A further report on fear responses of white rats in the presence of cats.

Abstract

To determine whether or not the "freezing" behavior of rats in the presence of cats (previously noted by the present author) was mediated essentially by visual cues, 9 blind rats (5 at 2.5 months of age, 4 at 3.5 mos.) were observed in a situation in which a cat was introduced into proximity with them. The freezing behavior ("remaining relatively immobile or ''frozen'' on the same base for three or more minutes") was observed in every case. Evidently olfactory and auditory cues may contribute to this behavior, and "visual stimulation is by no means necessary to the arousal of such fear behavior." The younger animals behaved essentially as the older ones.