This is how a cat reacts when it hears its owner’s voice

Although it often seems like a cat shows little interest when someone speaks to it, it turns out that the owner’s voice is an exception.

A study suggests that a cat’s behavior can change when the owner speaks to it in their usual tone. However, if the cat perceives that the person is speaking to someone else – for example, a stranger – it is indifferent to the voice. Here is how a cat reacts to its owner’s voice.

The owner’s voice is familiar to the cat

Research conducted with 16 cats (nine males and seven females) demonstrates that some animals can indeed form strong bonds with their owners. Researchers from the University of Paris-Nanterre discovered this by examining how cats respond to pre-recorded voices of their owners and unfamiliar adults. The recordings were carefully selected to include voices using tones familiar to the cats and those typically used in conversations between humans. While playing the recordings, the researchers observed the cats’ body language.

In the first experiment, the voice of a stranger was played through a speaker, followed by the owner speaking. Out of the 16 cats, 10 showed passive reactions when the stranger called their names. However, when their owner spoke, they turned their ears toward the speaker, became more active, and their pupils dilated. According to the researchers, this indicates that

cats can distinguish their owner’s voice from that of a stranger.

In the second experiment, the difference was that the owner switched to a tone typically used in human-to-human communication. Ten cats reacted passively to this as well – until they heard their owner return to the tone familiar in their communication. In the third experiment, strangers used tones usually directed at cats, but this had little effect.

The role of voice in forming a strong bond

The researchers noted that the small sample size of 16 cats means the results may not apply to all cats. However, the findings provide an excellent foundation for future studies, particularly involving cats more accustomed to being around strangers.

The research suggests that the experience of hearing the speaker’s voice plays an important role in feline communication. Furthermore, it implies that direct communication between the owner and the cat may help strengthen their bond.