Editing Cat (section)

=== Sociability ===
The social behavior of the domestic cat ranges from widely dispersed individuals to [[Feral cat colony|feral cat colonies]] that gather around a food source, based on groups of co-operating females.<ref name="Crowell-davis2004">{{Cite journal |title=Social Organization in the Cat: A Modern Understanding |last1=Crowell-Davis |first1=S. L. |last2=Curtis |first2=T. M. |last3=Knowles |first3=R. J. |year=2004 |journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=19–28 |doi=10.1016/j.jfms.2003.09.013 |pmid=15123163 |pmc=10822437 |s2cid=25719922 |url=http://zoopsy.free.fr/veille_biblio/social_organization_cat_2004.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110720231305/http://zoopsy.free.fr/veille_biblio/social_organization_cat_2004.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 July 2011}}</ref><ref name="Liberg_al2014">{{Cite book |last1=Liberg |first1=O. |last2=Sandell |first2=M. |last3=Pontier |first3=D. |last4=Natoli |first4=E. |chapter=Density, spatial organisation and reproductive tactics in the domestic cat and other felids |title=The domestic cat: the biology of its behaviour |location=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=2000 |edition=2nd |isbn=9780521636483 |editor1-last=Turner |editor1-first=D. C. |editor2-last=Bateson |editor2-first=P. |pages=119–147 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=GgUwg6gU7n4C&pg=PA119 |access-date=25 October 2020 |archive-date=31 March 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210331062218/https://books.google.com/books?id=GgUwg6gU7n4C&pg=PA119 |url-status=live}}</ref> Within such groups, one cat is usually dominant over the others.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Patterns of social interaction in cats (''Felis domestica'') |last1=Baron |first1=A. |last2=Stewart |first2=C. N. |last3=Warren |first3=J. M. |journal=Behaviour |date=1 January 1957 |doi=10.1163/156853956X00084 |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=56–66 |jstor=4532869}}</ref> Each cat in a colony holds a distinct territory, with sexually active males having the largest territories, which are about 10 times larger than those of female cats and may overlap with several females' territories. These territories are marked by [[urine spraying]], rubbing objects at head height with secretions from facial glands, and by [[defecation]].<ref name="Sommerville">{{Cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0168-1591(98)00102-6 |volume=57 |issue=3–4 |pages=269–286 |last=Sommerville |first=B. A. |title=Olfactory Awareness |journal=Applied Animal Behaviour Science |year=1998}}</ref> Between these territories are neutral areas where cats watch and greet one another without territorial conflicts. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, and [[growling]], and, if that does not work, by short and violent, noisy attacks. Although cats do not have a social survival strategy or [[herd behavior]], they always hunt alone.<ref name="Bradshaw">{{cite journal |last1=Bradshaw |first1=J. W. |last2=Goodwin |first2=D. |last3=Legrand-Defrétin |first3=V. |last4=Nott |first4=H. M. |year=1996 |title=Food selection by the domestic cat, an obligate carnivore |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology – Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology |volume=114 |issue=3 |pages=205–209 |doi=10.1016/0300-9629(95)02133-7 |pmid=8759144}}</ref>

Life in proximity to humans and other domestic animals has led to a symbiotic social adaptation in cats, and cats may express great affection toward humans or other animals. [[Ethology|Ethologically]], a cat's human keeper functions as a mother surrogate.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vrueZDfPUzoC&pg=PA518 |last1=Mills |first1=D. S. |last2=Marchant-Forde |first2=J. |date=2010 |title=Encyclopedia of Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare |page=518 |isbn=9780851997247 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407004417/https://books.google.com/books?id=vrueZDfPUzoC&pg=PA518 |archive-date=7 April 2017}}</ref> Adult cats live in a type of extended kittenhood, a form of behavioral [[neoteny]]. Their high-pitched sounds may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly difficult for humans to ignore.<ref name="McComb 2009">{{Cite journal |last1=McComb |first1=K. |last2=Taylor |first2=A. M. |last3=Wilson |first3=C. |last4=Charlton |first4=B. D. |title=The Cry Embedded within the Purr |journal=Current Biology |volume=19 |issue=13 |pages=R507–508 |year=2009 |pmid=19602409 |doi=10.1016/j.cub.2009.05.033|s2cid=10972076 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2009CBio...19.R507M }}</ref> Some pet cats are poorly socialized. In particular, older cats show aggressiveness toward newly arrived kittens, which includes biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression.<ref name="Levine 2005">{{Cite journal |title=Intercat aggression in households following the introduction of a new cat |last1=Levine |first1=E. |last2=Perry |first2=P. |last3=Scarlett |first3=J. |last4=Houpt |first4=K. |journal=Applied Animal Behaviour Science |issue=3–4 |year=2005 |pages=325–336 |doi=10.1016/j.applanim.2004.07.006 |volume=90 |url=http://faculty.washington.edu/jcha/330_cats_introducing.pdf |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090326225932/http://faculty.washington.edu/jcha/330_cats_introducing.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 March 2009}}</ref>

[[Redirected aggression]] is a common form of aggression which can occur in multiple cat households. In redirected aggression, there is usually something that agitates the cat: this could be a sight, sound, or another source of stimuli which causes a heightened level of anxiety or arousal. If the cat cannot attack the stimuli, it may direct anger elsewhere by attacking or directing aggression to the nearest cat, pet, human or other being.<ref name="Horwitz">{{cite news |last1=Horwitz |first1=Debra |title=Cat Behavior Problems - Aggression Redirected |url= https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-behavior-problems-aggression-redirected |access-date=16 June 2022 |publisher=VCA Animal Hospitals |year=2022 |archive-date=19 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319184510/https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-behavior-problems-aggression-redirected |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Behaviorist">{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Ingrid |title=Redirected Aggression in Cats: Recognition and Treatment Strategies |url= https://iaabc.org/cat/redirected-aggression-in-cats |access-date=16 June 2022 |publisher=International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants |date=17 May 2014 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220307001045/https://iaabc.org/cat/redirected-aggression-in-cats |url-status=live}}</ref>

Domestic cats' [[scent rubbing]] behavior toward humans or other cats is thought to be a feline means of social bonding.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Soennichsen |first1=S. |last2=Chamove |first2=A. S. |year=2015 |title=Responses of cats to petting by humans |journal=Anthrozoös |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=258–265 |doi=10.2752/089279302786992577|s2cid=144843766}}</ref>