Female Cats Are Right-Pawed, Males Are Lefties - GoFuckYourself.com

Barefootsies · 07-23-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

July 23, 2009 -- Female domestic cats tend to preferentially use their right front paw while male cats more often rely upon their left front paw, according to a new study that suggests the sex of a cat determines how its brain will be wired.

The findings also add to a growing body of evidence that male animals tend to be left-handed, or in this case left-pawed, more often than females. While 90 percent of all humans are right-handed, of the remaining southpaws, more tend to be men.

The differences are even clearer among cats.

"Our results suggest that there are two distinct populations of paw preference in the cat that cluster very strongly around the animals' sex," Deborah Wells, who led the study, told Discovery News.

Wells, a senior lecturer at Queen's University Belfast School of Psychology, and co-author Sarah Millsopp examined the paw use of 42 domestic cats. Each cat repeatedly completed three play-like tasks while at home with their owners.

For the first task, the researchers placed a bit of tuna at the bottom of an otherwise empty, narrow-mouthed jar. They then observed how the cats attempted to extract the food treat.

Task two involved a fabric mouse on a string that was suspended above each cat's head. The paw that was first used to reach for the toy was recorded.

Finally, the scientists took the same toy for task two and slowly dragged it on the ground in front of the cats. Again, the first paw used by the cats to try to grab the toy was recorded. In total, the researchers documented 100 paw responses per feline per task.

While the cats did not favor a certain paw for tasks two and three, the paw preferences were very obvious for the tuna-in-a-jar puzzle. The study findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior.

"I think much depends on the task and challenge on offer," Wells explained. "On some challenges, cats may well use either paw, but on others -- perhaps those that are more complex in nature -- some individuals may well have a preference for one paw over another."

In humans, the steroid hormone testosterone has been linked to left-handedness. This hormonal link also appears to carry over to animals. For example, studies on dogs that haven't been spayed or neutered show the same sex-based split, with female dogs favoring their front right paw and males favoring their left. No sex difference, however, was observed during tests involving neutered dogs.

It is unclear how such preferences benefit males and females, but Wells said cats "differ in their behavioral patterns, for example in hunting styles and parental care, and it is possible that these place different demands on motor functioning."

When gesturing to a dog or child under three, it's therefore best not to fidget or otherwise move in confusing ways.

cont.

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/0...andedness.html

CyberHustler · 07-23-2009, 06:51 PM

See sig?

iTouch! · 07-23-2009, 07:09 PM

what about pussys that arent cats?

shake · 07-23-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elitechris

what about pussys that arent cats?

they always hang to the left a bit

fatfoo · 07-23-2009, 08:28 PM

That's odd. Didn't know that. Nature works in weird ways.

scouser · 07-23-2009, 10:49 PM

Barefootsies, your foot fetish hasn't turned to animal feet now, has it lol ;)?

John-ACWM · 07-24-2009, 04:32 AM

So males are smarter?!

The Duck · 07-24-2009, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deadmoon

Barefootsies, your foot fetish hasn't turned to animal feet now, has it lol ;)?

seeandsee · 07-24-2009, 05:28 AM

who cares :D

07-23-2009, 08:28 PM	#5
fatfoo ICQ:649699063 Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 27,763	That's odd. Didn't know that. Nature works in weird ways. __________________ Send me an email: [email protected]

07-24-2009, 04:32 AM	#7
John-ACWM Work Work Work Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: EU Posts: 20,060	So males are smarter?! __________________ Video Chat Forum

07-24-2009, 05:28 AM	#9
seeandsee Check SIG! Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe (Skype: gojkoas) Posts: 50,945	who cares :D __________________ BUY MY SIG - 50$/Year Contact here

07-23-2009, 06:51 PM	#2
CyberHustler Unregistered Abuser Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 25,345	See sig?

07-23-2009, 07:09 PM	#3
iTouch! So Fucking Banned Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: $ land Posts: 1,457	what about pussys that arent cats?

07-23-2009, 10:49 PM	#6
scouser marketer. Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: bcn Posts: 2,280	Barefootsies, your foot fetish hasn't turned to animal feet now, has it lol ;)?