Strategy planning in cats (Felis catus) in a progressive elimination task
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2003 |
Authors: |
D.D. Pagé, C. Dumas |
Publication/Journal: |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Keywords: |
*choice behavior, animal behavior, animal behaviour, animals, cats, choice behaviour, female, learning, practice (psychology) |
ISBN: |
0735-7036 |
Abstract:
Domestic cats (Felis cans) were administered a progressive elimination task in which they had to visit and deplete 3 baited sites. Cats were brought back to the starting point after each visit to any site whether the visit represented a correct or an incorrect choice. The results revealed that cats organized search as a function of the least distance principle whether they had to assess starting point to target distances (Experiment 1, n = 12) or adjacent bowl distances (Experiment 2, n = 12). The results also revealed that the starting point to target distance factor was the most influential in determining the initial choice (Experiment 3, n = 6) and in producing errors. Errors were also linked to the antero-posterior bodily axis of the cat. Results are discussed in terms of the predatory behavior of the cat