Social play changes reflect differences in biology and development of three felids

Abstract

Social play in young mammals reflects behavioral development, play can be affected by differences in development timing and species biology. We compared social play frequency changes in three felids: Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), Amur subspecies of leopard cat (Far-Eastern wildcat) (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) and domestic cat (Felis catus). Social play is often expected to increase social tolerance and cohesion in a litter. Socially living domestic cat had contact and non-contact social play rates at the same level as solitary lynx and leopard cat. Whereas lynx differed from the other felids in lower social play rates at the age from one to one and a half month. Two types of social play were changing differently. Non-contact play rates, attributed to predatory skills development, were synchronized among species by age of kittens. Whereas contact play changes, attributed to communication development, were sensitive to the developmental stage. Contact play intensified in lynx much later than in the other felids probably due to a later onset of weaning. The period of extraordinary low contact play rates coincided with the onset of spontaneous sibling aggression, unique for lynx. After a period of spontaneous sibling aggression contact play rates in lynx increased to the level that other felids had. Observed social play changes and differences reflect development timing and species-specific features in felids.