DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17829037
title: Domestic cat personality, home range size, and predation data

description: Overwiew

Free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) are recognized as efficient predators whose impacts on wildlife, particularly in continental environments, remain insufficiently documented. To investigate how personality shapes predation and spatial behaviors, we monitored 23 domestic cats in a suburban area south of Paris using GPS devices and animal-borne cameras ("kittycams") between March and May 2025. The dataset includes the personality scores based on owner questionnaires for each cat, home range estimates (aKDEc50 and aKDEc95), behavioral data and R scripts used for analysis. Raw data (full database for the exploratory factorial analysis, videos and GPS tracks) are not publicly available to preserve participant privacy, in accordance with GDPR. These data provide an integrated resource to study links between personality, space use, and hunting behavior in domestic cats and to support future research on their ecological impacts and management.

Description of the data and file structure

Data were collected to investigate how personality traits influence space use and predation behavior in free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus). Twenty-three cats in a suburban area south of Paris were monitored between March and May 2025 using GPS collars and animal-borne cameras (“kittycams”). Personality scores were obtained from owner questionnaires. The dataset includes anonymized personality scores, home range estimates (aKDEc50 and aKDEc95) calculated from GPS tracks, detailed behavioral data extracted from videos using BORIS software, and R scripts used for data processing and analysis. These data can be used to study links between personality, spatial behavior, and hunting tendencies in domestic cats.

Files and variables

File: R_script_factorial_analysis.R

Description: R script used for the exploratory factorial analysis, using an unpublished database.

File: R_script_aKDEc_calculation.R

Description: R script used for aKDEc calculation from unpublished GPS tracks.

File: resaKDE_clean.csv

Description: Results of aKDEc calculation (see R_script_aKDEc_calculation.R) and personality scores (see R_script_factorial_analysis.R). File used for aKDEc models (see R_script_aKDEc_models.R).

Variables





Cat: Anonymized cat ID




aKDE_50_min: Lower CI of core range / aKDEc50




aKDE_50_est: Estimate of core range / aKDEc50




aKDE_50_max: Upper CI of core range / aKDEc50




aKDE_95_min: Lower CI of full range / aKDEc95




aKDE_95_est: Estimate of full range / aKDEc95




aKDE_95_max: Upper CI of full range / aKDEc95




Neuroticism: Neuroticsm score




Dominance: Dominance score




Agreeableness: Agreeableness score




Extraversion: Extraversion score



File: pred_data_cat.csv

Description: Behavioral data obtained from video data using BORIS software and personality scores. File used for behavioral models (see File: R_script_models_i_ii.R).

Variables





CAT: Anonymized cat ID




PREDATION: Predation time observed in seconds




TIME: Total time spent outside in seconds




NEURO: Neuroticism score




DOMI: Dominance score




AGREA: Agreeableness score




EXTRA: Extraversion score




PREY: Amount of predation events observed (succesful or not)



File: Cat_personality_scores.csv

Description: Anonymized personality test answers for the cats of the study and personality scores.

Variables





CAT: Anonymized cat ID




TIMIDE: Score for french adjective "shy"




AFFECTUEUX: Score for french adjective "affectionate"




INTELLIGENT: Score for french adjective "intelligent"




BRUTAL: Score for french adjective "brutal"




EFFRAYE.CHATS: Score for french adjective "fearful of other cats"




AMICAL.GENS: Score for french adjective "friendly with people"




ACTIF: Score for french adjective "active"




ANXIEUX: Score for french adjective "anxious"




DOMINANT: Score for french adjective "dominant"




INQUIET: Score for french adjective "worried"




GENTIL: Score for french adjective "gentle"




INVENTIF: Score for french adjective "inventive"




AGRESSIF.CHATS: Score for french adjective "agressive with other cats"




CALIN: Score for french adjective "cuddly"




CURIEUX: Score for french adjective "curious"




IRRITABLE: Score for french adjective "irritable"




Neuro: Neuroticism score




Domi: Dominance score




Agrea: Agreeableness score




Extra: Extraversion score



File: R_script_aKDEc_models.R

Description: R script used for the modelization of aKDEc50 and aKDEc95 of the research paper. Uses resaKDE_clean.csv file.

File: R_script_models_i_ii.R

Description: R script used for the modelization of behavioral models of the research paper. Uses pred_data_cat.csv file.

Code/software

All code scripts were created and used with R software (version 4.4.3).

Behavioral data were processed using BORIS software.