New Study Reveals How Cats Distinguish Between ‘Cat Talk’ and ‘Human Talk’

Most people change their tone at least a little when talking to a cat or another animal. Now, research has coined the term “cat-directed speech” for the equivalent of baby talk with a cat. A new study analyzed how well cats can distinguish between cat-directed speech and normal speech toward other human adults.

Source: ThePrint/YouTube

Previous studies have found that humans speaking to babies in infant-directed speech or ‘baby talk’ can help develop language skills and the bond between parent and child. A new study published in the journal Animal Cognition sought to find out if there are similar effects of talking to cats through cat-directed speech.

The researchers took 19 indoor cats to participate in the study, all of which were pets of veterinary resident students. To avoid stressing out the cats in an unfamiliar environment, researchers conducted the experiments in the cat’s homes.

Researchers recorded humans speaking to their pets in both cat-directed speech and adult-directed speech. They also recorded 16 strangers calling the cat’s name. They then played back the speeches to the cat and compared their behavioral responses to each of the different scenarios.

After statistical analysis of the behavioral responses, researchers concluded that cats could indeed distinguish between the two types of speech from their human, but not from a stranger. They found that cats can distinguish at some level that their special cat-directed speech is just for them.

According to researchers, their findings are just “further evidence to encourage humans to consider cats as sensitive and communicative individuals,” and they highlight the “importance of one-to-one relationships for indoor companion cats.”

We encourage everyone thinking of getting a pet to only adopt instead of shopping. Read more resources about adopting animals on One Green Planet, including 7 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Furry Best Friend, 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Adopt a Pet, and These Heartwarming Before and After Pictures of Adopted Rescue Animals Will Make Your Day! Read tips for pet adoptions and what to consider before adopting an animal. We recommend using these apps to find shelter dogs near you!

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