese and Balinese, while the Turkish Van breed scored significantly higher in aggression toward humans and lower in aggression toward cats. We had already observed the same phenomenon in a previous study,” says Professor Hannes Lohi from the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center.
The researchers would like to emphasize that no pairwise comparisons between races have been made at this time.
“We wanted to get a global picture of whether there are differences in personality traits between races. In follow-up research, we will use more complex models to investigate factors that influence traits and problem behavior. In these models we will take into account, in addition to breed, age, sex, health and a wide range of environmental factors of the cat,” says Mikkola.
For example, the behavior and personality of cats can be examined through questionnaires aimed at cat owners. Such questionnaires can measure cat behavior in the long term and in everyday circumstances, which is impossible in behavioral testing. In addition, in test environments, cats do not necessarily behave in a way that is typical of themselves. Due to their subjective nature, the reliability of the questionnaires must be assessed before the data can be further exploited.
The researchers contacted cat owners who responded to the questionnaire one to three months ago, asking them to complete the questionnaire again or ask another adult living in the same household to complete the questionnaire. The aim was to assess the reliability of the questionnaire both over time and between respondents. Based on two additional data sets collected through this method, it was possible to evaluate the reliability of the questionnaire over time and between respondents.
“By comparing the responses, we found that the responses for the same cat were very similar, while the personality and behavioral traits appeared to be reproducible and reliable. We also examined the validity of the questionnaire. In that sense, too, the questionnaire functioned well,” says Mikkola.
Lohi's group's research will make it possible to identify genetic, environmental and personality factors associated with problematic feline behavior.
