Cat Personalities

Anyone who owns a cat knows that their character can be just as complex as humans. However, it was only until relatively recently that animal scientists have begun to understand that animals can have a wider range characteristics than simply 'bold' or 'shy'. Indeed, it wasn't until the 1970's that scientists began to contemplate the individual differences in animals. At the time, it was thought that individual personality traits were unlikely to be found in domestic cats, partially because they were inclined to be solitary animals, personality being something that could only evolve in social animals. Since then, it has been established that cats, on occasion, can be social, particularly when there is a single abundance of food or shelter where they will choose to live together in bigger groups. In the event, it was proposed that it could be possible for individual personalities to develop within such a group.

Close to the 1980s, researchers looked for evidence of personality traits in cats by using behavioural tests, noting the individual reactions to different situations over a period of time. In initial tests, only two personality traits were found in cats, though this was primarily due to the fact that these particular traits were easy to spot whereas the more subtle variations were much more difficult to define. However, as time went on and the researchers became more sophisticated with their tests, more interesting information was discovered.

They found out that as well as behavioral differences between breeds, there was also differences showing up between cats with different coat colors. Scientists found that cats without the agouti colouring gene, like black cats, tend to be more social and tolerant of other cats and humans. Reddish, cream or tortoiseshell cats are more inclined to be aggressive and less happy to be handled. The thinking behind these findings is that the chemicals that go to make up these colourings have a role in producing certain neurotransmitters, which is the basis of emotion and brain activity. It is possible that there is a link between the amount of these chemical available to the skin for colouring and the brain effecting personality.

More recently there have also been findings about the individual differences in friendliness, curiosity, fearfulness, alertness, sociability, docility and activity. Scientists have also tried to find out whether these traits are something that is inherited or learned.

What can we do with this information?

The American equivalent of the RSPCA, the ASPCA, uses this information to group cats together depending on their personality, so that any potential owners can decide on the type of cat that would best suit them. By employing this they improved the success rate of the adoptions. It would similarly be possible to adopt this further and match the cats to the most appropriate type of family, for example, homes with many cats, or families in the country or city. So how do the cats see themselves. I've also noticed interesting behavior in my own cats, two black domestic short-hairs, is that in an area where we have quite a few cats, they seem to be very tolerant of cats of a similar colour, whereas others get seen off very promptly? An intriguing observation I have made in my own cats, two black domestic short-hairs, is that in an area where we have quite a few cats, they seem to be very tolerant of cats of a similar color, whereas others get seen off very promptly.

So, as I have always thought, cats certainly have their own individual personalities. So what better way to create a reminder of your furry friend than commissioning a pet portrait, it's a great way of capturing their character!