Active and passive responses to catnip (Nepeta cataria) are affected by age, sex and early gonadectomy in male and female cats.

Autor: Espín-Iturbe LT; Doctorado en Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico; Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico., López Yañez BA; Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico., Carrasco García A; Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico., Canseco-Sedano R; Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico., Vázquez-Hernández M; Unidad de Servicios de Apoyo en Resolución Analítica, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico., Coria-Avila GA; Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Luis Castelazo s/n, Colonia Industrial Las Animas, C.P. 91190 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Electronic address: gcoria@uv.mx.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Behavioural processes [Behav Processes] 2017 Sep; Vol. 142, pp. 110-115. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Jul 08.
DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.06.008
Abstrakt: Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a popular plant among cat owners because in about 60% of felids elicits active behaviors such as rolling over, grooming, motor activity and vocalizations. Herein, we assessed the display of active but also passive responses, such as time in sphinx-like position, and consequently hypothesized that 100% of cats respond to catnip. Accordingly, sixty domestic cats of different age (infant, juvenile, adults), sex (males, females) and gonadal status (early gonadectomized, gonadally intact) were placed in a cylindrical chamber (1.20×1.40m) during 5min and then exposed to 500mg of dehydrated catnip for another 5min. Behaviors were videorecorded and scored. Results indicated that about 20% of the cats (adults and juvenile only) displayed active behaviors (i.e. rolling over), whereas 80% displayed passive responses at any age (sphinx-like position, decreased frequency in vocalizations, and decreased motor activity). These results suggest that all cats respond to catnip but they express it actively, passively or with a combination of both types of responses, which mainly depends on age and sex, and early gonadectomy to a much less extent. We discuss the possible implications of brain maturation on this dichotomy and speculate on the role of opioidergic system on the catnip responses.
(Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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