A cat forum. CatBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CatBanter forum » Cat Newsgroups » Cat anecdotes
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

"Does your cat know its name? Here’s how to find out"



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old April 7th 19, 05:19 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Tigger[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 62
Default "Does your cat know its name? Here’s how to find out"

With short video. My cats are/were pretty good at coming when called by their
name, even allowing for cat-itudes (pretend not to hear, then get up, for
example

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019...s-how-find-out

Give this a shot at home: Say four random words to your cat—separated by
about 15 seconds—with the same length and intonation as its name. Then say
its actual name. If it swivels its ears or perks up its head, chances are
it knows what you call it.

That’s essentially what researchers did in a new study. Japanese
scientists played recordings of a cat’s owner saying four words with
lengths and accents similar to its name before saying the feline’s actual
name. The word hihu (Japanese for “skin”), for example, might precede the
name “Kari.” As the random words—all nouns—played, the cats became less
and less interested. But as soon as they heard their name, most moved
their ears and heads; a few even got up (above). The scientists saw
similar responses when the cat’s name came after the names of other
felines he lived with, or when a stranger spoke the words.

Cats may recognize their names because it’s the word humans say most
frequently to them, or because it’s often associated with something
positive, like petting or food, the researchers say. Indeed, the only cats
that had trouble with the task were those that lived in a cat café, a shop
that can house dozens of cats that customers pay to hang out with. These
felines could distinguish their name from random nouns, but not from the
names of the cats they shared the café with. Perhaps that’s because
visitors call the names of many cats, but only “reward” a few with pets or
treats, the scientists speculate.

The findings are the first to experimentally show that cats have some
understanding of what we are saying to them, the team concludes today in
Scientific Reports. Trained cats may understand words like “sit” or
“jump,” but it could be because humans are using additional cues, such as
hand gestures. The new findings could improve our relationships with our
pets, the researchers say; cooing your cat’s name during a stressful vet
visit, for example, might help reassure it. Still, whether cats understand
that their name is really their name remains unclear. They may just think
it’s another word for “treat.”


Actual paper is here (public!)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-40616-4
  #2  
Old April 11th 19, 01:25 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
jmcquown[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,008
Default "Does your cat know its name? Here’s how to find out"

On 4/7/2019 12:19 AM, Tigger wrote:
With short video. My cats are/were pretty good at coming when called by
their
name, even allowing for cat-itudes (pretend not to hear, then get up,
for example

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019...s-how-find-out


Give this a shot at home: Say four random words to your cat—separated by
about 15 seconds—with the same length and intonation as its name. Then
say its actual name. If it swivels its ears or perks up its head,
chances are it knows what you call it.

Thanks for the post, Tigger!

I actually conducted this experiment this evening (without reading the
article). I got the gist of what the study showed.

So, I went into to the bathroom. I was talking out loud while in there,
nothing Buffy would recognize as repetative phrases. Buffy followed me
in, as she sometimes does. Nothing happening of interest in there so
she walked out. When she got outside the doorway I said her name. Her
ears swiveled back, she stopped. She sat down, turned and looked at me.
"You rang?" (I couldn't help but laugh, thinking about this post.)

So wel played for a while in the living room. Same thing with stopping
and starting and I'm just talking out loud. It doesn't have a thing to
do with our play. When she rested, her ears facing forward, she's not
looking at me... I said some nonsense. Then said her name. Ear
swivels! She turned and look at me. "You want something?"

I am a firm believer she knows her name. The rest of everything I say
may well be gibberish to her. She may choose to ignore if I call her by
name. But she definitely recognizes her name.

Jill


Cats may recognize their names because it’s the word humans say most
frequently to them, or because it’s often associated with something
positive, like petting or food, the researchers say. Indeed, the only
cats that had trouble with the task were those that lived in a cat café,
a shop that can house dozens of cats that customers pay to hang out
with. These felines could distinguish their name from random nouns, but
not from the names of the cats they shared the café with. Perhaps that’s
because visitors call the names of many cats, but only “reward” a few
with pets or treats, the scientists speculate.

The findings are the first to experimentally show that cats have some
understanding of what we are saying to them, the team concludes today in
Scientific Reports. Trained cats may understand words like “sit” or
“jump,” but it could be because humans are using additional cues, such
as hand gestures. The new findings could improve our relationships with
our pets, the researchers say; cooing your cat’s name during a stressful
vet visit, for example, might help reassure it. Still, whether cats
understand that their name is really their name remains unclear. They
may just think it’s another word for “treat.”


Actual paper is here (public!)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-40616-4


  #3  
Old April 21st 19, 04:13 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Tigger[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 62
Default "Does your cat know its name? Here’s how to find out"

jmcquown wrote:
On 4/7/2019 12:19 AM, Tigger wrote:
With short video. My cats are/were pretty good at coming when called by
their
name, even allowing for cat-itudes (pretend not to hear, then get up,
for example

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019...s-how-find-out .

Give this a shot at home: Say four random words to your cat—separated by
about 15 seconds—with the same length and intonation as its name. Then
say its actual name. If it swivels its ears or perks up its head,
chances are it knows what you call it.

Thanks for the post, Tigger!

I actually conducted this experiment this evening (without reading the
article).* I got the gist of what the study showed.

So, I went into to the bathroom.* I was talking out loud while in there,
nothing Buffy would recognize as repetative phrases.* Buffy followed me
in, as she sometimes does.* Nothing happening of interest in there so she
walked out.* When she got outside the doorway I said her name.* Her ears
swiveled back, she stopped.* She sat down, turned and looked at me. *"You
rang?"* (I couldn't help but laugh, thinking about this post.)

So wel played for a while in the living room.* Same thing with stopping
and starting and I'm just talking out loud.* It doesn't have a thing to do
with our play.* When she rested, her ears facing forward, she's not
looking at me... I said some nonsense.* Then said her name.* Ear swivels!
She turned and look at me.* "You want something?"


My current cat will turn his ears, but doesn't always come closer
(cat-itudes). My previous cats would come from outside when called
(current one, well, cat-tudes again).
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
JFK's "Ich bin ein Berliner" could be translated as "I am a jellydoughnut" or even "I am a cream puff" ПЈö'Д Cat anecdotes 1 June 20th 13 12:10 PM
" " " " " FUNNY CATS DOGS & ANIMALS " " " " " Janice Cats - misc 0 April 29th 11 12:46 AM
For women who desire the traditional 12-marker dials, the "Faceto," "Juro" and "Rilati" all add a little more functionality, without sacrificing the diamonds. Linda Boucher Cat health & behaviour 0 April 20th 08 10:52 PM
"Juro" is a newer series that resembles the "Museum," but features asmaller face and more subtle diamond inlays. The men's "Esperanza" model isthe most complex luxury model with the three minute, second andtenth-of-a-sec [email protected] Cat health & behaviour 0 April 20th 08 10:03 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:29 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright 2004-2024 CatBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.