Mary Allen
How would you look if something physically impossible happened before your eyes? Certainly puzzled and surprised. Cats react the same way, as a study has now found. Our velvet paws seem to understand the world and the principle of cause and effect better than we thought.
We know that our house tigers have great intelligence. Cats have certain expectations about how certain things in the world and natural laws work – which has now been proven in a study.
Study: Researchers Trick the Cats
Researchers from Kyoto University conducted an exciting experiment to investigate whether cats understand the principle of cause and effect. The researchers around Saho Takagi asked themselves the questions: Do cats understand that a container that rattles when shaken contains something? And: do the furry friends expect something to fall out of the container (gravity) if it is tipped over accordingly?
The Japanese researchers deliberately tricked the cats into finding the answers. The 30 cat subjects were shown empty containers that rattled despite the lack of content. Loudspeakers simulated the rattling. Accordingly, when the containers were tipped over, no contents fell out. A filled container that does not rattle was also prepared. When it fell over, something fell out. How did the cats react?
Look Gives It Away: Cats Understand the Laws of Nature
If something physically impossible happened, the animals watched with interest for a particularly long time. For example, if nothing fell out of the cup where the loudspeakers simulated the content, this cup received intense looks. So was the cup, which was perfectly still, but an object fell out of it nonetheless. The situations were obviously confusing for the cats, indicating that the velvet paws understand the principle of cause and effect. They expect the physically logical. Similar experiments have been done with small children, who reacted in the same way. Long, intense looks stand for surprises.
“Cats use causal logic to infer the presence of non-visible objects from sounds,” says researcher Takagi. Cats know: If something rattles, something must be there. If nothing rattles, nothing can fall out or there is no object. Presumably, the wild ancestors of today’s domestic cats developed the ability to recognize such connections over the course of history, since this understanding is advantageous for hunting. How exactly the processes in the cat’s brain take place has not yet been researched.
Can cats understand what you say?
Domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) can actually hear their name in other words. That’s what Atsuko Saito from Sophia University in Tokyo and his team write in the journal Scientific Reports. It is the first experimental evidence that cats can understand verbal vocalizations from humans.
How does a cat affect humans?
Studies by American researchers have shown that cats reduce their owners’ stress levels. Petting the cat increases the release of happiness hormones, while at the same time the production of stress hormones decreases. The cat’s purr reinforces the relaxation effect.
Can cats and humans understand?
Conclusion. Cats have the ability to partially understand us humans, even if they don’t always do what we want them to do. However, this is mostly because we do not communicate properly with them. In order to be able to live harmoniously together, it is essential that you also understand your cat’s language.
How do cats sense people?
Sensitivity: Cats are very sensitive animals and have a good empathy for their humans. For example, they feel sadness, grief or illness and give their people more attention and affection in such situations. Cat purring is also said to have another healing effect.
What kind of people like cats?
Cats can be cuddly and playful. Above all, however, they are considered to be independent and self-reliant – in complete contrast to dogs! A new study now shows that cats are much more capable of relationships than previously assumed. They bond to their owners in much the same way that infants bond to their parents.
What do cats think we are?
Cats are a lot smarter than we give them credit for: they learn what works with which person. You know when [a family member] gets up at four in the morning to give them treats.
How do cats feel when you pet them?
“Almost all cats are extremely sympathetic to stroking and scratching the forehead, crown, neck and neck, but also the chin and throat – of course very gently there,” says Rödder.
Can I talk to my cat?
Cats use both vocals and body language when they want to say something to their loved ones. The animals communicate with each other almost silently and communicate through smells and gestures.
How does a cat recognize its owner?
The result was astounding: The house tigers have a keen sense of human emotions and even act accordingly – similar to dogs. They orientate themselves on voice, facial expressions, and movement. Combine this with the look and smell and the cat will recognize its favorite people without a doubt.
Can a cat calm a human down?
A cat has a calming effect on humans. Just the sight of a cat dozing in front of it, but even more so the steady purring lets the stressed person relax and all everyday stress falls away. Cats radiate contentment and serenity.