Animal communication

Canine Auditory capabilities

• 4x more acute than humans

• more sensitive to pitch

• 65 000 cycles per second

canine vocalization

• Bark - defend territory, alert pack members, happiness

• Growl - threat

• Whine - attnention seeking, epimelitic (asking for help)

• Howling - pack activities, breed specific

Feline auditory capabilities

Slightly better than dogs

100 000 cycles per second

Feline vocalizations

meow - greeting, attn. seeking, demand

Yow|/moan - seeking care, pain, hunting, mate seeking

mew/squeak - anticipation of food, mother/kitten interactions

Purr/ murmur - related to nursing, as an adult when content, kneading

Chatter - anticipation or frustration

Hiss/Growl - antagonistic

Spit - accompanies a hiss/growl

Canine Vision

• far sighted

• varies with head conformation

• binocular

• 10x more sensitive to peripheral movement

• Can distinguish hues

• Genetic and surgical alterations

Feline vision

• Sx more light enters eye - bulging cornea

• Increased night vision

• farsighted - best at 2-6 meters away

• binocular

Dog body language

add more flashcards for the final - common sense for now

cats: stalking

tail depressed and tip wagging

Cats: greeting, investigating, or frustrated

tail carried high

cats: relaxed

tail hanging and ears forward

Cats: attentive

ears forward, tail raised

Cats: aggressive

• tip toe with head down,

• tail down but arched away from hocks;

• pilo erection;

• ears erect and swivelled to sides;

• whiskers forward,

• claws protruded,

• constricted pupils

Cats: fearful

• arched back

• erect tail

• ears flat

• piloerection

• hissing

• will become aggressive if critical distance is invaded

Cats: estrus

females will roll

Cats: Gape

• aka stink face

• Flehmen response to stimuli, usually smell

• better detects pheromones

• smells pass through vomeronasal organ

Touch in dogs

• well developed

• produces exaggerated response with misuse

• use as a reward

• overcome the effects of sound

Touch in Cats

• sensitive to touch especially around the muzzle

• sensory hairs around head

Taste in dogs and cats

• Poorly developed

• Palatability is primarily based on food's odour and texture

Olfaction in dogs

• highest developed sense

• 1000x greater than humans

• Both felines and canines have a romeronasal organ with prolonged olfactory memory

• Both canines and felines scent mark through glands, touch, scratching, pawing, and excrement

• can detect a finger print 6 weeks after placement

• can Identify identical twins based only by scent

Vomeronasal organ

• Present in dogs and cats

• very sensitive

• prolonged olfactory memory

Scent marking

• scent mark with urine spraying, anal secretions

• scent from foot pad

pheromones

signalling chemical substance which are excreted or secreted and result in a specific behavioural or physiological response in the recipient, usually of the same species