Tag Archives: behavior study

Behavior, News

Research Shows Cats Know Companion Cats’ Names

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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.

Cats may appear to ignore you, but they pay attention to our conversations enough to know the names of companion cats (Shutterstock)

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.

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Study Suggests Kitties and Their Humans have Similar Purrsonalities

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IN THE MEWS 

LIVERPOOL, UK. Ever noticed that dog owners and their pets look alike? (It’s the stuff of nightmares, isn’t it?) Well a recently study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, found a correlation between cats’ personalities and their humans’.

Researchers asked 126 humans to score their own personality traits as well as the questions about Fluffy’s temperament. (I’m somewhat offended that they didn’t quiz the kitties themselves.) The questionnaire asked about three of the human’s Big Five traits (agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism), dominance, impulsiveness, the Dark Triad (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy). It also asked about human satisfaction with their feline housemate. The cat section assessed the Feline Five (agreeableness, dominance, extraversion, impulsiveness, neuroticism). Humans who showed to be highly dominant were more likely to live with dominant, impulsive, extroverted, and neurotic cats, while impulsive humans frequently saw their own impulsivity in their Fluffies.

Like Their Kitties

Cats described by humans as dominant, neurotic, and impulsive were more likely to live with humans who scored higher on the Dark Triad traits.
“Dominant cats are greedy, defiant, and aggressive and bullying towards people/other cats, which could be attractive to potential owners who have similar tendencies in their own social interactions,” the study suggested. “Impulsive cats are excitable and erratic, which could be pleasing to impulsive owners.”

The researchers concluded that humans are drawn to cats who reflect their own personalities, or are more likely to keep a kitty who’s similar to them.
If this is true, why won’t my human go rat hunting with me?
You can read the study, “The purrfect match: The influence of personality on owner satisfaction with their domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus)” at
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328430244_The_purrfect_match_The_influence_of_personality_on_owner_satisfaction_with_their_domestic_cat_Felis_silvestris_catus

About the Author

JeffyJeffy BadBoy is a rescued kitten with a nose for news. His unique talent has qualified him to be the official journalist for Stupid Gravity Press. Follow Jeffy’s Daily Mews on Facebook and Instagram.