FeBARQ: Applied Research on Domestic Cat Behavior
Over 10 years after the release of the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (CBARQ), cat owners finally have a feline version of this behavioral assessment tool available online. The Feline Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (FeBARQ) was a natural next step in companion animal behavioral research according to Dr. James Serpell, lead researcher on both projects. According to Dr. Serpell, the goal for this tool is to provide a method of studying behavior for animals living with humans in their homes. In the applied sense, this is meant to help professionals and pet owners better understand feline behavior, resulting in improved welfare for our feline companions and a better understanding of the development of behavior problems.
Contributing factors to differences in behavior
A study published recently in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior looked at the behavior of purebred cats using the FeBARQ. This study of 394 purebred cats of 12 breeds (Abyssinian, Bengal, Birman, Burmese, Devon Rex, Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Oriental, Persian, Ragdoll, Siamese, and Tonkinese) included questions related to coat color, coat pattern, and eye color. Results suggest that each breed represented may have a “personality profile,” as associations were consistent among individuals of the breed—all Abyssinians scored similarly on the questionnaire, for example. When reviewing if coat color and pattern were correlated with behavior, it was found that, “most associations between appearance and behavior were attributable to breed.” This would indicate that using coat color and pattern as a basis for behavioral expectations for any individual cat creates unreliable and potentially unrealistic expectations. Behavioral expectations may be more accurate when based on breed, not coat color or pattern.
Dr. Serpell hopes that breeders will continue to contribute to the FeBARQ research by contributing answers to the questionnaires for the litters they breed, especially after they are placed in homes and they grow from kittens into cats. Dog breeders have used the CBARQ to discover if there are dogs in their line that have developed problems. The same potential exists for cat breeders.
But, what about the mixed-breed cats? Or the cats with unknown lineage? Since cats are bred either indiscriminately (the thousands of stray cats and kittens that find their way into homes and shelters worldwide) or bred based on form (not function), it is often unlikely that a specific “breed” is identifiable. As the database continues to grow, it may one day be possible to identify the breed that is most closely correlated with the behavior of a cat of unknown lineage. However, the FeBARQ will provide a sense of how your cat compares to other cats in the database.
Some challenges
Challenges exist with survey-based questionnaires like FeBARQ. Researchers must rely on the interpretation of behavior as observed by the human completing the online questionnaire. There is no independent observation of each cat’s behavior to verify the accuracy of the answers provided by the respondent. Additionally, many of the questions asked are retrospective and rely on the respondent’s memory of the cat’s behavior. Researchers must make the assumption that responses, such as when people report their cat is a purebred, are accurate. This could, for example, be a concern if owners are reporting that a colorpoint cat is a Siamese because the shelter where they adopted the cat identified it as such simply based on coat color and pattern. The silver lining to this challenge is that researchers are learning about how the respondents (humans) view their cat’s behavior and the effect on the relationship.
Another challenge, different from the CBARQ, is that while dogs generally live solely in the home (or at a minimum on the property), there is a large portion of cat behavior that is not observable for owners who have indoor/outdoor or outdoor-only cats. For these cats, the responses are based only on the behavior observed while the cats are in the home or while observed outdoors.
Initial findings
Dr. Serpell and his team continue to look at the data as it comes in to answer interesting questions. For example, do single-housed cats display fewer behavior problems? The team is looking at this now. Preliminary data suggests that single-housed cats don’t necessarily display fewer behavior problems. Based on the current FeBARQ database, it appears that they may actually display more mild behavior problems than cats living in a multi-cat environment. According to Dr. Serpell, the data indicates they display more owner-directed aggression, separation anxiety, compulsive behaviors, and nighttime activity. They are also more selective about elimination locations.
This would seem to indicate that cats are more social and more socially flexible than they are often given credit for by many—researchers and owners alike. However, the FeBARQ does not currently ask about the familial relationships between cats living together, so researchers are not able to identify if, or how, living with related or unrelated felines affects behavior.
In regard to sociability, the role of avoidance behaviors commonly displayed by cats in social situations is unclear. Questions in the sociability section rely heavily on owner interpretation of feline behavior. For example, a cat that is friendly and sociable, but chooses to avoid or walk away from a situation rather than engage may be viewed by an owner as “uncomfortable” interacting with others. Also, due to the low response rate of owners who live with both dogs and cats, sociability toward dogs did not present as a separate subscale.
After completing all questions, respondents completing the questionnaire are provided with a graph showing where the cat scores in relation to all the other cats in that breed (mixed breeds are listed as domestic shorthair or longhair) for 23 separate categories. See the photo for an example of a result from one of my cats for whom I completed the questionnaire.
When asked about the value of this tool for feline behavior professionals, Dr. Serpell likened it to a CBC/chem panel for a veterinarian. As an initial screening tool, the FeBARQ can give professionals a snapshot of a cat’s behavior as perceived by the owner. The history of behavior and the context within which it occurs cannot be identified with this tool. Its usefulness is in providing feline behavior professionals a way to narrow down their approach when identifying the best way to address their client’s concerns about their cat’s behavior.
The FeBARQ is a valuable tool that will only improve in quality and reliability as more cat owners complete the survey. As feline behavior professionals we can directly affect how many cats are included in this groundbreaking research by encouraging our clients, colleagues, friends, family, and social media network to take the FeBARQ for all their cats Be on the lookout for more published studies about the analysis of the FeBARQ data in peer-reviewed journals in the near future!
Click here to take the FeBARQ or here to take the CBARQ.
Special thanks for Dr. James Serpell, Marie A. Moor Professor of Animal Ethics & Welfare and director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals & Society at the University of Pennsylvania for his time in answering questions for this article.
Miranda K. Workman, MS, CABC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA is an educator and researcher at Canisius College with a background in animal behavior and anthrozoology. She lives in Buffalo, NY with her husband and several companion animals who remind her to laugh every day. You can learn more about here at her website.
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Mike is an emerging animal behaviorist sitting in Minnesota in the US. He carries an MSc in social science research methods (U. of Kentucky) and brings a passion for understanding how the methods we favor shape the knowledge we privilege. Coming from careers in teaching and non-profit program evaluation, he found companion animal behavior by accident helping anxious feline friends in a unique shelter in Ohio. It is a privilege and a joy to combine these and advance the journal in this exciting time of growth.
Alexandra is a certified dog behavior consultant and holds a PhD in neuroscience. She has spent over a decade in academic research and is author of numerous scientific articles on different aspects of brain development, including olfaction, neurogenesis, and memory formation. Her work as a behavior consultant focuses on creating trusting relationships between humans and their dogs through communication, respect, and science-based knowledge. Alexandra is very dedicated to promoting more science within the dog training world. She supports dog guardians and professionals to build a solid understanding of scientific principles and provides guidance on how to apply these to life with dogs. She runs Canine Mindscape in Alicante, Spain.
I’m an Argentinean-Italian dog trainer and CSAT who spent eight amazing years in Brazil learning and working with dogs. Now based in Europe, I volunteer with the IAABC as a translator and, in my free time, help rehomed dogs settle into their new families. I love bridging languages—and hearts—between people and their dogs.
I’m a translator, editor and journalist, as well as canine educator for children and families, specialized in canine body language. I am part of the IAABC Family since 2019, as Language Director at the IAABC and Translators Team Lead at the IAABC Foundation, at the moment. I volunteer at local shelters and promote bite prevention and animal welfare at schools and events all over my country, Uruguay.
I’m a Chilean veterinarian and certified dog trainer, based in Madrid and working at a veterinary clinic. I’ve been volunteering with the IAABC and the IAABC Foundation for over seven years. In my free time, I help dogs and their guardians strengthen their bond, and I love spending quality time with my own dogs.
Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences, with a strong interest in environmental sustainability and the protection of natural ecosystems. Passionate about writing and science communication, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on research projects, such as Equine International, and with non-profit initiatives in the environmental and cultural fields. She is writing for different magazines, including IAABC Foundation. Her major goal is to improve horse’s welfare through behaviour research and empirical practice.
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I believe that knowledge from a wide range of disciplines fosters a more empathetic, curious, and engaging world. I am passionate about social, environmental, and minority rights issues (both human and non-human), and this has invariably led me down the road of multi-species anthropology. Perpetually curious about the world we live in, I hope to contribute towards making the world a kinder place for all of us earthlings to live on!
Beckie Wheldon is based in England, UK, and has been supporting the IAABC Foundation Journal team as a volunteer journal content editor since early 2025. She has a BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare, and has recently completed a MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour. With a passion for both practical and theory, Beckie is proud to be a part of the journal submission journey and support the process of applied animal behaviour information and research getting from our writers to the readers. As her full-time career, Beckie is currently part of the UK veterinary charity, PDSA, as a Learning and Development Business Partner for Veterinary, where she supports the professional development of people in their Veterinary Hospitals. Her last position was with the rescue charity, Dogs Trust, as a Canine Behavioural Welfare Manager, where she worked on embedding evidence-based behavioural welfare best practices throughout policy and practices, with both internal and external professional stakeholders, such as the police and military. With a varied background in kennels, caregiver education, and charity dog training classes, Beckie is also an accredited Animal Training Instructor (APDT UK) and an Associate Clinical Animal Behaviourist (APBC).
Erin Jones, PhD, IAABC-ADT, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CANZ-ATI, CANZ-ABC, is the Journal Director of the IAABC Foundation Journal. She holds a PhD in Human–Animal Studies, an MSc in Anthrozoology, a PG Dip in Animal Welfare, and a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology and Psychology. An international presenter, editor, writer and mentor, Erin’s writing bridges research and practice with a focus on the intersection of philosophy, ethics and dog-centered behaviour practice. She is the author of Constructing Canine Consent and co-editor of Topics in Non/Human Coexistence and numerous academic and trade journal publications.