Animal psychology: Domestic felines

This course introduces the main areas studied in cat behaviour and will include the origin and evolution of the cat from its wild ancestors the African and Asian wildcats, developmental behaviour from birth to adulthood, individuality and personality including a quick personality test for your cat. Feline signalling and communication will also be covered and may reveal some of what your cat may be trying to tell you, predatory behaviour and why well-fed cats still kill rodents and birds. The human - cat relationship in all its complexity will be discussed and some breed differences will also be touched upon – this will include why cats seem to have a tendency to go to people who don’t really like them (it’s not just bloody-mindedness!). Learners attending this course will develop a better understanding of their feline friends’ behaviour and abilities and this may well lead to a more positive relationship and a stronger bond with our feline companions. companions.