How do cats recognise their owners? These are their reference points

Researchers have long been interested in the question of whether a cat really knows its owner. Here's what their investigations have revealed.

Many owners find that when they come home at the end of the day, their pet awaits them at the door and greets them with loud meows or purring. However, if a stranger enters the home, the same cat will hide or express displeasure. What does science say about this? Can a cat really identify its owner?

This is why many think the cat recognises its owner.

“We can’t ask the cat if it recognises us or remembers us, so we have to deduce the answer from its physiology and behaviour,” suggests animal behaviour researcher Mikel Delgado.

Researchers have conducted several experiments over the years to test the cat’s ability to distinguish humans. One study, for example, tested how the animal reacts to hearing its owner’s voice versus a stranger’s.

Most cats responded more intensely to their owner’s voice.

In another study, the researchers played various recordings to the animals in which owners and strangers said things like “Do you want to play?” or “How are you?”. When the strangers spoke, the cats did not respond, but became alert when hearing their owner’s voice. They stopped what they were doing and headed towards the sound.

Experiments suggest that cats remember the specific characteristics of their owner’s voice, such as volume, timbre and pitch.

Your appearance and smell can also help them

Cats are likely to use other reference points. Experts believe that at some level, they can recognise a person’s unique physical appearance (i.e. size and shape), distinguishing them from their spouse, child or even a stranger.

According to the animal behaviour researcher, the cat’s sensitive sense of smell may also be important, which can also help the cat to identify individual humans. It’s so sophisticated that the animal may even realise that its cat companion has been to the vet.

So your voice, your appearance and your smell can all contribute to your cat’s ability to recognise you.

But what about those cats who react to every human with the same enthusiasm? Do they lack the ability to distinguish between people? Delgando says not necessarily. Perhaps the explanation is that they are friendlier and more curious than the average pet. This may be linked to the fact that in the first weeks of their lives they were well socialised.