Stimulus and Hormonal Determinants of Flehmen Behavior in Cats
- ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- M. Gail Leedy Ph.D., Professor & Chair of the Dept. of Social Work (Creator)
- Institution
- Appalachian State University (ASU )
- Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Abstract: Felids are the main group of animals, other than ungulates, that display flehmen
behavior during sociosexual interactions. In ungulates the behavior is evoked
most readily by olfactory investigation of urine and vaginal secretions, and is
believed to be involved in the transport of fluid-borne chemical stimuli, such as
sex pheromones, from the oral cavity to the vomeronasal organ. In this study
of cats flehmen was virtually always preceded by nasooral contact with the
stimulus material, supporting the notion that flehmen in this species is also
involved in the transport of fluid-borne stimuli. As in ungulates, flehmen in cats
during heterosexual encounters was found to be displayed by males only. However,
the sexual dimorphism was situation specific. In exploring a urine-marked room
without another cat present, females also performed flehmen, albeit less frequently
than males, and when urine was applied to the nasooral surface, flehmen was
evoked equally reliably in females and males. Administration of testosterone
propionate to spayed female cats paired with estrogen-treated females markedly
increased their tendency to genitally inspect the female partner and subsequently
perform flehmen. Thus the sexually dimorphic attributes of flehmen behavior are
not only stimulus dependent, but also intluenced by concurrent hormone stimulation.
Stimulus and Hormonal Determinants of Flehmen Behavior in Cats
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Hart, B.L. & Leedy, M.G. (1987). Stimulus and hormonal determinants of flehmen behavior in cats. Hormones and Behavior, 21(1): 44-52. (Mar 1987) Published by Elsevier (ISSN: 1095-6867).
- Language: English
- Date: 1987