ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the research which was conducted in laboratory. The issue under investigation was whether or not the weanling kittens would accept new food independently of the presence or the absence of their mother. The observations were conducted on four mothers and their 19 kittens. The kittens were 30 to 39 days of age at the start of the research. The new food was canned tuna for six 32-day-old kittens of mother M and four 30-day-old kittens of mother S. Observations were made on five kittens. When the kittens of each litter were placed in the experimental compartment together with their mother for the first time, they showed a brief orienting reaction, and then they started to explore the environment. The observations were made on the remaining siblings, two kittens of mother E and two kittens of mother O. Mother E was accompanied by three of her kittens and mother O by two of her kittens during each session.
