Slov Vet Res | Vol 60 No 4 | 181 DOI 10.26873/SVR-1917-2023 UDC 001.31:519.5:655.533:636.8.09:805.5 Pages: 181–3 In the Spotlight Can Illustration Help us Understand our Cats Better? Recent feline behavioral research, spearheaded by Scott and Florkiewicz (1), has made groundbreaking strides in decoding the complexity of cat communication. The study meticulously cataloged 276 facial expressions, each intri- cately linked to a broad spectrum of the cats’ emotional states and communicative intents. This extensive array of expressions, which includes a “play face” akin to those ob- served in other species, signifies a depth of social interac- tion previously unacknowledged in domestic cats. Florkiewicz also employs scientific illustration as an invalu- able tool, enhancing the granularity of behavioral analysis (2). Detailed illustrations highlight the subtleties of cats’ expressive range, previously obscured by less nuanced ob- servation methods. Finka et al. (3) have demonstrated how such visual articulation can deepen our comprehension of feline social behaviors, transcending the constraints of traditional observational techniques. This innovative study categorizes and correlates expressions with fundamental emotional-motivational systems (4). It distinguishes be- tween affiliative behaviors—indicative of positive, engaging interactions like play—and non-affiliative behaviors, which encompass a spectrum of negative or protective states from anxiety to aggression. The study extends to care- giving and reproductive behaviors, further delineating the emotional complexity of these animals. Scott and Florkiewicz (1) also probe the broader implica- tions of their findings for feline welfare. They argue that a deeper understanding of feline expressions can significantly Nedavne raziskave mačjega vedenja, ki sta jih vodili Scott in Florkiewicz (1), so naredile prebojne korake v dešifriranju kompleksnosti komunikacije mačk. Študija je natančno ka- talogizirala 276 izrazov obraza, vsak tesno povezan s širo- kim spektrom čustvenih stanj in komunikacijskih namenov mačk. Ta obsežen nabor izrazov, ki vključuje »igralni obraz«, podoben tistim, opaženim pri drugih vrstah, označuje globi- no socialne interakcije, ki prej ni bila priznana pri domačih mačkah. Florkiewicz prav tako uporablja znanstveno ilustracijo kot neprecenljivo orodje, ki izboljšuje natančnost analize vede- nja (2). Podrobne ilustracije poudarjajo subtilnosti izrazne- ga obsega mačk, prej zakrite z manj niansiranimi metoda- mi opazovanja. Finka in sod. (3) so pokazali, kako lahko takšna vizualna artikulacija poglobi naše razumevanje so- cialnih vedenj mačk, presegajoč omejitve tradicionalnih tehnik opazovanja. Ta inovativna študija kategorizira in ko- relira izraze z osnovnimi čustveno-motivacijskimi sistemi (4). Ločuje med afiliativnimi vedenji – ki nakazujejo na po- zitivne, vključujoče interakcije, kot je igra – in neafiliativnimi vedenji, ki obsegajo spekter negativnih ali zaščitnih stanj, od anksioznosti do agresije. Študija se razteza na vedenje oskrbe in reproduktivno vedenje, kar dodatno opredeljuje čustveno kompleksnost teh živali. Scott in Florkiewicz (1) prav tako raziskujeta širše posledice svojih ugotovitev za dobrobit mačk. Trdita, da lahko globlje razumevanje mačjih izrazov znatno izboljša kakovost inte- rakcij med ljudmi in mačkami in s tem dobrobit domačih Ali nam ilustracija lahko pomaga bolje razumeti naše mačke? Key words feline; facial expression; cat communication; welfare; illustration Vladimira Erjavec1*, Pšenica Kovačič2 1Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2Minami Kat, Centre for Cat Culture, Tržaška cesta, 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia *Corresponding author: vladimira.erjavec@vf.uni-lj.si Accepted: 21 December 2023 182 | Slov Vet Res | Vol 60 No 4 improve the quality of human-cat interactions, thereby en- hancing the welfare of domestic cats. For instance, recog- nizing expressions of pain or distress allows for more em- pathetic and effective caregiving. Furthermore, the study illuminates the potential impact of selective breeding on the evolution of feline expressiveness, suggesting that hu- man preferences might inadvertently alter the communica- tive capabilities of future feline populations. In our ongo- ing research (5) and collaboration in the project European Researchers’ Night, Humanities Rock, Human(e), animal 22/23 (Evropska noč raziskovalcev, Humanistika, to si ti! Človek, žival), we integrate observational rigor with scien- tific illustration (Figure 1) to delve into feline body language, including facial expressions and cephalic types (brachyce- phalic, dolichocephalic, mesocephalic). This approach, en- riched by considering cats’ living styles, aids in understand- ing the expression of natural feline behaviors, enhancing our insight into their emotional states and physical variations. mačk. Na primer, prepoznavanje izrazov bolečine ali stiske omogoča bolj empatično in učinkovito oskrbo. Poleg tega študija osvetljuje morebitni vpliv selektivne vzreje na evolu- cijo mačjega izraznega jezika, kar nakazuje, da bi lahko člo- veške preference nenamerno spremenile komunikacijske sposobnosti prihodnjih populacij mačk. V našem tekočem raziskovanju (5) in sodelovanju v projek- tu Evropska noč raziskovalcev, Humanistika, to si ti! Človek, žival 22/23, tudi združujemo temeljito opazovanja vedenja mačk z znanstveno ilustracijo (Slika 1), da bi poglobljeno raziskali njihovo telesno govorico, vključno z izrazi obraza in tipi glave (brahicefalični, dolihocefalični, in mezocefalič- ni). Ta pristop, dopolnjen z upoštevanjemin poznavanjem življenjskih slogov mačk, pomaga pri razumevanju naravne- ga izražanja mačjih vedenj in izboljšuje naš vpogled v njiho- va čustvena stanja in fizične različnosti. Tako naše raziska- ve kot tudi raziskave Florkiewicza (2) so pokazale pomen Figure 1: Analysis of facial movement for better understanding (P. Kovačič) Slov Vet Res | Vol 60 No 4 | 183 Our findings and Florkiewicz’s (2) research underscores the value of blending behavioral science with artistic represen- tation, advancing our knowledge of cat welfare and foster- ing a deeper human-cat connection. References 1. Scott L, Florkiewitz B. Feline faces: unraveling the social function of domestic cat facial signals, Behav Processes 2023; 213: 104959. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104959 2. Florkiewicz B, Campbell M. Chimpanzee facial gestures and the im- plications for the evolution of language. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12237. doi: 10.7717/peerj.12237 3. Finka LR, Luna SP, Mill D, Farnworth, MJ. The application of geometric morphometrics to explore potential impacts of anthropocentric se- lection on animals’ ability to communicate via the face: the domes- tic cat as a case study. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7: 606848. doi: 10.3389/ fvets.2020.606848 4. Montag C, Panksepp J. Primary Emotional Systems and Personality: An Evolutionary Perspective. Frontiers in Psychology. 2017; 8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00464. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg. 5. Erjavec V, Kovačič P. Brahicefalične mačke. In: Erjavec V, ed. Lep, lepši bolan, zdravstvene težave in zdravljenje psov brahicefaličnih pasem. Ljubljana: Vetpromet, 2020: 166 –71. združevanja vedenjske znanosti z umetniško reprezentaci- jo, kar napreduje naše znanje o dobrem počutju mačk in spodbuja globljo povezavo med človekom in mačko.