Assessing the circadian rhythm of cats living in a group using accelerometers

Abstract

Biological rhythms play a vital role in an organism’s survival, helping it align with environmental conditions like temperature, daylight, humidity, and available food. Research on the rhythmic behaviors of domestic cats remains sparse, and existing studies have produced varying results. This study aims to deepen our understanding of biological rhythms in domestic cats living in groups by using embedded accelerometers to track their activity patterns. Twelve cats from the AVA shelter in Cuy-Saint-Fiacre, France, wore collars with IMU sensors over a period of approximately three weeks, generating data that allowed us to quantify their activity patterns and explore their biological rhythms. Using this data, we calculated the cats' time budgets, categorizing behaviors into active and inactive states, and examined their day/night activity distribution as well as their hourly activity levels. Results showed that the cats were active 14.86 % of the day, on average, with higher activity levels during the day than at night. Moreover, a bimodal activity pattern with increased activity at the time of the caretaker's interventions at feeding time was found. These findings provide insights into the daily rhythms of domestic cats living in groups and highlight the influence of human interactions on their activity patterns.