Cats know us better than we thinkBy Akron Beacon Journal, adapted by Newsela staff

Apr. 28, 2014 4:00 AM

A recent study has confirmed what cat owners have long known: cats understand when spoken to but they

choose to ignore most of what people say.

A new study proves what cat owners have long suspected: Our cats can understand us when we

talk to them. They’re just not that interested in what we have to say.

The study was run by two Japanese scientists, Atsuko Saito and Kazutaka Shinozuka. It showed

that cats are able to recognize their owners’ voices. They can easily tell them apart from the voices

of strangers.

The test included 20 house cats from 14 homes. The animals were tested in their own homes. This

was done so that the nervousness cats feel in new places wouldn’t affect the tests.

With the owners out of sight, the scientists first played recordings of three strangers calling the

cats’ names. Then, the cats’ owners called out the cats’ names. Finally, the cats heard the call of

another stranger.

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Hears But Doesn’t Listen

When strangers called their names, the cats ignored the sound completely. When the cats heard

their names being called by their owners, they reacted differently: They moved their heads and ears

to figure out where the sound was coming from. The cats didn’t bother to get up, though.

The researchers say their study proves two things: Cats can recognize their owners’ voices. However,

hearing their voice doesn’t make them “communicative.”

In other words, he hears you just fine. He just doesn’t care what you want from him.

The test shows that cats do pay at least some attention to us. But that doesn’t mean they want to

do what we want. Cats obviously believe we are on the planet to do what theywant.

The reason cats are the way they are can be traced back to when they first became pets. Dogs

have learned “to follow their owner’s orders, but cats have not,” Saito said. Cats never worked for

people the way dogs have. Thus, they don’t think we are their masters.

House cats originated in the Middle East 10,000 years ago. Their ancestors were wild cats that

killed mice and rats. Those cats proved useful to humans: They kept mice and rats out of farmers’

grain stores.

Cats didn’t hunt mice and rats because they were trained to, however. They did it on their

own.

When cats began moving into people’s homes, they were never really trained. In fact, cats quickly

began to train people. They taught us to do what theywanted.

All About Me(ow)

Dogs worked closely with humans over thousands of years. They were trained to obey. Over time,

they became very good at “reading” what humans are thinking and feeling. They pick up signals

from our voices, and from the way we move our bodies, hands, and eyes.

Cats, on the other hand, pretty much developed on their own. For that reason, they aren’t as tuned

in to us.

Let’s face it. Cats view humans as big, clumsy cats. They treat us the same way they treat each

other.

The truth is, cats live to be served and adored.

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Which is not to say they just sit there, waiting for us to do something for them. They have learned

how to get what they want. All cat owners have experienced being woken up at 5 a.m. by a hungry

cat. And we react as quickly to their meows as we do to a crying baby.

So, if you are thinking about adopting a cat, be realistic: Don’t expect them to come running like

the family dog when it’s called. A cat isn’t generous with its love.

In fact, getting love from a cat is hard work: You have to treat it extra-nicely.

Get used to it.

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