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Preference of kittens for scratchers

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine kitten preferences towards different scratchers and the effects of catnip and cat odor on kitten scratching behaviors. METHODS: Two-choice preference tests were conducted to compare scratchers and preferred scratchers with or without additives...

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Autores principales: Zhang, Lingna, Plummer, Rebekkah, McGlone, John
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: SAGE Publications 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6661717/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30152710
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098612X18795258
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author Zhang, Lingna
Plummer, Rebekkah
McGlone, John
author_facet Zhang, Lingna
Plummer, Rebekkah
McGlone, John
author_sort Zhang, Lingna
collection PubMed
description OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine kitten preferences towards different scratchers and the effects of catnip and cat odor on kitten scratching behaviors. METHODS: Two-choice preference tests were conducted to compare scratchers and preferred scratchers with or without additives (ie, catnip, catnip oil, cat hair) in six studies. Kittens (n = 40, <8 weeks old) had access to two scratchers on the floor of a simulated living room for 20 mins and interactions were video-recorded. The time each kitten spent scratching each scratcher was compared. RESULTS: In study 1, the S-shaped cardboard was preferred over a hemp post with a toy on top, and no difference was observed in the other pairs of scratchers compared. In study 2, the S-shaped cardboard was preferred by kittens compared with a raised scratcher covered with window screen or with carpet, and no differences were observed between the latter two scratchers. In study 3, the scratcher covered with window screen set upright was preferred over the same scratcher laid horizontally on the floor. The S-shaped cardboard was preferred over the scratcher covered with bubble wrap. In study 4, kittens preferred the S-shaped cardboard over the scratchers covered with window screen or short-fiber carpet but not over the scratcher covered with long-fiber carpet. In study 5, the S-shaped cardboard was strongly preferred over the long cardboard and rectangular cardboard but not over the boat-shaped cardboard. In study 6, dried catnip plant, catnip oil spray or the hair from other cats did not alter the scratching behavior exhibited by the kittens vs the control S-shaped cardboard alone. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The S-shaped cardboard scratcher was a preferred scratcher for kittens. Catnip or odor of other cats did not alter this behavior in kittens. S-shaped cardboard may be a preferred scratching device for kittens.
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spelling pubmed-66617172019-09-16 Preference of kittens for scratchers Zhang, Lingna Plummer, Rebekkah McGlone, John J Feline Med Surg Original Articles OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine kitten preferences towards different scratchers and the effects of catnip and cat odor on kitten scratching behaviors. METHODS: Two-choice preference tests were conducted to compare scratchers and preferred scratchers with or without additives (ie, catnip, catnip oil, cat hair) in six studies. Kittens (n = 40, <8 weeks old) had access to two scratchers on the floor of a simulated living room for 20 mins and interactions were video-recorded. The time each kitten spent scratching each scratcher was compared. RESULTS: In study 1, the S-shaped cardboard was preferred over a hemp post with a toy on top, and no difference was observed in the other pairs of scratchers compared. In study 2, the S-shaped cardboard was preferred by kittens compared with a raised scratcher covered with window screen or with carpet, and no differences were observed between the latter two scratchers. In study 3, the scratcher covered with window screen set upright was preferred over the same scratcher laid horizontally on the floor. The S-shaped cardboard was preferred over the scratcher covered with bubble wrap. In study 4, kittens preferred the S-shaped cardboard over the scratchers covered with window screen or short-fiber carpet but not over the scratcher covered with long-fiber carpet. In study 5, the S-shaped cardboard was strongly preferred over the long cardboard and rectangular cardboard but not over the boat-shaped cardboard. In study 6, dried catnip plant, catnip oil spray or the hair from other cats did not alter the scratching behavior exhibited by the kittens vs the control S-shaped cardboard alone. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The S-shaped cardboard scratcher was a preferred scratcher for kittens. Catnip or odor of other cats did not alter this behavior in kittens. S-shaped cardboard may be a preferred scratching device for kittens. SAGE Publications 2018-08-28 2019-08 /pmc/articles/PMC6661717/ /pubmed/30152710 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098612X18795258 Text en © The Author(s) 2018 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
spellingShingle Original Articles
Zhang, Lingna
Plummer, Rebekkah
McGlone, John
Preference of kittens for scratchers
title Preference of kittens for scratchers
title_full Preference of kittens for scratchers
title_fullStr Preference of kittens for scratchers
title_full_unstemmed Preference of kittens for scratchers
title_short Preference of kittens for scratchers
title_sort preference of kittens for scratchers
topic Original Articles
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6661717/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30152710
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1098612X18795258
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