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Research

Research on Cats’ Body and Head Rubbing Behaviour: Initial Findings

For my research, I focussed on identifying whether cats with certain personality types engage in head rubbing behaviour more frequently than those with other personality types. This is a start to try and understand why cats display this behaviour inside the home.

For example, is this purely friendly behaviour? Or is it more territorial? Or perhaps anxious cats display the behaviour more often because they feel a need to reassure themselves?

The personality types I analysed are based on research by Litchfield et al (2017). I analysed head rubbing behaviour in three categories: people, permanent fixtures in the home and new items in the home.

The initial findings:

  • Agreeable cats (relaxed, friendly and affectionate) head rub people significantly more often than other personalities, both people they live with as well as visitors to the home;
  • Neurotic cats (shy, insecure and tense) most frequently head rub furniture or other permanent fixtures in the home after a visitor has left;
  • Dominant cats (independent, sometimes bullying) engage in head rubbing new items in the home most often.

Similar to findings on cats’ grooming behaviour of other cats (allogrooming) (see Curtis et al (2003) and van den Bos (1998)), there seems to be a duality to head rubbing behaviour. This would require further research and ideally observational studies in order to assess body language during rubbing behaviour in order to establish whether this behaviour can indeed be regarded as friendly as well as neurotic or dominant depending on the circumstances.

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Dirk update

At the end of September last year, Dirk was diagnosed with early stage kidney failure (CKD).

As he was still in the early phases of stage 1 we were quite optimistic we might be able to slow down the disease’s progression. This can be done mainly through diet and making sure the cat drinks enough. Dirk is not normally a fussy eater, but unfortunately he did not want to eat and of the various brands of kidney diet wet food. He does consistently eat the kidney fry food, but with wet food it’s a bit trial and error at the moment. He sometimes likes something for a few days and then goes off it again.

However, in late November/early December he was quite unwell and lost weight fairly rapidly.

Dirk had more tests done last month and sadly his CKD is progressing more rapidly than we’d like. He is now in the latter phases of stage 2.

As regards his behaviour, he no longer shows any interest in toys, but he remains very affectionate. We’ll enjoy as many cuddles as possible for as long as possible, but the time to say goodbye is coming closer.

Research

Research on Cats’ Body and Head Rubbing Behaviour: Help Needed!

In one way or another, our cats all leave their marks. Some cats urine mark, especially if they haven’t been neutered or they scratch. These behaviours are well-researched, mainly because they are natural cat behaviours but many humans find them problematic.

A lesser researched area is the behaviour of body and head marking. I’m sure you’ve seen your cats do it as well. If your cat has a favourite spot then perhaps you’ve seen brownish scuff marks on it. They may also rub their bodies along your legs.

Partially, it may just be that it feels nice for cats to give themselves a bit of a chin or cheek rub. However, it is also a more subtle form of communication between cats that we can still learn much more about.

As a cat behaviourist I am interested in all forms of communication between cats and have decided to focus on the subtle form of body and head rubbing specifically.

My first piece of research will focus on cats’ personalities and body or head rubbing behaviour.

If you want to participate then please click here. The survey will open in a new window.

 A few cats ‘caught in the act’

Research

Bonding with your cat: slow blinking

* Adapted from Anna Ford’s article for the University of Sussex’s News Broadcast

A team of psychologists at the Universities of Sussex and Portsmouth have shown for the first time that it is possible to build rapport with a cat by using an eye narrowing technique with them.

This eye narrowing action by humans generates something popularly known as a cat smile – the so called “slow blink” – and seems to make the human more attractive to the cat.

The study found:

  • Cats were more likely to slow blink at their owners if their owners had slowed blinked at them, compared to when the owner was present in the room but not delivering a slow blink stimulus.
  • Cats were more likely to slow blink when an unfamiliar experimenter slow blinked at them, compared to when they had maintained a neutral expression.
  • Cats preferred to approach an experimenter after they had slow blinked at the cat than if they had maintained a neutral expression.

To read the full article, click here.