Cats exhibiting prey killing can be divided into two categories by the appearance of prey-play behavior: immediate killers that never exhibited prey-play behavior and delayed killers that always exhibited play behavior prior to the mortal neckbite. Low doses of diazepam given to immediate killers induced prey-play behavior and higher dosages increased the play period. The significance of the play behavior and possible underlying mechanisms of the drug action are discussed.
Key words Prey Killing - Diazepam - Cats
Supported from Hoffmann-La Roche, Basle, Switzerland, and the Norwegian Research Council for Science and Humanistics.