Domestic cats retain the juvenile behavior of kneading, a reflex typically used by kittens to stimulate milk production from their mothers. This behavior persists into adulthood in domestic cats, unlike in most mammals, due to neoteny, the retention of juvenile traits. This phenomenon is likely a byproduct of thousands of years of domestication, which selected for traits associated with comfort around humans rather than solitary predatory effectiveness. While neoteny explains the persistence of the reflex, some biologists suggest kneading may also have been repurposed in adult cats, often accompanied by signs of contentment and oxytocin release. AI
RANK_REASON Article discusses a biological behavior in domestic animals, drawing on scientific concepts like neoteny and domestication, but does not report on a new release, significant industry event, or research publication.
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