You know your cats' cute habits, their distinct personalities and their likes and dislikes for food, play and affection.
But could you say whether your cats are right-pawed or left-pawed? That is, have you noticed which paw they use first to step over a raised object or to step down the stairs
The coolest thing about the study is that all the cats — 24 male, 20 female, all neutered, of mixed breeds, and between the ages of 1 and 17 years — were tested in their own homes in order to minimize the animals' stress. In one part of the study, owners were asked to report information based on the cats' spontaneous behaviors as they went about their routine lives. Did the cats use the left or right paw first as they stepped down an indoor set of stairs? How about when they stepped into their litter tray? Owners collected data on these questions and on whether the cat preferred to sleep or rest on the left or right side of the body, each day until 50 responses were reached per question
In addition, the cats participated in what's called a "forced" (as opposed to spontaneous) test, in which they had to reach for food inside a three-tier experimental apparatus. This task was also done at home using a type of feeding tower where food is accessed through holes.
McDowell et al. explained the results this way:
"The majority of cats in the present study showed a lateral bias on the measures involving paw use, i.e. food reaching (73%), step down (70%) and step over (66%). Those with a preference, however, did not differ significantly in their tendency towards left or right handedness. The spontaneous behavior of lying side, the only measure that did not concentrate on paw use, was not found to be lateralized."
Male cats, the researchers discovered, were significantly more likely to use their left paws, and females their right
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