Clearly, cats are good at visual recognition — except when it comes to human faces. Instead of facial recognition, cats may use other cues, like our scent, the way we feel, or the sound of our voices to identify us.
Cats don't tend to rely on the way we look to recognise us, preferring to use their other senses to identify us (such as smells and sounds). Dogs, on the other hand, do recognise our faces and expressions.
Cats form attachments to their owners that are similar to those that dogs and babies form with their caregivers. You really are more than just a source of food to your cat: A study published Monday finds that cats see their owners as a source of comfort and security, too.
If you want to see color, you've got to have cone cells in your retina. Because cats have a mere fifth the cone cells humans do, they mostly see in black and white. They can also see blue and yellow, but they don't see saturated colors. As we said before, they depend on movement and contrast to identify objects.
Some people may assume a cat's hard stare is a form of aggression, but that's not always the case. Your cat could be telling you they are hungry, happy, or sick. They may be expressing love or irritation. Kitties are curious and territorial and can also communicate these traits through eye contact.
In the home, cats are often scared of noisy household appliances, especially if they didn't become accustomed to them as young kittens. Vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers, printers, washing machines and hairdryers are common culprits.
After several years, they can still remember people, places and events from the past. So maybe next time you find your cat staring blankly at a wall or closet, it may be possible that she is thinking of the past and replaying it over and over again.
Your cat is expressing her affection for you.
Your cat's licking may be an affiliative behavior, which is a friendly, altruistic behavior. Mothers groom their kittens, and cats may groom one another, which is called allogrooming.
Can cats see TV without trying to ambush and attack what's on the screen? Definitely. While some cats go nuts for on-screen antics, others are content to watch the activity with an air of calm, and still others may not be interested in TV at all.
The bathroom is full of the smells of you: your cat's favorite human! You spend time there doing important things, or at least it may seem that way to your cat. Your cat may be intrigued by watching you do all the little things humans do in there.
Cats do often treat humans like other felines, using gestures like licking or rubbing on both feline friends and human caregivers, she says. “In a way, cats think of us as bigger cats,” Bonk says. “They might not necessarily know that we're a different species or they just don't care.”
Sleeping near you
If your kitty likes to sleep near you - or even on you - this is an indication that they have total trust in you.
Sorry to break it to you, but human meows mean nothing to cats. At most, you can get your cat's attention and they may even appreciate your attempts to communicate by purring or even meowing back. But to most cats, human meows sound like human language.
Cats See Us as Parents
They actually see us as parents. A 2019 study revealed that cats have the same attachment to their owners that babies show to their parents. Kittens in the study acted distressed when their caregivers left and happy and secure when they returned. They still acted this way one year later.
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.
If your cat sleeps on your bed, he may choose a position that lets him see out your bedroom door more easily. If he's curled up in a ball under your bed or in a quiet corner, then he may be hiding. Cats who sleep under the covers might love being close to you, or they might be hiding to feel safer.
As explained by Popular Science, cats actually don't recognize themselves in the mirror, despite what you see in those cute cat videos or in your own home.
Cats, in fact, do enjoy music, but they don't enjoy human music — at least according to new research. A study recently published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science believes that in order for our feline friends to enjoy music, it has to be species-specific music.
They're curious
It may simply be that your cat is curious about where you're going and what you're going to do there. Typically, they are intrigued by the areas in your house that stimulate their minds. Sometimes, it's just of sheer curiosity that a kitty follows your movements.
Your cat is expressing her love
This ritualistic "small bite" can be perceived as an act of affection between cat and owner, mainly if the petted animal happens to curl up with its human partner. Your cat is showing you how much they care by giving affectionate licks and bites.
Cats also bite when playing with their owners, along with pouncing and grabbing, according to Purina. This behavior is entirely normal. Your cat is playfully using its innate hunting instincts. You can discourage this by rewarding them with affection or treats for playing nicely and gently.
Headbutting is a way for cats to mark you with pheromones and bond with you. However, sometimes headbutting can be a way for cats to seek attention. As a general rule, cats like to be scratched under the chin and on the head, so a cat may just be presenting their head to you for some attention and good scratches.
Cats prefer human company nine times out of ten – they may not act like it, but when you leave, they miss you!
Based on several studies, behaviorists believe an adult cat's intelligence is comparable to that of a 2-year-old human toddler. Studies have shown cats have object permanence recognition, an awareness of objects that aren't directly visible. That is, out of sight doesn't mean vanished forever.
Cats are great at seeing the world in shades of gray, and they do well with blues and yellows. But just like humans who are considered colorblind, cats have trouble distinguishing greens and reds. Red, in particular, is just seen as "dark" to your kitty.