Cat behavior during the exploration of a new environment: comparison between housed and sheltered animals awaiting adoption

Abstract

The aims of the current project are two-fold. The first aim is (I) to compare whether there are behavioral differences between domiciled and shelter-resident cats during the exploration of a new environment, by comparing the exploratory, playful and affiliative behaviors in video recordings of the Secure Base Test of Vitale (2019). In this protocol, animals are individually placed in a novel environment with a human figure present (2 min), absent (2 min), and then back again (2 min). The present project also aims to (II) compare exploratory, playful, and affiliative behaviors between the two groups of cats in the three phases of the protocol. The sample will consist of 40 cats, 20 domiciled and 20 shelter-resident. (AU)