Do Any Animals Show a Preference for Right or Left “Handedness”?

Just as people are either right or left-handed, cats often have a dominant paw preference, which they may demonstrate when they’re reminding you that it’s time to eat or boxing that new feathered cat toy. Researchers at Queen's University Belfast's School of Psychology wanted to know more about this feline behavior, and collected data from 44 cats (24 males and 20 females) of varying breeds, gathered over a period of three months by the animals' owners. They found that the male cats strongly favored their front left paw, while the female cats favored their front right paw.

What it says about your cat:

  • Researchers were interested in which paw the cats led with when walking down stairs or accessing litter boxes. Each cat was also studied while fishing out treats from a food maze.
  • About 73 percent of the cats showed a lateral bias when reaching for food; 70 percent displayed a preference when going down stairs; and 66 percent used one paw more prominently when accessing a litter box.
  • Left-limbed animals, which rely more heavily on the right hemisphere of the brain, tend to display stronger fear responses and aggression than right-limbed animals, which are left brain dominant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do animals exhibit a preference for using their right or left side?

Yes, many animals show a lateral preference, similar to human right or left-handedness. For instance, research indicates that chimpanzees tend to favor their right hand for tasks, while kangaroos often show a left-hand preference for activities like feeding and grooming, according to studies published in journals such as "Animal Behaviour" and "Current Biology".

Is handedness in animals influenced by genetics or environment?

Handedness in animals is believed to be influenced by a combination of genetics and environment. Studies on primates and other animals suggest that while there may be a genetic predisposition for a certain hand preference, environmental factors, such as the need to adapt to specific tasks, can also play a significant role in developing handedness.

Can the degree of handedness vary among individual animals?

Yes, the degree of handedness can vary widely among individual animals. Some may show a strong preference for one side, while others might be more ambidextrous. For example, a study on toads revealed individual variations where some toads exhibited strong right-handedness, while others showed no significant preference, as reported in behavioral experiments.

How does handedness benefit animals in the wild?

Handedness can provide animals with specialized skills, improving efficiency in feeding, hunting, or escaping predators. For example, a predator with a strong side preference might be more adept at catching prey, while prey animals with a lateralized escape response could have an advantage in evading capture, as observed in various species.

Are there any species where handedness is particularly prominent?

Handedness is particularly prominent in primates, including humans, where many tasks are performed with a preferred hand. Additionally, studies have shown that parrots often use one foot over the other to manipulate objects, and even fish like the scale-eating cichlid display lateralized behavior when attacking prey, preferring one side over the other.

Does handedness affect social behavior in animals?

Handedness can indeed affect social behavior in animals. For instance, in species that use tools or engage in complex social interactions, such as primates, a shared handedness among group members can facilitate learning and cooperation. This shared preference can enhance group cohesion and efficiency in tasks that require coordination, as noted in observational studies of wild chimpanzee communities.

More Info: Live Science

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