According to a recent study from Scotland's University of Edinburgh and New York's Bronx Zoo, house cats have a lot in common with African lions and other wildcats – including inclinations toward dominant, impulsive and neurotic behavior. The report, published in the November 2014 issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology, has gone viral, sparking sensational headlines like "Your cat may want to kill you, study says" and "Cuddly or killers? Here's why your cat may actually want you dead."
But does the study actually support those interpretations? That's "a pretty far stretch," according to a researcher affiliated with the report.
>> PHOTOS: Cute cat photos with captivating captions
"Cats don't want to bump you off, but people often don't know how to treat them and then are surprised by their behavior," Marieke Gartner told CNET.
But Denver psychologist Max Wachtel, who is not involved with the study, seemed to have a different take.
"If you want to have this little creature in your house who is very anxious and very non-self-assured; unfriendly to people; affectionate at times, not at others; impulsive; they want to be in charge of the house – that's what you're inviting into your home," he told the BBC.
The good news? Cute little Fluffy is "harmless, basically" – just know what you're getting yourself into, Wachtel told the BBC.
"Cats can be fantastic, sweet companions – until they turn on you," he told KUSA.
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