Cats Respond More to Baby Talk Studies have shown that cats and dogs respond better to high-pitched voices than they do to low-pitched voices.
Because cats prefer – and pay more attention to – high-pitched voices. That's according to Dr. Uri Burstyn, also known as the Helpful Vancouver Vet. He did an experiment to see which types of sounds and names cats responded to best.
“Cats are very sensitive and can feel safe or feel threatened by the tone of voice and the loudness. Cats are more apt to respond and socialize with their people when spoken to in a soft and calm voice.”
If you talk to your cat in baby talk, you're far from alone. Many animal lovers make their voices higher and more drawn out when talking to their pets, but a new study from Animal Cognition seems to prove that cats actually prefer this sound, too.
Loud and startling thumps, bangs, and clanks aren't the only noises that can stress cats. High-frequency sounds such as whistling tea kettles and even the sound of our voices can cause anxiety, says Dr. Jill Sackman, head of behavioral medicine service at Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in various locations in Michigan.
Indoor cats react when their owners speak in a high-pitched “kitty voice” – such as by moving their heads and ears more – but not when strangers do so. Unlike dogs, which respond to speech directed at them whether it is from their owners or from strangers, cats only seem to respond when the speaker is their owner.
You might want to try talking to him like a baby. New research suggests that when cat parents speak using a high-pitched, sing-song tone, their cats know they're talking to them.
Every cat is different. While some cats enjoy being kissed, others will not. Some will feel love, while others will not see kissing as a sign of affection. There are better ways than kissing to show a cat affection that they will understand.
Trying to get your cat's attention? Ditch the catnip and try baby talk instead. Yes, you read that right: A recent study revealed that getting your pet's attention is as simple as speaking with a high-pitched tone and extended vowels, just like how you'd communicate with a human baby.
Cats lack the cognitive skills to interpret human language, but they recognize when you talk to them. To put it another way, cats comprehend human language in the same way that we understand meowing. It's similar to how you interpret your cat's language by "reading" how they arch their back or swish their tail.
Why Do Cats React to “Pspspsps?” Delgado offers two plausible explanations behind cats' interest in “pspspsps.” First: The noise vibrates at a frequency that naturally attracts felines. Second: It's similar to “naturally relevant” sounds to a cat such as a mouse in rustling leaves or a bird taking flight.
Natural sounds have a relaxing effect on both humans and cats. A prime example is the sound of sea waves. This frequency (twelve vibrations per minute) is perceived as soothing, as it resembles our breathing rhythm during sleep.
The study is among the first to show cats can recognize—and respond to—their owners' voices. “There is really a special communication that develops between every owner and their cat,” says de Mouzon, who is also a researcher at the University of Paris Nanterre.
Now research suggests cats may routinely tune into their owner's tone of voice to detect when they are talking to them, rather than to other humans. Most people automatically adopt a higher-pitched, sing-song tone when speaking to animals and human infants.
Using “baby talk” could effectively grab your cat's attention, a small study finds. But this bond appears unique to owners: When strangers addressed the cats, even high-pitched cooing wasn't enough to pique the animals' interest.
In most cases, cats will purr when they are in a relaxed environment, sending out waves of calmness. This may also occur when you stroke them, and if this is the case, your feline friend is feeling happy or sociable. However, cats purr to communicate other emotions and needs, too.
Cats can vary significantly in their comfort level at being carried. Some cats won't let you hold them at all, others might allow it but glare at you with quiet scorn, while still others might absolutely love it, even seeking out a person's arms or shoulders as their preferred perch.
Do cats like to be held as much as we like to hold them? If you do it correctly, the answer is yes. Many cats, despite the common and persistent myth that they are aloof, welcome affection from their people. In fact, petting and holding your cat helps build a loving relationship between the two of you.
All in all, even the most aloof and brooding cat will be able to pick up on your warmth and devotion. Whether they choose to admit it or not, they can sense when a person loves them (and hates them).
According to the experts, cats do not understand smiles and frowns independently, but they fully understand strong human emotions when expressed in more than one dimension — more due to the tone of voice than facial expressions. So, unlike interacting with dogs, smiling is not an effective way to connect with a cat.
According to a study1 published in 2019 in the journal Scientific Reports, cats do, in fact, recognize their own names. The lead author of the study is a behavioral scientist named Atsuko Saito from Sophia University in Tokyo, whose prior research2 demonstrated that cats can recognize their owners' voices.
Lastly, but no less important, ignoring a cat can build frustration if the cat doesn't know any other way to behave or has been rewarded for their behavior in the past. Frustration can lead to an increase in the behavior and may also cause lower tolerance and a higher risk of aggression.
New research suggests cats “map” their owners' movements and retain a mental representation of them even when they cannot see them. The findings suggest cats are capable of higher cognitive processes like planning or imagination.