Species: Domestic Cat and its Undomesticated Relatives

Use: Signalling Repertoire 

Authors: John Bradshaw and Charlotte Cameron-Beaumont

Methods: N/A

Publications/Presentations: N/A

Ethogram of olfactory, visual and tactile signals exhibited by adult undomesticated felids.

Olfactory Communication

Urine spray: Cat directs a jet of urine backwards against some object. The tail is raised vertically and, in some species quivered as the urine is discharged. 

Squat urination: This type of urination occurs un a squatting position, and not against an object. Squat urinations are usually accompanied by a raking/scuffing of the hind feet.

Scuffing/scraping/raking of the hind feet: This is often exhibited during squat urination, but does also occur alone. It may be a method of transferring scent from the glands of the feet to the substrate.

Feces deposition on landmarks: Cat defecates in a prominent landmark.

Object rub: Cat rubs its body or head and neck along the ground or against an object. This behavior is also strongly associated with female sexual behavior as a visual signal.

Tree scratching/claw raking: Cat grips tree trunk with extended forelegs and depressed body, and the claws are then drawn backwards simultaneously or alternately in strokes of variable length and speed. This action serves to remove loose claw sheaths but also leaves a visual and possibly olfactory trace.

Visual communication

Watch: One cat idly observes another cat or human. This can be distinguished by the way in which the cat's eye and head movements track what it is watching. This is not necessarily directed at another cat's eyes.

Stare: This is similar to Watch, but involves a more fixed stare, with the cat not being easily distracted by any other activity around it. It is often directed at the other cats eyes, and may frequently be followed by the recipient cat looking away. 

Ears back: Ears are held at the rear of the head.

Ears flat: A cat flattens its ears to its head, such that they tend to lie flush with the top of the head.

Tail quiver: Tail is held upright and the entire tail is quivered rapidly from the base to the tip of the tail.

Social Roll: A cat rolls in the ground in the presence of another cat.

Tail under: The tail is tucked right under the body. This position is normally held whilst the cat is crouching in a defensive manner.

Crouch: The cat crouches in a defensive manner. Cats also often sit in a crouching position. This is not included as being crouching.

Lordosis: A female cat crouches down and raises her hindquarters to present her genitals to a male when in a receptive oestrous state. Her tail is turned aside and her belly pressed close to the ground.

Follow: One cat travels closely behind another.

Knead/tread: Cat pummels paws into object or ground in a kneading motion. Claws nay be in or out. May occur with either the front or back feet. Treading (also called skating) of the back feet is particularly associated with the female during reproduction.

Arch back: A cat curves its back upwards and stands rigidly. The tail is usually tensely curved and the fur may be piloerected.

Mouth threat: Cat gapes its mouth and puts its ears back in the expression that would normally be attributed to a hiss, but no sound is made.

Snapbite: Cat opens its mouth and snaps it shut, as if biting the air. This is normally directed towards another cat.

Social rub: Cat rubs another cat. Subdivisions include: rub head (one cat rubs its head on another), rub flank (one cat rubs its flank on another), and rub tail (one cat rubs its tail on another).

Social grooming or allogrooming or social licking: One cat lick another cat.

Pounce: Cat leaps at or on to another cat.

Social play: Social play has been divided into contact social play, and non-contact social play by Caro (1995). Contact social play has also been described as jostle play (described as: one cat struggles with another cat, raking with its hind legs and pulling the opponent towards its body with its forepaws).

Sniff cat: One cat smells the body of another cat. It may be subdivided into: Sniff nose (two cats sniff each other's noses), sniff rear (one cat smells the peri-anal area of another cat), and, sniff body (one cat smells the head, flank or tail of another cat).

Touch nose: Two cats touch each other's noses; this is probably accompanied by Sniff Nose.

Mount: One cat attempts, but fails to achieve, intromission. The mounting cat normally holds the recipient firmly at the nape of the neck whilst mounting. It is also sometimes accompanied by treading movements of the hind legs.

Nuzzle: One cat pushes its head against the head or, more uncommonly, the body of another cat. This resembles the form of a brief Rub but there is no rubbing action, only a gentle push.

Paw/pat: One cat pats another individual with its forepaw, keeping claws retracted.

Bite: One cat snaps its teeth at or succeeds in nipping another animal.

Nape bite: The hold used by the male cat whilst mounting the female. The female's neck is held in a firm bite-hold.

Cuff: One cat strikes another with its forepaw, usually with claws extended.

Sit with: A cat sits next to, or very near to, another cat.