If you’re a cat owner, you know that cats have a special way of communicating with us. Whether it’s meowing, purring, or rubbing against our legs, they have a way of getting their message across.
But according to a new study, cats may have a secret language that they use to communicate with humans. A team of researchers from the University of Zurich has discovered that cats have a “sophisticated and nuanced” way of communicating with their owners.
The study, which was published in the journal Animal Cognition, found that cats have specific vocalizations that are used to communicate with humans. These vocalizations are different from the meows that cats use to communicate with each other.
The researchers analyzed the vocalizations of 107 cats in different situations, such as when they were hungry, when they wanted to go outside, and when they were in a playful mood. They found that the cats used different types of vocalizations depending on the situation.
For example, when a cat was hungry, it would make a low-pitched meow that was often accompanied by a rub against the owner’s leg. When a cat wanted to go outside, it would make a high-pitched meow that was more urgent and insistent.
The researchers also found that cats used different types of vocalizations depending on their relationship with their owner. Cats that had a close bond with their owner were more likely to use a variety of vocalizations to communicate, while cats that had a more distant relationship tended to use fewer vocalizations.
The researchers believe that cats may have developed this sophisticated way of communicating with humans as a way to adapt to living with us. Unlike dogs, who have been bred for thousands of years to communicate with humans, cats have only been domesticated for a few hundred years.
This study challenges the popular belief that cats are aloof and independent animals. It shows that cats are actually quite skilled at communicating with humans, and that we may have underestimated their abilities in the past.
So, the next time your cat meows at you, pay attention – they may be trying to tell you something important. And remember, cats may have a secret language, but with a little patience and observation, we can learn to understand it.
