A descriptive study of the use of space and patterns of interaction of 14 unrelated, non-reproductive domestic cats (Felis catus) living together in a single-story house was undertaken, since these behaviors have rarely been described for cats in this common situation.

Within the house, the cats kept to overlapping but individually distinct home ranges. The home ranges of males tended to be slightly larger than those of females, a pattern similar to that found in studies of feral cats outdoors. 3 male kittens showed dramatic reductions in home range at ~1year of age.

Almost all individuals had favored spots where they could predictably be found within the rooms they frequented. While some individuals had unique spots that only they used, more commonly several individuals had the same favored spot within a room. Sharing of such spots was primarily the result of different individuals occupying the spots at different times, a kind of time-sharing rather than physical sharing. Time-sharing groups could be identified, some all female, some all male, some a mix.

Certain individuals were identified as dominant or subordinate by their ability to control access to resources and/or by others conceding resources to them. However, overt aggression was rare, and there was no clear hierarchy.

Tail positions could be identified and may have played an important role in helping this relatively large group occupy this relatively small home.

Density calculations completed at the end of the study indicated that the group was living at ~50× the highest densities observed in most studies of cats outdoors, yet stable groupings were maintained.

…Box-Sharing A simple “experiment” was undertaken to determine if our identification of “dominants” was correct. Strack had found previously that cats in her community liked to spend time investigating, marking and sitting in boxes, and that turn-taking for these behaviors seemed to follow a pattern, with the dominant (Julius, for example) taking the first turn in any newly introduced box. Near the end of the study, two similarly-sized boxes were introduced. As soon as the boxes were set on the floor, Lily and Harry each got into one. They occupied their respective boxes for long periods of time and were not obviously challenged by any of the other cats, although other cats remained nearby and observed them closely. When Harry and Lily left the boxes at any time, other cats got into them.

Lily and Harry continued to return to the boxes over the next several days, each returning to their original box, occupying them for several hours each day. In 4 or 5 days all of the cats lost interest in the boxes, as was typical in Strack’s experience. New boxes were introduced, with the same general results.

[Perhaps because the sight-lines of the new ‘cave’ wind up providing no new information?]

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