Development of home orientation in offspring of protein‐restricted cats

Abstract

The development of home orientation was evaluated in 2-14-day-old kittens nursing from mothers fed a protein-restricted or control diet during late gestation and lactation. Although restricted kittens remained in the home when placed in it, their ability to return to the home was delayed when they were removed from it. Restricted kittens also exhibited aberrant locomotor development and an increased frequency of loss of balance (upsets) en route to the home. During postnatal Week 1, vocalization frequency, an index of kitten disturbance when outside the home, was increased in restricted kittens tested in the home, and in adjacent and diagonal corners. Restricted kittens persisted in vocalizing more frequently than controls in home and adjacent corner tests during Week 2. Taken together, these data suggest that maternal protein restriction during late gestation and lactation disrupts the development of home orientation behavior by impairing locomotor function and increasing emotional responsiveness.

Prenatal protein level impacts homing behavior in Long-Evans rat pups

“…6–8 Impaired homing resulting from malnutrition has also been reported in other species, including protein-restricted cats. 39 Other nutritional insults, not limited to protein deficiency, e.g. iron deficiency disorders in early life 40 and excessive levels of vitamin A supplementation, 41 have been reported as contributing to impaired homing behavior in the rodent.…”

The Cat (Felis catus) as an Example of the Contribution that Comparative Psychology Has Made to Human Factors

“…With this awareness, and encouraged by the successful application of the cat as a medical model for treating human disorders, researchers have observed other cat behaviors that are potentially relevant to our species. For example, maternal protein restriction during late gestation and lactation in cats disrupts the development of orientation behavior in kittens by impairing locomotor function and increasing emotional responsiveness (Gallo, Werboff, & Knox, 1984). This condition further disrupts the development of mother-kitten social interactions and retards attachment formation (Gallo, Werboff, & Knox, 1980).…”