Evolution of personality traits in domestic animals: based on tameness in cats

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20159
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90030:Cognitive science-related
• Research Institution: Anicom Specialty Medical Institute Inc
• Principal Investigator: Arahori Minori アニコム先進医療研究所株式会社(研究開発課), 研究開発課, 研究員 (40846292)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ネコ / 比較認知科学 / 行動遺伝学 / 性格特性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diversity of personality traits and its factors in Japanese domestic cats. Personality traits, early life experiences, and DNA of cats were collected to search candidate genes associated with personality traits and to examine the association between personality traits and early life experiences, as well as to determine whether cats are sensitive to human social signals through behavioral experiments.
The results showed that (1) several candidate genes were identified, (2) early life experiences may have influenced current personality traits, and (3) overall, cats did not show social learning from humans, but rather demonstrated learning through trial and error.

Free Research Field

行動遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

いわゆる土着のネコは家畜動物であるにもかかわらずヒトの繁殖をほとんど受けてこなかった点で特異的であるが、イヌと比べてネコの行動遺伝学や比較認知科学はあまり研究が進んでいなかった。本研究では、そうしたネコに焦点を当てるとともに、今後祖先種との違いを比較するための足掛かりを得た。また、ネコは代表的なペットであるため、これらの研究成果をアウトリーチすることで、社会の関心を得ることができた。