Figure 1: Domesticated cat demonstrating the "tail up" position

          

        Most species of felines live the majority of their lives in solitude and do not engage in social interactions, with the exception of mating and raising offspring. The only two  feline species that are exceptions to this are lions and domesticated cats. Both species often live in social groups. Living in a social group requires that individuals be able to communicate with one another. An example of such behavior in domesticated cats is the placing of the tail in a vertical position, bent at the end towards the individual with whom it is interacting. This action is referred to as “tail up” (Cafazzo and Natoli, 2009).          

Figure 2: Domesticated cats greeting one another

        “Tail up” is not observed in any adult feline species other than domesticated cats. It is believed this behavior has developed in domesticated cats as a method to communicate with humans and other cats. Upon observing cat behavior amongst a wide variety of cats in Rome, scientists Cafazzo and Natoli have determined that “tail up” is used as a greeting and a sign of submission amongst domesticated cats.  Cats of high social ranking within a social group, often the most aggressive male, received the most greetings from cats with their tails’ held up. They also tended to greet cats with their tails in a horizontal position. Cats with their tails held up were approached by other cats with less aggression and meetings were followed with other greeting behavior, including sniffing each others noses and rubbing one another. Amongst neutered males, females were most likely to initiate greetings with males. However, in non-neutered males, males were most likely to initiate greetings with females. It is hypothesized this occurs because males who are neutered produce less testosterone, making them less aggressive and competitive (Cafazzo and Natoli, 2009).   

Figure 3: Wildcat kitten greeting its mother

            Most scientists are in agreement that domesticated cats hold their tails up as a form of social interaction, and that this trait evolved as cats shifted from a solitary outdoor existence to an urban life. However, the origins of this trait are largely debated. One theory suggests that the trait of “tail up” evolved from an action observed in other cat species, in which kittens hold their tails up when greeting their mothers. Kittens loose this trait when they mature into adults and go their separate ways. However, as domesticated cats often stay in frequent contact with other cats, they may have evolved to maintain the behavior into adulthood (Cafazzo and Natoli, 2009)          

       Another theory suggests that the behavior of “tail up” evolved as method for domesticated cats to communicate with humans. Cats often great their owners with their tail up.  This behavior is believed to be an opening and welcoming jester, inviting human interaction (Cafazzo and Natoli, 2009).  

Figure 4: Cat greeting a human

            A third theory suggests that the “tail up” behavior evolved from sexual interactions between cats. When courted by a male, female cats respond by turning in circles, rubbing the male, and holding her tail up to present herself to the male. The greeting that was originally used for mating may have evolved into the general greeting observed in cats today (Cafazzo and Natoli, 2009). 

            Similar behavior to “tail up” has been observed in lions, the only other social species of cat. When lions greet one another, they do not hold their tail up in a vertical position, but instead tip the end of their tail towards the individual they are greeting. Like in domesticated cats, this is believed to signal submission. The greetings behavior of lions and cats is an example of parallel evolution (Cafazzo and Natoli, 2009). 

Figure 5: Lions greeting one another

Works Cited:

Cafazzo, S, and Natoli, E, 2009, ‘The Social Function of Tail up in the Domesticate Cat (Felis silvestris catus), Behavioral Process, Vol. 80 (1), pp. 60-66.

Figure 1: Available from: http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0601/4169/files/Cat_signs_4_large.jpg?12373879695195808162

Figure 2: Available from: http://lifeonfourlegs.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/cats-greeting-with-tail-up.jpg 

Figure 3: Available from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Scottish_wildcat_%26_kitten.jpg/220px-Scottish_wildcat_%26_kitten.jpg

Figure 4: Available from: http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-77d88adf42a57c27390dfd6e6c5167f9?convert_to_webp=true

Figure 5: Available from: http://www.earthrangers.com/content/wildwire/lions_greeting1.jpg

Figure 1: Human interacting with a domesticated cat 

            Domestication of an animal occurs when it is removed from its natural environment into a human controlled environment. Eventually, due to human interactions including selective breeding, the selected animal branches off from its wild relatives and becomes its own species. While cats are only considered semi-domesticated animals and have been subject to a relatively low amount of selective breeding, they have become their own species, branching from Felis silvestris lybica, the African wildcat, and have, in some ways, coevolved with humans. An example of such evolution is evidenced through cat vocalizations (Nicastro, 2004).

Figure 2: Domesticated cat meowing

            Domesticated cats can create a large variety sounds. However, the must frequent sounds they make are in the forms of meowing and purring. Only six of the forty species in the cat family can meow, a sound characterized by its arched, vowel-focused pitch with duration of one to several seconds. When asked to compare the meows of various domesticated cats and various African wildcats in multiple contexts, humans responded by saying that they found the domesticated cat meow more pleasant. The meow of the domesticated cat is higher, softer, and shorter in duration than the meow of the African wildcat. It is hypothesized the changes in the domesticated cat’s meow have evolved in a manner that sounds less threatening to humans, and even to resemble the cry of a human infant (Nicastro, 2004).

Figure 3: Content cat purring

            Evidence suggests that the domesticates cat’s meow has not only evolved to be more pleasant to humans, but to communicate with them. Cats purr when their mothers are nursing them. Therefore, purring is associated with content and hunger. When they are older, cats purr when asking humans to feed them and when they are happy. The purr cats vocalize when they are hungry is high pitched and described by humans as less pleasant and more urgent than the purr cats resonate when they are content, which is softer and deeper. Humans can recognize the difference between the two purrs. It is suggested that the purr cats vocalize when hungry has evolved to sound like a human baby’s cry, stimulating a need in humans to for care of and nurture it (McCob et al, 2009).

            The coevolution between cat vocalizations and humans is not believed to have occurred though selective breeding, but rather natural selection. Cats who sound more pleasant and better communicate with humans are more likely to be well cared for by them and to pass on their genetic information. Cats also learn what sounds humans respond to as they grow up and become more efficient in communication (Nicastro, 2004).

Works Cited:

McCob, K, Taylor, A, Wilson, C, and Charlton, B, (2009), ‘The Cry Embedded Within the Purr,’ Current Biology, Vol. 19, 14, pp. R507-R508.

Nicastro, N, 2004, ‘Perceptual and Acoustic Evidence for Species-Level Differences in Meow Vocalization by Domesticate Cats (Felis catus) and African Wild Cats (Felis silvestris lybica), Journal of Comparative Psychology, Vol. 118, 3, pp. 287-296.

Figure 1: Available from: http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/content/images/cute-boys-with-cts.jpgFigure 1: Available from: http://www.catster.com/files/600px-meowing-cat.jpg 

Figure 2: Available from: http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.prod.vetstreet.com/c0/125cc0aed911e088ab0050568d634f/file/37-cat-purring-reason-is-425km071411.jpg 

Figure 3: Available from:http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.prod.vetstreet.com/c0/125cc0aed911e088ab0050568d634f/file/37-cat-purring-reason-is-425km071411.jpg

Figure 1: Feral domesticated cats living together in a garbage area

           Most species of felidae, the cat family, are solitary animals and live far apart from one another. Therefore, mating competition and aggression is relatively low, as males rarely come in contact with one another. Social structures are very simple. However, feral domesticated cats do not follow this trend and are often seen in social groups around food sources, such as a garbage areas. This complicates mating procedures, as demonstrated in two case studies, one on Ainoshima Island off the coast of Japan (Yamane et al, 1996), and another in central Rome (Natoli and De Vito, 1991).

                 Whether or not male domesticated cats compete for mates is a widely debated issue. Upon observing cat mating behavior and tracking and weighing individual cats on Ainoshima Island, Yamane et al found that male cats become much more aggressive during the estrous season, the time that female cats become fertile. Male cats also expand their range to increase their likelihood of finding females. Documented fights between males increase during the estrous season.  The winners of these fights are often males with bigger bodies. Yamane et al found that male body size is directly related to mating success. Instances were documented in which large males would mate with females while smaller males watched and did not attempt to fight. Such behavior suggests a social hierarchy in which large males have the greatest access to females, within an age limit of up to four years, a relatively old age for feral cats (Yamane et al, 1996). However, other scientists argue that domesticated cats do not exercise a social hierarchy in mating.

Figure 2 : Feral female cat with kittens

            In a case study observing mating behavior of cats in central Rome, scientists Natoli and De Vito state that female cats want to optimize the number of males they mate with.  Females advertise the fact that they are fertile to males through vocalizations, rubbing the chin, head, and neck on objects, rolling on the ground, crouching, and not resisting male efforts in mating, as they otherwise would. Females gather as much sperm as they can, and the sperm that is most fit fertilizes her eggs. Often, single litters of kittens have more than one father. Mating with multiple males reduces the risk of infanticide, as males are less likely to kill the offspring of females with whom they have mated.

            Natoli and De Vito predicted that because feral domesticated cats live in social groups, they would practice a social hierarchy in mating, as females are a limited resource and males want to pass down as much of their genetic information to as many offspring as possible. Such has been observed in many social species. However, this does not appear to be the case. While some large males attempt to guard females and will fight with other male cats for access to females, most do not.  Most commonly, male cats surround a female and take turns mating with her without fighting one another. 

Figure 3 : Male cat waiting his turn to mate with a female 

Natoli and De Vito hypothesize this behavior occurs because domesticated cats are still practicing the mating habits of their most common ancestors, solitary wildcats (Natoli and De Vito, 1991).  While this behavior is the most common amongst the observed cats, the more aggressive cats willing to guard females have higher reproductive success, suggesting that cats may eventually shift to a mating system based on social hierarchy, as observed by Yamane et al.

Works Cited:

Natoli, E, and De Vito, E, 1991, ‘Agonistic Behavior, Dominance Rank and Copulatory Success in a Large Multi-Male Feral Cat, Felis catus, Colony in Central Rome, Animal Behavior, Vol. 42, 2, pp. 227-241.

Yamane, A, Doi, T, and Ono, Y, 1996, ‘Mating Behaviors, Courtship Rank, and Mating Success of Male Feral Cat (Felis catus), Journal of Ethology, Vol. 14, 1, pp. 35-44.

Images: 

Figure 1: Available from: http://www.julieoneill.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/cats-in-garbage.jpg

Figure 2: Available from: http://www.playfulkitty.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Feral-Mom-and-her-kittens-Martin-Lopatka.jpg

Figure 3: Available from: http://cdn.photolabels.co/images/desktop.freewallpaper4.me/view/original/5908/mating-cats.jpg

         

            The article “Earliest Evidence for Commensal Process of Cat Domestication by Hu et al examines the origin of domesticated cat and when domesticated cats were introduced into China. This study was completed by looking at fossils from settlements of the Yangshao peoples from Shaanzxi China (Hu et al).

Figure : Ancient Egyptian art featuring a cat 

            Hu et al acknowledges and supports the idea that the wildcat felis silverstris lybica is the common ancestor of domesticated cats, and that domesticated cats were present in civilizations throughout the Fertile Crescent as early as 9,5000 years ago. Semi-domestication occurred here, as wild cats were drawn to the rodents in cultivated fields. The ancient Egyptians fully domesticated the cat by creating a loving bond with it, rather then simply tolerating it for rodent killing services.  This is believed to have occurred in Middle Kingdom Egypt 4,000 years ago, as evidenced through Egyptian paintings. Though it was illegal to trade cats in Egypt, it is believed Greece eventually obtained Egyptian cats 3,000 years ago, and from there, they spread throughout the world. Until recently, it was believed cats appeared in China 2,000 years ago (Hu et al).

Figure 2: Pottery from the Yangshao Culture

            The Yangshao civilization was located in Northern China and dates back to 6,000-5,000 BP. It was a well-devolved culture with buildings, pottery, and cultivated fields of millet and rice. There is evidence that rodents were present in these fields, as tunnels to food storage areas have been found. Recently found bones and teeth have been identified as belonging to cats. Examination of these bones revealed to Hu et al that the bones belong to domesticated cats, not Asian wildcats. Further examination of the bones revealed that many of the cats were quite old when they died, and that their diet had consisted of plant based food along with meat.  This evidence implies that these cats were cared for and feed by humans, suggesting a fully domesticated relationship. These bones date back 5,300 years ago, proving that domesticated cats have been present in China 3,000 years earlier than previously thought. Whether the origins of these animals are previously domesticated cats from Egypt or independently domesticated from felines of the Fertile Crescent is unclear. This new information calls for a re-examination of the spread of domesticated cats (Hu et al). 

Works Citied: 

Hu, Y, Hu, S, Wang, W, Wu, X, Marshall, F, Chen, X, Hou, L, and Wang, C, 2013, “Earliest Evidence for Commensal Process of Cat Domestication,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol 111, 1 pp. 116-120.

Figure 1: Available from http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/cats-in-ancient-egypt/, obtained 10/05/15

Figure 2: Available from http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/articles.php?searchterm=010_genetalia.inc&issue=010, obtained 10/05/15