Play in kittens (Felis domesticus) and its association with cohesion and aggression

Social play in the development of sibling relations in Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)

“…In domestic cat litters, most of play contacts in kittens peak at the age of 6-7 weeks of life (Barrett and Bateson, 1978). However, some researchers believe that the social play of domes tic cats most intense in kittens aged 9-14 weeks, and a pronounced peak play activity in the ontogeny of the domestic cat is missing (West, 1974;Mendoza and Ramirez, 1987). Given the timing of development of the young in domestic cat, lynx, and cheetah, we can conclude that the peak of play behavior occurs at approximately the same period of ontogeny.…”

“…In Cuvier's gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) calfs, the proportion of elements of play imitating sex ual behavior gradually decreases, whereas the propor tion of play interactions training fighting skills signifi cantly increases by the time when the young join the social group of their mother (Gomendio, 1988). In domestic cats, the replacement of intense play with lit termates by individual play with objects is associated with a decreased need for litter cohesion and prepara tion for the development of individual hunting behav ior (West, 1974;Mendoza and Ramirez, 1987). The sequence of development of certain types of play and features of play behavior in ontogeny is apparently related to the necessity to improve the skills that will be required in the nearest future (Mendoza and Ramirez, 1987;Gomendio, 1988;Feddersen Petersen, 1991;Burghardt, 2005;Bateson and Martin, 2013).…”

“…In the domestic cat, litter dissolution occurs shortly after weaning (at an age of approximately 4 months), and the preceding changes in play are supposed to be associated with this process (Mendoza and Ramirez, 1987). In the Eurasian lynx, litter dissolution occurs at an age of 10 months (Schmidt et al, 1997), much later than the period of intense play interactions, and apparently does not affect the social relations between the cubs in early ontogeny.…”

Social play changes reflect differences in biology and development of three felids

“…Wild felids reproduce regularly in different zoos but their play development is poorly studied. The best studied species among felids, Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 or domestic cat (West, 1974;Barrett & Bateson, 1978;Caro, 1981;Martin & Bateson, 1985;Mendoza & Ramirez, 1987), is one of the few relatively social and also domesticated species in felids (Nowell & Jackson, 1996). Play in domestic cat is similar to the play in other felid species (Fagen, 1981), but all species are unique and their specific traits are important for behavioral development.…”

“…Play frequency can reflect various social changes. It decreases in the periods of social tension like litter dissolution (Mendoza & Ramirez, 1987) and increases in the periods of litter cohesion e.g. after sibling aggression period in spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta Erxleben, 1777 (Drea et al, 1996).…”