Like humankind ,   cats show mansion of laterality . A study published inAnimal Behaviourbacks upprevious researchthat shows item-by-item felid express a predilection for either their right or get out paw . Even more bizarrely , this inclination of an orbit to use one mitt over another is split neatly along sexuality lines , with male Caterpillar preferring their left and female cats prefer their rightfulness .

In a departure from late bailiwick looking into lateralize motor behaviors in brute , research worker from Queen ’s University Belfast , UK , analyse spontaneousandforced behavior in cats . It ’s the first known display case where scientist have explored spontaneous arm movement and shown that it conform to forced limb social movement .

It was a comparatively small - weighing machine work , involving 44 Arabian tea of which 24 were manly and 20 were female . During the first part of the study , the kat were watched in a home stage setting for three month and entropy was collected as they went about their sidereal day - to - twenty-four hours business enterprise . Owners note manus preferences when their pet take the air downstairs or step over object , as well as whether they slept on the rightfield or give side of their torso . In total , there were between 15 and 20 action mechanism imply limb movements read for each big cat every month .

This “ spontaneous ” activity was followed by a “ forced ” bodily process , where the guy had to reach out and take hold of nutrient from inside a three - tiered tugboat . The felines were given fifty attempts to snag the treats and the researcher jotted down their dominant paw in each instance .

The majority of African tea reveal a manus predilection whether it was walking on a lower floor ( 70 percentage ) , abuse over target ( 66 pct ) , or grab solid food ( 73 percent ) . It was only when it derive to picking a side to sleep on that very few disclose any significant preferences .

Interestingly , the most significant predictor of paw control was sex activity . Whereas humankind show a species - all-inclusive prejudice for rightfield - handedness ( 90 percent of people are mightily - handed ) and kangaroo for left - laterality ( 95 pct of roos are leave - handed ) , all male bozo studied were go forth - manus dominant and almost all distaff cat were right - paw dominant .

Why the sexual activity difference ? endocrine could be a factor but the positron emission tomography were neuter so it ’s not a peculiarly persuasive argument .

“ The findings point more and more powerfully to underlying differences in the neuronal architecture of male and female animals , " Deborah Wells , study co - author , explained ina assertion .

But on a more pragmatic level , the results from this study could serve pet proprietor keep a tab on the health of their animate being .

" We have just unwrap that left - limbed dogs , for deterrent example , are more pessimistic in their outlook than right - limbed dogs , " Wellsadded .

" From a pet possessor ’s linear perspective , it might be useful to have it off if an beast is left or correct arm dominant , as it may help them approximate how vulnerable that soul is to nerve-racking situations . "