BREAKING NEWS: Cats are more aware of what’s happening around them than we realize.
A first of its kind study revealed that our kitty companions, who have the reputation for ignoring us, have actually been eavesdropping on us.
“I want people to know the truth. Felines do not appear to listen to people’s conversations, but as a matter of fact, they do,” lead researcher Saho Takagi said to The Asahi Shimbun.
New Research
Takagi’s research shows cats not only know their own names, they recognize the names of other cats in their home, and even their owner’s names. The study was published in the April 2022 issue of Scientific Reports.
“This research has shown that cats naturally learn the names of other individuals they live with through communication with humans. This is only possible if cats pay attention to human conversations, even when people are not speaking to them.”
Scientists selected 25 cats from homes with three or more cats. They placed the cats in front of a monitor and let them hear human voices calling the names of other felines they live with. Photos of the named cats, as well as those of unknown cats were then displayed on a monitor to examine the cats’ reaction.
When the name didn’t match the photo, the test kitties’ gaze would linger an average of a second longer on the image. As do humans, animals react to unexpected situations by taking more time to evaluate the information. The researchers believe that by staring at the incongruent photo longer, the test kitty is confused and is trying to better understand the situation.
The survey also investigated whether kitties can distinguish various human family members. As with cat names, test cats tended to stare longer at the facial images of unnamed people.
Cat cafes
Researchers tried the same experiments on cats who lived in cat cafes, but they didn’t appear to know the names of fellow feline residents or their human caretakers. The team believed it was because so many cats live in the cafes that the names are used less frequently.
Bottom line: Fluffy may appear to be lost in thought, but he might more aware than you realize.
I have known smart cats and I have known some really dumb cats. I discovered that smart cats were much more likely to actually respond to a companion cat’s name than their own. I always suspected it was because they though the other cat might be getting something they might like. My less than smart cats might respond to their name. I have had times when I went into a vet clinic and you could hear my Siamese mix in the back crying and the tired of hearing him on the faces of the clinic staff. When I called his name, he stopped, then his cry was no longer the same, it sounded happy and you could tell the staff was relieved that he was going home…
He was so glad to see his mama!