Why We Lubs Pettings

Discover: Brain Basis for Why Petting Feels Good

Purrr Dem scientists always havin to prove tings. MOL!!!

Dis article about how our furs have speshul stufs dat make stroking furs feels good. Dey tinks dat anybody who have da stufs is more sociable and cleans each other.


Image credit:
D. Anderson lab, Caltech

Coat Color & Personality

There is some question as to whether a cat's coat color is a good predictor of his personality. Any cat owner will tell you this is true, and the web has several lists of personality types.

The book The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour, 2nd edition by Dennis C. Turner, lists three possible mechanisms for a causal relationship between cat coat color and personality type.

1. Coloring can affect the animal's perceptions, putting him at a physical disadvantage that affects his behavior.
2. The chemicals involved in pigmentation are related to, or metabolized to form, neurotransmitters that affect mood.
3. The genetic code for personality is on the same chromosome as the genetic code for coat color.

Reference
Turner, Dennis C. The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour, 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press. 2000. pg 54.