Cat – Good or Not Good?
Cats have a reputation for being independent and disinterested in their owners. But it turns out that this idea is completely wrong. Indeed, a study revealed that our felines are interested in us and even that they understand us! One particularity, however: you have to talk to the cat like a baby so that it listens to you.
Startling Study Reveals Cat’s Understanding of Humans
Thanks to a study conducted by the ethologist team of Charlotte de Mouzon from the University of Paris-Nanterre, we now know that cats can understand humans. The study in question was published in Animal Cognition, a journal of the Nature group.
The experiment consisted of locking 16 students from the Maison-Alfort veterinary school with their cats in a specially equipped room. The room had feline toys, such as scratching posts, high circuits, hiding places, etc. The teachers were asked to pronounce sentences in a normal voice, then in a somewhat “gaga” voice, as one does with a baby or a child. The same phrases and intonations were repeated by unknown voices.
The experiment has shown that the cat begins to listen and pay attention to its master attentively, when the latter speaks to him with baby talk. Concretely, the feline pricks up its ears, its pupils dilate and it stops grooming to turn towards its master or even head towards him. Also, there is a bond and attention that is established. But be careful, it only works with the master! Indeed, the study also proved that if a stranger addresses the cat with childish language, the interest is then decreasing.
Talk to your cat for more attachment and complicity
The cat often has a haughty air while being independent. To break the ice and get closer to your cat, don’t hesitate to talk to it. Are you crazy about your cat? No hesitation, talk to him and tell him you love him by talking to him like a baby. Thanks to t
he study conducted, you now know that the cat understands you and appreciates that you talk to him. However, you must use simple and clear words and avoid making sentences that are too long, as when talking to a child. Your voice should be soft, like a cat vocalizing with her kittens. Finally, their tone of voice, softer than that of men, is a real asset, especially since the woman has no trouble talking baby with her cat, since she also does it with her young children.
Talk to your cat okay, but no way to shout at him
Cats have finer hearing than dogs and humans. It is even thanks to this that he can hear the sound of a mouse running in the rain 20 meters from him.
Because of this hypersensitivity, he can’t stand being yelled at. Likewise, he does not appreciate hearing loud music, a slamming door or loud voices. When the cat does something stupid, it can then be punished with a harmless object such as a spray bottle of water or a pair of socks.
Other ways to communicate with your cat
We now know that it is possible to talk to your cat and that it understands us. But we ? Do we understand his language? The cat communicates with us, but we don’t always realize it. It is therefore important to learn to understand him so that he does not get frustrated.
The meow
The cat emits different types of meows depending on the situation: hunger, pain, wanting to get your attention, etc.
The cat emits positive or negative meows that it is up to you to know how to identify: a positive meow is rather short, high-pitched and soft and of reduced intensity, while a negative meow is more serious, with high intensity and long. By observing your cat closely on a daily basis, you will quickly understand the meaning of his meows. This will then be the opportunity to answer him in baby talk and he will be delighted to see that you have understood!
The purr
This particular vocalization of the cat (which it shares with other felines such as the puma or the cheetah), occurs when it feels an intense emotion or a moment of strong tension. That’s why he often purrs when he’s on your lap. He proves to you by this that he is good and appreciates this moment of complicity. Enjoy it and pet it or scratch it on the head, because cats love it! The moment will only be better. On the other hand, if you hear him purr when he is alone away, in a corner of the house, leave him alone, it means he needs to free himself from stress or perhaps from pain, because the cat can also purr when he is in pain or when he is sick, to heal faster.
Indeed, you have surely heard of “purr therapy”, which proves the fact that the purring of the cat has therapeutic effects. The low frequencies, between 20 and 50 hertz, emitted by his purrs would be soothing for us as well as for him and would act like medicine, but without any side effects. It has also been observed that people who own a cat are less likely to die of cardiovascular disease since this feline helps to lower stress and blood pressure.
The movements of his tail
Did you know that your cat communicates with its tail? Well, yes, just like the dog, our felines have tail movements that mean something. The erect tail indicates that it is concentrated. This is particularly the case when you feed, observe it well and you will see that its tail is generally erect.
When the hairs on the tail are raised, it means that your cat is defensive and may behave aggressively. This often manifests in front of another cat or other animal. It then puffs out its tail to look more impressive.
If he’s sitting or lying down and flapping his tail hard from side to side, he’s annoyed. Leave him alone, this is no time for cuddling! On the other hand, if his tail is motionless and curled up against him, he is quiet and calm.
Finally, if he comes towards you, his tail vertical and slightly like a question mark, it’s because he’s looking for caresses, take advantage of it!
Their eyes
Your cat’s eyes are also a reflection of his emotions. If he has his eyes wide open, he is concentrated, very often he is observing something (a potential prey for example). A cat whose eyes are half-closed tells us that he is calm and if he looks at you when his eyes are closed, that means he loves you!
Out of brightness (which plays on the pupils of the cat), when he has eyes with elongated and narrowed pupils, it means that he is wary and that he is on the defensive. A cat with dilated pupils feels a strong emotion which can be joy or fear.
When should you talk to your cat?
Talking with your cat is important. He is a pleasant companion who can understand many things. Do it in a natural way, as if you were talking to someone. It is of course best to do this when it is available. Let him come to you and call him by his first name so he knows you’re talking to him. Make short sentences and use simple words like “Minouche, come and eat”, if it’s mealtime.
A domestic cat needs interactions with its human. They are important and useful for his well-being. If he comes to you purring, he wants to communicate with you. Baby language has its place in this privileged moment with your little companion. Talk to him, caress him and enjoy these moments! If he touches your nose with his muzzle, let him do it, it’s the most beautiful declaration of love that your cat can make to you. It sometimes happens that the cat nibbles the fingertips, but that’s to tell you that he wants to play. It’s time to take out the small balls or other toys and share some play time with him.
Having a cat is for a lifetime, so it helps to get to know it and know how to communicate with it. You will see that over the years, certain habits will be taken in him and you and wonderful moments of complicity will arise from this beautiful story with this nice kitty.
