Did you know that cats can actually hear you when you talk to them? Despite the general notion that cats are cooler and more independent than dogs, there are still those who believe that cats really bond with their owners. A new study conducted by French researchers came to confirm this thesis. The study was published in October in the journal animal perception🇧🇷
Research tells us that cats can be good listeners. At stake – which can lead to misinterpretations – is the fact that this pet has more discreet and subtle reactions to what is said.
“We found that cats react more when their owners speak to them directly than they do when they speak naturally to another person. It is a finding that surprises us, especially since the reactions do not extend to unknown people speaking with these animals,” he explains. Study author and cat behavior expert Charlotte de Mouzon of the University of Paris-Nanterre, France.
Trying to understand the feelings of the owner, who is venting about a topic, is something scientists believe cats do in their daily dynamics. They are mammals that also tend to feel affection and concern for those around them, the person who cares for them, due to their ability to create emotional attachment.
video recordings
To try to understand how cats react to the interactions their owners have with them, the researchers went to several homes with cats and made video recordings. The records contained different forms of speech and different sounds. There was concern on the part of the scientists not to find any evidence of stimulation or reaction in cats, but the truth is that they were able to find what they were looking for.
The animals reacted even if subtly, with ear wagging, looking away or even stopping what they were doing when they heard their owners addressing them. Reactions varied according to the interviewer and the way he spoke. “In some cases, we’ve seen the owner have the cat’s undivided attention,” says Charlotte de Mouzon.
Recordings from this investigation showed that the cats not only paid attention to what their owners said, but also how they did it. This revelation proves that animals also interpret speech according to intensity and specification.
The results obtained show that the bond between the cat and the owner can be stronger than you think. Because they are less transparent and not as expressive as dogs, they are more difficult animals to study and often to read.
Have you ever thought that you could be happier if you adopted a dog instead of a cat, thinking that this person does not give you the same amount of attention and love? This French study tells you that you don’t have to regret it and your cat probably loves you more than you think.
The truth is that most of the stereotypes that are created around cats and dogs come from the fact that the former are more similar to humans in terms of how they choose to behave. Dogs have been domesticated for centuries and used for obedience. Not cats.
“Cats don’t do what we expect them to do as pets. If a cat doesn’t come when you call, it’s probably doing something else or resting. If you call someone when they’re napping, you’d think it,” Charlotte de Mouzon jokes.
This study complements others study About relationships with a cat’s owner, was conducted by Assistant Professor of Animal Health and Behavior, Christine Vitale, of Unity College, Maine, USA. This addressed the dynamic between a cat and its biological mother and how that affection and all the behaviors associated with it can be transferred to a human, in this case the owner.
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