کد مقاله کد نشریه سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی نسخه تمام متن
5539586 1553139 2017 24 صفحه PDF دانلود رایگان
عنوان انگلیسی مقاله ISI
Active and passive responses to catnip (Nepeta cataria) are affected by age, sex and early gonadectomy in male and female cats
موضوعات مرتبط
علوم زیستی و بیوفناوری علوم کشاورزی و بیولوژیک علوم دامی و جانورشناسی
پیش نمایش صفحه اول مقاله
Active and passive responses to catnip (Nepeta cataria) are affected by age, sex and early gonadectomy in male and female cats
چکیده انگلیسی
Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a popular plant among cat owners because in about 60% of felids elicits active behaviors such as rolling over, grooming, motor activity and vocalizations. Herein, we assessed the display of active but also passive responses, such as time in sphinx-like position, and consequently hypothesized that 100% of cats respond to catnip. Accordingly, sixty domestic cats of different age (infant, juvenile, adults), sex (males, females) and gonadal status (early gonadectomized, gonadally intact) were placed in a cylindrical chamber (1.20 × 1.40 m) during 5 min and then exposed to 500 mg of dehydrated catnip for another 5 min. Behaviors were videorecorded and scored. Results indicated that about 20% of the cats (adults and juvenile only) displayed active behaviors (i.e. rolling over), whereas 80% displayed passive responses at any age (sphinx-like position, decreased frequency in vocalizations, and decreased motor activity). These results suggest that all cats respond to catnip but they express it actively, passively or with a combination of both types of responses, which mainly depends on age and sex, and early gonadectomy to a much less extent. We discuss the possible implications of brain maturation on this dichotomy and speculate on the role of opioidergic system on the catnip responses.
ناشر
Database: Elsevier - ScienceDirect (ساینس دایرکت)
Journal: Behavioural Processes - Volume 142, September 2017, Pages 110-115
نویسندگان
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