Cats are extremely intelligent animals, and their owners are already accustomed to their peculiarities, such as their apparent joy in knocking objects off the table and their irresistible attraction to enclosed spaces. However, some of these felines' behaviors still generate curiosity, even among cat lovers. An intriguing example is the fact that cats meow more at humans than at other cats.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧

Cats were originally solitary animals, preferring to hunt and live alone. Their social communication was limited, occurring mainly between mother and kittens. Outside of this context, it is rare for a cat to meow at another.

However, when cats began to live with humans, their meows took on new meanings. For felines, humans began to be seen as a maternal figure, which explains why they use meowing as a way to attract attention and communicate.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙨

The first contact between cats and humans occurred about 10,000 years ago, when our ancestors established permanent settlements. These places attracted rodents, which in turn attracted cats in search of prey.

The most adaptable and less fearful felines thrived in this environment, creating closer bonds with humans. Unlike dogs, which were selectively domesticated to develop specific characteristics, cats adapted on their own to living with humans. Those that were able to interact and communicate better with people had a better chance of survival.

This process can be compared to the experiment carried out by Soviet scientist Dmitry Belyaev in the 1950s. He and his team selected less aggressive silver foxes for breeding, resulting in more docile animals with altered physical characteristics, such as floppy ears and curly tails, over generations. The foxes’ vocalizations also changed, becoming more friendly. This demonstrates that domestication can cause both behavioral and physical transformations in just a few decades.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙖𝙩 𝙫𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

Like the foxes in the experiment, cats have undergone changes in their vocalizations over time. The felines have learned to exploit human sensitivity to distress sounds to gain attention and care. In 2009, researcher Karen McComb and her team conducted a study of cat purrs. They identified two main types: Request purrs – these occur when the cat wants food or attention and contain a high-pitched, scream-like tone, which triggers the instinctive response in humans. Non-request purrs – these occur when the cat is relaxed and does not need anything in particular. Study participants, both cat owners and people with no experience with felines, rated request purrs as more urgent and less pleasant. This shows that cats have developed a “hidden cry” in their purrs, making them virtually impossible to ignore.

𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

Vocal adaptation has not only occurred on the side of cats – humans have also changed the way they communicate with them. Just as we use a more maternal tone when talking to babies, called baby talk, studies indicate that humans also adopt this type of speech when interacting with their cats.

A 2022 study, led by Charlotte de Mouzon, revealed that cats can distinguish between speech directed at them and speech between humans. This suggests that this form of two-way communication has strengthened the bond between cats and their owners.

Over time, cats have evolved to use vocalizations that attract attention and affection from humans. And, apparently, it is they who have the advantage in this relationship, getting what they want with mastery.