As any cat owner will tell you, talking to a cat is perfectly normal.And while your feline friends may seem indifferent to your adorable chatter, new research shows animal cognition suggesting that they are really listening.
French researchers exposed domestic cats to recordings of their owners or strangers saying various phrases in speech directed at cats or humans. Much like baby talk, speech directed at cats is usually high pitched and may contain short, repetitive phrases. The research team found that felines respond positively to their owners speaking in language directed at the cat, but when the owner speaks in an adult tone, or when a stranger speaks to an adult or the cat. It did not react to using words.
Previous studies have shown similar results in dogs, but less is known about cats. “There are still people who think that cats are independent. You can’t have a real relationship with them,” said the study, who was an animal behaviorist and cat behaviorist at the University of Paris Nanterre at the time. Lead author Charlotte de Mouzon says. Some people may find it embarrassing to use a special tone for cats, but this study shows that “people shouldn’t be ashamed.”
De Mouzon and her team recorded 16 cat owners uttering phrases such as “Would you like to play?” or “Do you want a treat?” in speech directed at cats and humans. The researchers then filmed each cat before, during, and after a series of recordings of its owner’s and other owners’ speeches. Researchers used software to assess how loud the cats responded to speech.
“Cats have a reputation for neglecting their owners, but there is a growing body of research showing that cats pay close attention to humans,” says Christine Vitale, a feline behavioral scientist at Unity College in Maine. says. “Cats are very good at learning that certain vocalizations have certain meanings,” he says. She said the study was small and future studies may extend the study to other cat populations.
Even if cats understand what we’re saying, de Mouzon says, “they have the right to choose whether or not they want to interact.”
