Friday, March 25, 2011

Social, Asocial, Antisocial

Cat Definitions

Social:
A social species is one whose members form “stable relationships”.
Only in recent years did scientists discover that the domestic cat (whether feral or house cat) had an established social hierarchy.

" Though its ancestors may have led asocial lives, the domestic cat has evolved into a far more sociable animal both in a feral and a household setting. "


Asocial:
Asocial animals live mostly solitary lives, but come together in groups for two reasons: breeding and raising their young. Domestic cats are considered to be asocial (Pets.ca)

Antisocial:
Antisocial animals are solitary, aggressive when mating, and spend a very short period of time in raising their young (Pets.ca)



Misc Notes:
Level of sociality can also depend on the personality of the cat
Natoli (1994) categorises cats in terms of their dependence on humans for tropic resources.