Does a cat recognize its owner? Yes, but not based on how you look

Unlike other domesticated animals, cats do not recognize humans as their superiors. They think of us as an equal. If you were aware of this, maybe it won't be so surprising to you that your cat doesn't recognize your face. Despite this, however, it is very aware of whether you are approaching it or a stranger.

The cat gets to know its owner, there is no doubt about that. However, a human face is to them in a state of rest like any other. But you don’t need to be afraid of them for a minute, they can tell the difference between us based on smell and sound. It doesn’t even matter if you like to change your perfumes. It’s time to debunk the myth forever that they don’t care about us!

To them we all look the same

It is not at all surprising for a cat owner, that cats do recognize people. Most felines even have a favorite person to whom they do not hesitate to show their affection.

In a study reported by the Journal of Vision, 12 cats were tested to see if they could recognize their own owners. Only 54% of cats recognized their owner by sight alone, since they can rarely distinguish between human faces, we all look very similar to them. One of the reasons for this is what we already mentioned in the first paragraph: according to them, we are equal, the same species as them, who have grown a little bigger. Have we thought a lot about whether it bothers them that we are so Bumfordian and so clumsy? If so, that certainly wasn’t enough reason to break contact during those few thousand years.

However, you must have already noticed that in most cases these furry little rascals approach people and their own kind very cautiously. This is probably because cats remember bad experiences for a long time. 10 years or more. It is also very interesting how much the first impression matters to them. If two neighborhood cats argue the first time they meet, they will remember it: this is a very simple but effective self-preservation tool.

They use their nose and ears to bond with their owners and to easily recognize them. Other animals and us are recognized with the help of these two senses.

They are longsighted and even have trouble decoding colours

Imagine being asked to describe someone’s face. Think about what adjectives you would use and what traits you would describe with them. You would probably mention skin tone, eye and hair colour, and any distinguishing features. There are two cones in the retina of cats, three in humans. Thus, cats’ eyes are less efficient at decoding colours. This means that it will be impossible for them to recognize human faces based on pigmentation.

On top of that, they are longsighted by nature. This has been perfected by evolution for hunting and survival, to see the terrain in front of them even from afar. Their nearsight is rather vague. This makes it difficult for them to recognize a prominent nose, a characteristic chin, or various tattoos, scars, and birthmarks. To determine the texture, they have to rub themselves against the subject.

A cat knows its owner by its voice and scent

In the test of Animal Cognition, three vocal tracks were played: one was the owner’s, the others were strangers’ voices. 75% of the cats responded to their owner’s voice, ignoring the rest. However, there are limits. It happens to many cats that they cannot measure the owner’s voice in a large crowd or in noise. Volume is one of the most important factors in these cases; if you speak to the kitty forcefully, you have a better chance of him responding to your call.

It happens to many people that they know for sure that their cat hears them, but does not react to it. There’s a very simple reason for this, and no, it’s not because you’re being ignored. When the kitten grows up, the owner takes over the protective role instead of the mother. When the cat hears your voice, its knows everything is safe, what which just confirms to itself. By nature, cats doesn’t feel the need to go to you in this case. We have touched on this many times, but we should not expect them to behave like dogs. They are two completely different species.

Our pets have about 80 million smell receptors in their noses; that’s 20 times more than ours. All humans have a distinct scent to cats. Perfume and various scented cosmetics do not suppress this incomparable scent. However, it may happen that if you suddenly change your perfume, it will attract the attention of your little furry friend. Thanks to their excellent memory, they are happy to add any different smell that can be associated with the owner to their repertoire.