TY - JOUR
T1 - Paw preferences in cats and dogs
T2 - Meta-analysis
AU - Ocklenburg, Sebastian
AU - Isparta, Sevim
AU - Peterburs, Jutta
AU - Papadatou-Pastou, Marietta
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Predator–prey relationships have been suggested to be one of the primary evolutionary factors driving the development of functional hemispheric asymmetries. However, lateralization in many predator species is not well understood and existing studies often are statistically underpowered due to small sample sizes and they moreover show conflicting results. Here, we statistically integrated findings on paw preferences in cats and dogs, two predator species within the Carnivora order that are commonly kept as pets in many societies around the globe. For both species, there were significantly more lateralized than non-lateralized animals. We found that 78% of cats and 68% of dogs showed either left- or right-sided paw preference. Unlike humans, neither dogs nor cats showed a rightward paw preference on the population level. For cats, but not dogs, we found a significant sex difference, with female animals having greater odds of being right-lateralized compared to male animals.
AB - Predator–prey relationships have been suggested to be one of the primary evolutionary factors driving the development of functional hemispheric asymmetries. However, lateralization in many predator species is not well understood and existing studies often are statistically underpowered due to small sample sizes and they moreover show conflicting results. Here, we statistically integrated findings on paw preferences in cats and dogs, two predator species within the Carnivora order that are commonly kept as pets in many societies around the globe. For both species, there were significantly more lateralized than non-lateralized animals. We found that 78% of cats and 68% of dogs showed either left- or right-sided paw preference. Unlike humans, neither dogs nor cats showed a rightward paw preference on the population level. For cats, but not dogs, we found a significant sex difference, with female animals having greater odds of being right-lateralized compared to male animals.
KW - Carnivora
KW - Handedness
KW - hemispheric asymmetries
KW - limb preferences
KW - meta-analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061447753&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85061447753&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1357650X.2019.1578228
DO - 10.1080/1357650X.2019.1578228
M3 - Article
C2 - 30741091
AN - SCOPUS:85061447753
SN - 1357-650X
JO - Laterality
JF - Laterality
ER -