Cats away, the mouse will play - or will it?
When a cat is away, the old proverb suggests that the mouse will be free to engage in mischievous behaviors. But recent research suggests that not all mice are so mischievous when the cat isnt around. Instead, the mouse may passively wait for the cats return, staving off the mischief-making until the cat returns.
The proverb had been applied to people, in that when the boss is away, some employees may feel less inhibited to engage in behaviors they would normally be more ashamed of. But its not clear if the same thing is true of animals, or if they have the same moral inhibited when no one is around to monitor their actions.
UC Berkeley researchers took the proverb to a lab, to put it to the test. They took wild-caught mice and placed them in mazes. There were two groups of mice - one in which a cat was present, and one in which there was no cat. The mice in the no-cat group had a much less active response to the maze - they were more passive and were slower to explore the maze than their fellow mice with the cat presence.
Mice in the presence of a cat moved more slowly and seemed more cautious when exploring the maze. Furthermore, the researchers noted, mice with the cat present showed a lower level of activity, spent more time in areas with greater potential danger, waited longer and explored the maze less frequently than did those from the cat-absent group.
Furthermore, when the cat was removed and a loud noise made, the mice with the no-cat group were much more startled than the ones with the cat present. This suggests that the mice in the no-cat group had become passive - waiting and not engaging in active behaviors - due to the absence of the cat.
Theres still more to learn about the mouse intelligence and cognition, but this research shows that mice may have evolved some level of prudence and caution in the presence of danger. It makes sense, then, that when cats are not present the mouse would be more likely to keep itself still and stay out of harms way - even if that means not engaging in mischief.
This research shows that even animals can have a passive response to danger and inhibition, as we as humans do. A cats absence does not necessarily mean that the mice will take full advantage of the opportunity for freedom - and this holds true for people, too. If it means keeping ourselves out of trouble, being mindful of our behaviors and being wary of potential threats, then it may be a good thing to keep in mind the next time a cats away.
