Cats have gotten a bad rap, at least according to a new study that found your feline really does like you, even if it doesn’t always know how to show you, and it actually likes interacting with you more than it prefers food.
The study from Oregon State University researchers in the journal "Behavioral Processes" also determined that cats are trainable if given the right motivation.
“Increasingly cat cognition research is providing evidence of their complex socio-cognitive and problem-solving abilities,” the study authors reported.
Scientists studied pets and shelter cats and observed what happened when felines were given a choice of different stimuli, including toys, food, social interaction and scent.
Both pets and shelter cats preferred interacting with humans first, followed by food, the study found.
“Nonetheless, it is still common belief that cats are not especially sociable or trainable” according to researchers.
The disconnect could be due to an ignorance about the stimuli cats prefer and what motivates them.
About the Author
