Cats: the purrfect manipulators
| July 14, 2009 | 11:24 AM
More journal entries from Cindy House »
If you’re a cat owner, you probably already know who rules the roost in your house. And science, bless its heart, has now confirmed it: Cats are experts at manipulating humans to do their bidding.
They do it through a unique sound: a purr that also incorporates elements of a baby’s cry. We humans are ingrained not to ignore a baby, so we immediately tend to the cat — usually to give it food — even if it wakes us in the wee hours of the morning.
My cat Shelby prefers to get my attention by knocking things off shelves and tables — ideally something that will break or splat. But when I played this purr/cry sound on my computer, she immediately went on alert, then trotted over to the food bowl for a snack.
Not terribly scientific, but it seems the intrepid Shelby may have learned something new. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow at 5 a.m.
cat, food, manipulate, purr
