There seemed to be a disconnect between my scientific knowledge and my anecdotal experience.

Was she then a non-extrovert skilled hunter? I try to follow the science, but I had doubts about this particular link between hunting and feline extroversion. Admittedly, she never brought her prey into the house – a sign that she did not feel fully confident even at home. She was definitely shy and anxious (neuroticism), and also very loving and gentle to me (agreeableness). So, have I just by chance only had extrovert cats? This seemed a bit unlikely to me when I considered Tilly, my adored tortoiseshell. He roamed far and wide in the neighbouring fields. William was gentle and agreeable, but also an extrovert. There was fluffy, tabby and white William, who used to sit for days outside my neighbour’s woodpile in order to ambush the occasional weasel. Nevertheless, he brought home a rat once that ran up the corner of the wall before, fortunately, falling into a wellington boot that I was holding underneath (wellies are great for capturing rodents). There was ginger Toby, who was very agreeable, but being cross-eyed, not a successful hunter.

Does this mean they have all been extroverts? Judging by the study’s findings, it would appear so. I love mice and I am sorry cats kill them, but I have never considered it fair to my felines to keep them shut up indoors all their lives, unable to practise the hunting they love. It is this habit of hunting for enjoyment rather than food that infuriates wildlife lovers such as Chris Packham, who has urged the RSPB and RSPCA to speak out about cats attacking garden birds.Īll my cats have loved to hunt. A hunter cat’s idea of a good day is to go out and kill something. Cats hunt for enjoyment, even though most domestic cats have plenty of food at home. The “feline five” personality traits, according to earlier researchers, are neuroticism (insecure, shy and anxious), dominance (bullying and aggressive to other cats), impulsiveness (erratic and reckless behaviour), agreeableness (gentle and friendly towards humans) and extroversion.Įxtrovert felines are active, clever, very curious and, according to a new Applied Animal Behaviour Science study, serial killers.

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