Socialization of the Sphynx Cat
by Judy Webb-Gunby
Available research on feline socialization has been based mostly on randomly bred cats in feral and other research colonies, but not in purebred catteries. The cattery feline, being a breed cat, is already predisposed genetically to the behavior that fits its standard. There-fore, we already know there is a genetic component in felines that influences just how well that particular kitten will be able to be socialized, and to what degree.
Human genetics has taught us much about the subject of genetic influences of behavior, particularly through studies of identical twins separated at birth. Science has shown similarities that are simply too close to write off as coincidence in these cases, such as personal preferences with regard to hair styles, commercial products used, and even career choices. These similarities reach beyond physical sameness, and show us much with regards to genetic influences. So, understanding genetic influence, we can look towards the breed cat falling into a type of category yet to be clearly defined. Surely they are not all related, but share very similar physical and behavioral characteristics. So just how much of the breed cat behavior is due to a combination of genetics, and how much is a reflection of socializa-tion. I think it is a combination of both.
In June of 2007, I attended the Winn Feline Foundation’s 29th Annual Feline Symposium on Feline Health, in Austin, Texas. Among the topics of discussion was the socialization of kittens. Before attending this conference, I was not aware that there are only a few critical weeks with which to socialize kittens. So it was no surprise that the most important thing I brought home with me from this conference was the fact that from 3-9 weeks of a kitten’s age, human contact and handling is critical to proper socialization of the feline. Every breeder should understand the various stages kittens go through during their early development from birth to 14 weeks of age. The following guideline will show just what the kitten experiences during this time
3 weeks ......... acknowledges handling by humans, show-ing awareness in the gaze and attention to the human voice.
4 weeks ......... social play with littermates begins
5 weeks ......... predatory-type behavior begins, like pouncing, and crouching
6 weeks ......... object and gross motor skills become more fine-tuned.
6-7 weeks ...... adult–like movement or locomotion begins
9-14 weeks .... social play peaks.
14-16 weeks .. aggressive play begins, which can include biting and scratching fellow littermates.
Although the former appears to be a simple guide, I have found it to be a very accurate measure of the stages of kitten development in the cases of most all my kittens. Interactions with humans, littermates, and with the queen, are extremely important to kittens. Also, the owner’s personal relationship with the queen is extremely important, as the kittens see reactions of their mother to human contact, and sense her anxiety, as well as her contentment. If the queen is relaxed and has a feeling of comfort and love, then the kittens will usually follow her lead.
One should always keep in mind that socialization is not about play, rather about learning what it is to be a cat, and what it is to be a cat in a human home. In that home they will learn about other species – dogs, birds, other adult cats, and the world around them. All this is learned in a very short time period. Therefore, it is important to appreciate why the time frame between 3-9 weeks of age is critical for proper socialization.
When does a kitten become a kitten?
From the time of conception until birth (approx. 63 days), enormous changes take place very rapidly in the fetus. Trimesters of pregnancy that humans experience as 3 months, are accomplished in merely 3 weeks for kittens. Kittens are born with eyes closed, weighing only approximately 3% of their adult body weight, which they will achieve in around 8-10 months.
Kittens are born with an acute sense of touch and smell, but poor hearing for the first week of life. However, by the time a kitten reaches 3 weeks of age, she becomes keenly aware of her surroundings, as both her ability to see and hear now play a major role in her developing behavior. “Overall, visual acuity improves 16-fold between two and 10 weeks after birth,” according to Patrick Bateson, Professor of Animal Behavior at the University of Cambridge. This may account for it being crucial to feline development to have integrated all learning experiences during this time period with human interaction and tactile contact for proper socialization. Each kitten’s impression of security, love, and attachment to humans during this time will remain with the kitten for life and are vitally important to her social development.
How should I play with my kittens?
Kittens should be taught that hands are not for playing, but for holding, petting, and feeding. In my opinion, this is one of the biggest mistakes people make, as it encourages mouthing of fingers, and even playful biting. And, as the kittens grow and start teething, using objects like plastic straws, and various cat toys that are safe enough for them to have, gives them a good opportunity to chew on their prize when they capture it in play!
Does the mother affect the ability of the kittens to become socialized?
I have always held to the ideology that cats are territorial when they feel it is appropriate, fearful when they feel it necessary, and antisocial when they have not been properly socialized. In my experience, a well socialized queen will be more likely to produce well socialized kittens. If a queen is secure in her kittening area, and she feels her environment is not threatening, the kittens will feed off this condition. If your queen has issues with any of the above, is nervous, or feels threatened, it may be useful for the experienced breeder to breed two queens at once, so you can remove the kittens from the problem queen over to the well socialized one. A queen that has not been properly socialized from birth may resort to behaviors that are not entirely her fault, taking into account of course, that some cats just sing to their own tune no matter what you do or don’t do. The most extreme behavior I have heard of is when a queen eats her young. While this behavior is unthinkable to humans, it can be a primitive way of protection from the unknown. Any queen that exhibits this behavior should be spayed and placed in a pet home unless a breeder is willing to hand-feed the young, or transfer their care to another, more socialized, queen. The question of genetic influence in these cases is an unknown. Aside from whether a breeder feels behavior may or may not be inherited, a diligent breeder should do all she can do to socialize her kittens. Ultimately, the life, welfare, and future happiness of each individual kitten in a litter lies in the hands of the breeder, and not the queen. Every breeder should know her queen well enough to make decisions based on what is best for everyone concerned.
Each situation calls for a fresh view. You certainly cannot presume one thing will happen just because it happened before, or that a litter out of one queen will produce the same results every time. But you do have some control over the miraculously developing personalities in each litter. After all, even when misbehaving, a generally well-tempered, loving Sphynx is irresistible!!!
Sources: Patrick Bateson is Professor in the Sub-Department of Animal Behaviour at the University of Cambridge, and Provost of King's College, Cambridge. His books include Measuring Behaviour (1986 and 1993) and Design for Life, Mate Choice (1983) and Development and Integration of Behavior (1991).
Judy Webb-Gunby is a Sphynx breeder living in Georgia, USA.
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