New research shows that fetching behavior isn’t just for drooling canines. Scientists surveyed thousands of pet owners and found that the vast majority of cats do enjoy playing fetch at least some of the time. That said, the dog was still more likely to chase the toy or stick.
Purdue University scientists conducted the study in hopes of quantifying pets’ grasping abilities. While dogs are known to be prolific fetchers, there haven’t been many studies showing how common this behavior is in the canine world, the researchers said. Likewise, while recent research has found that some cats behave as they please, it’s unclear how often this occurs.
To better understand this phenomenon, the researchers analyzed data from two long-term research projects involving cat and dog owners respectively: Fe-BARQ and C-BARQ. As part of these programs, owners undergo extensive surveys to gain insight into their pets’ behavior, including how they like to play.
Based on data from more than 8,000 cat owners, scientists found that about 41% of cats displayed classic fetching behavior. Some owners directly used the word “retrieve” in their responses to describe their cats’ play style, while others said their cats liked to “retrieve thrown objects or toys.” However, dogs are still champions at fetching. Based on responses from 78,000 dog owners, researchers found that 78% of dogs regularly play fetch.
“Data from these two surveys suggest that fetching behavior in cats may be more common than previously estimated and, to our knowledge, is the only known evidence of fetching behavior in dogs,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in the journal on Wednesday. First estimates of prevalence. PLOS-1.
The researchers also found many similarities and differences between catching cats and catching dogs. For example, fetching behavior tends to be more common in cats and dogs if they are young, male, and/or in good overall health. But while dog fetching behavior is associated with better overall trainability (the better they are trained, the more likely they are to fetch), if cats are generally more playful, active, and live indoors, Then the cat is more likely to retrieve the object.
Feeding behavior occurs in all cat and dog breeds, but some breeds are more prominent. For example, Burmese, Siamese, and Tonkinese cats are the more common crawlers, and researchers note that these cats originate from populations that were brought and isolated to East Asia during the early days of cat domestication, suggesting their love of fetching May be genetically influenced. Among dogs, retrievers, Labrador retrievers and other breeds bred for hunting or moving livestock are more likely to fetch.
The authors speculate that while the fetching behavior of both animals resembles natural hunting behavior, it is more likely related to their love of play. Fetching may also be a way for cats and dogs to form and strengthen bonds with their humans. Either way, there’s still a lot to learn about our furry feline and canine friends.
“We hope this study will draw more attention to cats’ fetching behavior – cats are often portrayed as independent or aloof! In fact, they can be very social, which is a good indicator of their interactions with humans. example,” said lead study researcher Mikel Delgado in an interview with the study’s publisher, PLoS.
