When Felix is called, Felix actually comes. At least when there's something to eat, or an offer of a cuddle with its owner. And, of course, when the cat just feels like it.
Even if most domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) are fiercely independent, the fact that they recognize the name given to them and respond to it is something assumed to be true by their owners. So far, however, there has been no scientific evidence to show that this is the case. Until now, that is — thanks to Japanese researchers.
Cats can actually distinguish their name from other words. This is what Atsuko Saito from Sophia University in Tokyo and his team found in a study recently published in the Scientific Reports journal. It's the first experimental proof that cats can actually understand verbal expressions from humans.
Once a month, a gym in Brooklyn invites you to cat yoga - stretching and sweating in a cosy atmosphere.
According to the Japanese researchers, the ability of cats to communicate with humans has only recently been explored. They discovered that cats understand when their owners point at food. In addition, cats — at least in part — change their behavior depending on whether their owner appears to be friendly or not.
Saito's team examined a total of 78 cats for their study, Among other things, the researchers looked at how the animals react when they first hear four general Japanese words from a tape, one after the other. The attention of the cats continued to decrease. Then their own name was played to them. The researchers made sure that the words had a sound similar to that of the cat's name.
From the 3rd millennium BC onwards there is evidence of a peaceful coexistence of humans and animals
Clear results
The majority of cats reacted to their names. They moved their ears or their heads. The effect could also be observed when it was not the cat owner themselves who spoke to the animal, but a stranger. With another experiment, the researchers were able to show that cats from households with more than one cat could probably distinguish their name from that of the others.
The familiarity of cats with their own names is a result of the daily contact between humans and animals, the Japanese researchers found. And they think this new knowledge could even improve cat-human relationships. "Perhaps we can make cats learn to associate dangerous objects or places with certain vocalizations," the researchers said.
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Cat cults and cult cats
Fat, lazy and with a philosophical bent
Garfield's comic strip dates back to the late 1970s. A bored and cynical creature, he shares the house with Odie, an intellectually disadvantaged dog, and Jon, a human being with a lonely streak. It's the perfect situation: Should Garfield disapprove of something, he can take it out on Jon and Odie. In 2004 the lasagna addict made the silver screen; two films followed.
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Cat cults and cult cats
Resistance is futile
He performs the most difficult tasks and nabs the vilest culprits. Of noble Spanish lineage, he's swift, and his claws are as sharp as glass cutters. He's the Puss In Boots, unstoppable — unless he has to stop to spit out a fur ball. After brilliant performances in the Shrek films, he was even given his own flick to star in.
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Cat cults and cult cats
Cats need lots of music
In 1970, a dignified single mother named Duchesse and her three children padded across the silver screen in the Disney film "Aristocats": They encounter street cat Thomas O'Malley and a wild bunch of jazz-crazed cats. The film also includes a villain, lots of jazz music, moonlight and love in 1920s Paris.
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Cat cults and cult cats
Cats and drugs and rock'n'roll
A cult cat in the 1970s was a sex-crazed feline anarchist. Robert Crumb created Fritz the Cat, who drinks, smokes pot, likes sex parties and ultimately sets off a bomb. The comic strip was filmed in 1971. It was the first animated movie one had to be 18 to attend.
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Cat cults and cult cats
The most foul-mooded feline ever
What would the Net be without cat content? Arguably the web's most famous feline is Grumpy Cat, whose facial expression is actually due to a genetic defect. But it works to her advantage. Grumpy went viral, and Grumpy merchandise made her owners wealthy. Showered with prizes, she was Meme of the Year 2013.
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Cat cults and cult cats
...and here's the luxury edition
Choupette is Karl Lagerfeld's muse. Wherever he may be, she's not far behind: in a custom-designed traveling bag, with two ladies-in-waiting, a chef and a body guard. Choupette models, she twitters and lives a thoroughly normal life of luxury. Indisputably an "It" Cat.
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Cat cults and cult cats
A tragic figure
Sylvester the tomcat has only one goal in life: to catch and devour Tweety, the little yellow canary. But the feathered friend is somehow always just a little faster. Particularly unnerving is the fact that Tweety is a step ahead mentally too, and that regularly drives Sylvester to distraction. Both belong to the Looney Tunes cast of animated characters.
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Cat cults and cult cats
Cat and mouse
Comedy duo Tom and Jerry swept the movie screens from 1940 until 1967, later becoming TV stars. The storyline is the simplest imaginable: Tom wants to catch Jerry; Jerry gets away. The wild chases have a low violence threshold with detonations being a frequent occurrence. Seven Tom and Jerry movies won Oscars, and six more were nominated.
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Cat cults and cult cats
Kitty has spoken
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Cat cults and cult cats
Pink dream
The most polarizing fashion statement, unadulterated kitsch, a world-famous brand name and a hit in girl's rooms: Hello Kitty. The Hello Kitty label can be found on pretty much all types of objects: from children's cassette recorders to guitars, bags, furniture and skulls. The targeted market sector (young, female) is crazy about her. Others generally can't fathom why.
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Cat cults and cult cats
The bad guy's cat
Evil rogue Blofeld is James Bond's worst nemesis. Turning up in various 007 adventures, the bald villain usually sits at some opulent, clandestine location where other evildoers are busy at work constructing evildoing machines. Blofeld always has a white Persian on his lap that he strokes tenderly — which only makes him doubly mysterious.
Author: Silke Wünsch (rf)
