Does your kitty know his name?

A new study suggests that our feline friends recognize their names.
When I call my cat Cici, I usually accompany it with a whisper of a bag of treats or a whistle, because I’m not sure she knows or understands her name. Have you ever wondered the same thing about your own feline friend? A recent scientific study provides some answers.

Discovering how well cats understand us

Dr. Atsuko Saito, a behavioral scientist at Sophia University in Tokyo, wondered the same thing about her cat Okara and decided to conduct a study to find out if cats actually recognize their names when called.

Between 16 and 34 cats participated in the study over four sessions, along with a series of recordings of human voices. Each cat listened to a recording of its own voice and a recording of the voice of a stranger. This was to ensure that the cat responded to the words spoken, rather than just the familiar sound of its own person’s voice.

Each recording contained three words similar to the cat’s name, and the fourth word was the actual name. As the four words were played, the responses of each cat were observed and recorded. Initially, most cats responded to the first word, until they realized that there was a second and third word. Most lost interest after the third word until they heard the fourth word, which was familiar to them: their name! They reacted with a range of behaviors, including tail wagging, ear twitching, head-turning and even growling. Dr. Saito found that the cats reacted depending on whether their name was spoken by their owner or a stranger.

Domestic cats vs. cafeteria cats

To gather more evidence, Dr. Saito conducted the same study with cats living in a cat cafe. It should be noted that most of these cats are not necessarily called by name on a daily basis, but usually respond to an open call from visitors.

Dr. Saito found that the cats in the cafe responded to being called by any voice and did not know if the names used were their own or another cat.

These observations show that house cats know the difference between their name and other similar-sounding words, whether those names are called by a stranger or by their own person.

How do our cats learn to recognize their names?

Cats learn to identify their name by the way their “parent” speaks to them. This includes the use of body language, tone of voice, and even eye contact, which are important factors in the learning process. This requires patience, repetition, and routine as cats learn by experience. Desired responses, such as coming when called, are encouraged by phrases repeated daily.

One mom cat claims that she talks to her cats all the time, using their names in every sentence so that the kittens recognize her. Another says her cat knows her name perfectly and always responds with the same meow.

Cats also recognize other words and phrases.

A third cat parent says that when her cat enters a forbidden room, she stands at the door, says “come” and the kitty runs away, suggesting that cats understand words other than their name. I can confirm this from my own experience with Cici. She knows I don’t like her on the living room couch. All I say to her is “get off” and she looks at me with wide eyes, mumbles as if in protest and jumps off.

Kittens use certain sounds to communicate with us.

Cats reportedly make about 100 different sounds, from meows and chirps to whispers and hisses. Dr. Sharon Crowell-Davis, a professor of veterinary behavior at the University of Georgia, says that cats have thus developed a language to communicate with humans.

In addition, John W. Bradshaw, an expert in feline behavior at the University of Bristol (UK), noted that domestic cats are the only members of the cat family that establish social relationships with humans. He said they have also developed the ability to communicate nonverbally with humans. This can be seen in the cat’s body language, such as tail wags, paw rubs and even head-butting, all of which demonstrate trust, affection and a willingness to bond.

Bonding with a cat’s feral instinct.

Of course, not all cats fit this model. One pet owner jokes that his cat comes running at the sound of the refrigerator door or the can opener, but barely moves when his name is called. Perhaps it’s because cats have retained much of their wild, independent nature. Many cat parents can attest to this, having experienced firsthand their cats’ hunting and stalking instincts.

This wildness means that cats do not behave like dogs. If cats can be trained, it is usually much easier to teach dogs to sit, down, and fetch. However, Dr. Saito’s study shows that domestic cats learn from us and come running (when they feel like it, of course) when their name is called.