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Cats (Felis catus) are companions familiar to people worldwide. Despite their popularity, few studies have investigated the genetic background of their behavior. In a new study, a team of researchers at Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University aimed to explore the relationship between variation in the androgen receptor gene (AR) — which is located on the X chromosome — and behavioral traits in cats like purring.
Okamoto et al. found that male cats with short-type alleles show higher directed calls/vocalizations scores, whereas females with short-type alleles show higher stranger-directed aggression scores, than their respective counterparts with long-type alleles. Image credit: Natali Anderson.
“Cats are popular companion animals that play an important role in society through their relationships with humans,” said first author Yume Okamoto and colleagues.
“Although most felid species, including the African wildcat (Felis lybica), the cat’s ancestor, are solitary, domestic cats can live in groups and display social behaviors.”
“They use various behaviors and signals, including olfactory, tactile, visual, and vocal, to communicate with humans and other cats.”
“Purring, a unique vocalization in cats, plays a key role in vocal communication.”
“Initially, purring may serve to signal good health to the mother but continues to aid communication among cats beyond lactation.”
“In affiliative contexts, purring fosters security and comfort, expresses friendliness, and invites play; however, its exact function remains unclear.”
For the study, the researchers conducted a behavior assessment of 280 cats, all of which were spayed or neutered mixed breeds kept in their owners’ homes.
They also collected DNA samples and analyzed the AR gene, comparing this to that of other felid species.
“When we called for participants, we were moved to receive responses from 265 cat owners from across Japan in just a single day, and received kind messages,” Okamoto said.
“This reminded us of the strong public interest in cat research.”
“The results supported the thinking that a genetic basis exists for both purring and vocal communication.”
“Cats with the short-type androgen receptor gene displayed higher owner-assessed purring scores than those with long-type gene.”
“Additionally, short-type males exhibited higher vocalization toward humans, indicating the gene’s connection to vocal communication.”
“In contrast, female cats with the short-type gene displayed higher stranger-directed aggression.”
“These results may also reveal a decrease in the importance of vocal communication for cats raised by humans since kittenhood, which are typically pure-breed cats.”
“Previous studies indicate that pure-breed cats are more likely to carry the long-type gene than mixed-breed cats.”
“Many mixed breed cats in this study are rescued former stray cats, which may imply that rescues tend to meow more.”
Comparing the cat’s genes to that of 11 other felid species, the scientists found that the leopard cat and the fishing cat, both closely related to domestic cats, possessed only the short-type, whereas domestic cats had longer types not found in the other species.
These findings suggest that the emergence of these longer types may be a result of genetic changes associated with domestication and selective breeding.
“These results have the potential to help us predict behavioral tendencies based on genetic data and to facilitate need-based observation and enhanced care, which could ultimately help us improve animal welfare,” the authors said.
They now plan to expand their focus to other felid species.
“Through our research, we hope to deepen our understanding of cats and contribute to building happier relationships between cats and humans,” Okamoto said.
The study was published online May 28 in the journal PLoS ONE.
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Y. Okamoto et al. 2025. Association between androgen receptor gene and behavioral traits in cats (Felis catus). PLoS One 20 (5): e0324055; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324055
This article was adapted from an original release by Kyoto University.
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