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The behavioral bases of prolonged suppression of predatory attack in cats
Author(s) -
Adamec Robert
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2337(1975)1:4<297::aid-ab2480010404>3.0.co;2-u
Subject(s) - cats , psychology , zoology , computer security , biology , medicine , computer science
The behavioral differences between rat‐killing cats and non‐rat killers were investigated. Killers and non‐killers were found to fall at opposite ends of a continuum of predisposition to respond defensively to a variety of environmental threats. Non‐killers were most defensive, displaying aggressive‐defensive predatory attacks in contrast to the aggressive attacks of killers. The data support the hypothesis that suppression of killing among non‐rat killers is the result of an enhanced sensitivity to external threat.