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How Animals Perceive the World: Non-Verbal Signaling
Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD, PhD, DACVB, ABS Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
Introduction:
The uniting feature that connects all social vertebrates is the extent to which they signal non-verbally. Communication involving ritualized displays or graded signals is used to confirm or reject information received from others in social interactions, to indicate species, sex, and sexual receptivity, to signal about issues pertaining to status, and to otherwise negotiate all social interactions. As such, communication can involve such instantaneous behaviors as tactile and visual displays. These are relatively "short-distance" signals. Vocal communication is also instantaneous, but may reach over longer distances. Verbal communication is only one variety of vocal communication, and both of these may pale when the full story of olfactory communication is written. Certainly, olfactory and pheromonal signals provide information that can be assessed over distances and across time.
When assessing any communicatory structure it is important to realize that signaling involves a set of rules that will be shaped by the evolutionary history of the species. The story of canine domestication is the story of work and work-related tasks. The story of feline domestication is the story of rodent and vector borne diseases and their prevention. These 2 divergent paths to domestic life-styles have been shaped by, and in turn have continued to shape factors like reproductive schedules, fecundity, age at first reproduction, age at sexual and social maturity, composition of family or group units, and social interactions within these units. To understand such behaviors it is critical to understand the component signals as they are used to communicate with conspecifics. The following tables provide an introduction to this topic.
CANINE SIGNALS
Signal |
Circumstance Information |
barking |
alerting/warning
attention-seeking |
growling |
warning
distance-increasing |
crying
whimpering
whining |
et-epimeletic |
howling |
elicit social contact
anxiety situations (social contact = reassure) |
moans |
pleasure, contentment |
tail and ears up; forefoot in front of other |
alert, ready to participate |
direct gaze |
challenge
confidence
absence of threat
distance-increasing |
averted gaze |
fear
cowardice
deference
absence of challenge (not the same as deference for confident, high-ranking dogs)
distance-decreasing signal |
belly presented |
deference - if neck, back, and other solicitation bues given
disengagement - if inguinal area and, or chest covered may become aggressive if pursued
relaxation - if flaccid |
tail tucked when belly presented |
fear/submission |
tail tucked when belly presented with urination |
profound fear/submission |
grin |
deference
distance-decreasing signal |
piloerection |
arousal associated with anxiety, fear, agression
distance-increasing |
piloerection restricted to neck or tail region |
confident dog |
rigid stance, stiff torso musculature |
confidence and intent to interact (may not be aggressive)
distance-increasing |
tail above horizon |
confident
high status |
tail below horizon |
less confident
lower status
deference
fear |
tail wag |
willingness to interact |
tail tip wag; stiff |
confident
assertive
offensively interactive |
neck erect or arched |
confident
challenging |
ears erect |
alert
confident |
ears back |
fear |
ears vertically dropped |
deference
submission
low rank
anxiety |
snarl/growl with only incisors and canines apparent |
confident
offensively aggressive
distance-increasing |
snarl/growl with all teeth and back of throat apparent |
defensively aggressive
fearful
distance-increasing |
body lowered |
defensive
distance-decreasing
fearful
deferential
relaxed |
licking lips, flicking tongue |
appeasement
et-epimeletic
distance-decreasing
anxious (and solicitation of reassurance; derived from et-epimeletic) |
raising forepaw |
distance-decreasing
solicitation of attention
deference (off balance) |
paws out, front end down, rump up, tail wagging |
body bow, invitation to play |
perpendicular posture |
challenge
confidence |
mounting or pressing on back shoulders of another dog |
challenge
marking, claiming |
licking at corner of another dog's (or person's) mouth |
et-epimeletic
deference
solicitation |
blowing out lips/cheeks |
anticipation (positive or negative)
anxiety (if very fast) |
popping or snapping of upper and lower jaws (bill pops) |
capitulation, intention to comply as a last resort |
Feline tail postures (Adapted from Bradshaw, 1992).
vertical |
play
greeting, often with motion
sexual approaches by females
frustration (of whipped) |
half-raised |
sexual approaches by females |
horizontal |
amicable approach
sexual approach by females |
concave |
defensive behavior |
lower |
offensive aggression (if rigid and flicking) |
between the legs |
submission
fear |
Interpretation of feline vocalizations from Moelk (1944) and McKinley (1982).
Call |
Description/Interpretation |
Murmur |
Rhythmically pulsed vocalization; exhalation; social interactions, solicitation, non-threatening; possibly die to dysynchronous contraction of muscles in larynx and diaphragm (Remmers and Gautier, 1972( |
Growl |
Low pitched, harsh; agonistic; lengthy |
Squeak |
High pitched; raspy; anticipation of feeding, females post-copulation |
Shriek |
Loud, high pitched; pain, fear, aggression |
Hiss |
Agonistic, mouth open, teeth visible; offensively defensive (avoids frank aggression) |
Spit |
Short sound before or after hiss |
Chatter |
Anticipatory, frustration |
Purr |
Contentment, nursing, mild conflicting anxiety |
Chirr |
Queen's call to kittens |
Mew |
High pitched, medium amplitude; mother-kitten interaction for location, ID, encouragement |
Moan |
Low frequency/long duration; epimeletic; regurgitation, solicitation |
Meow |
Greeting, epimeletic, willingness to interact |
References:
1. Bradshaw JWS. The Behavior of the Domestic Cat, CAB International, Wallingford, England, 1992.
2. McKinley PE. Cluster analysis of the domestic cat's vocal repertoire. PhD Dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, 1982.
3. Moelk M. Vocalizing in the house cat: a phoenetic and functional study. Am J Psychol 1944;57:184-205.
4. Remmers JE, Gautier H. Neural and mechanical mechanisms of feline purring. Respir Physiol 1972;16:351-361.
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| Heidi Hoefer, DVM, Diplomate ABVP |
| David Holt, BVSc, Dip. ACVS |
| Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB |
| Amy Kapatkin, DVM, DipACVS |
| Karen Kline, DVM |
| Kenneth Kwochka, DVM, Diplomate ACVD Dermatology |
| Gregory A. Lewbart, MS, VMD, DACZM Aquatics/Reptiles |
| Teresa L. Lightfoot, DVM Diplomate AABVP Avian |
| Howell P Little, DVM |
| Sandra Manfra Maretta, DVM |
| Wendy S. Myers |
| Karen Overall MA, VMD |
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| Dr. Rodney L. Page & Dr. M. C. McEntee |
| Paul D. Pion, DVM, DipACVIM |
| Robert Poppenga, DVM, PhD |
| Karen Rosenthal, DVM, MS, ABVP |
| Howard B. Seim, III, DVM, DACVS |
| Robert G. Sherding, DVM, DACVIM Feline Medicine |
| Todd R. Tams, DVM |
| Brian T. Voynick DVM, CVA |
| Melissa Wallace, DVM, DACVIM Renal Medicine |
| Cynthia R. Wutchiett, CPA Management |
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