Tag Archives: behavior

Aug31

‘i don’t hear anything, do you?’ – olive to pete the cat. ‘nope.’- pete the cat to olive

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olive and pete the cat, actively ignoring me

using their selective hearing skills

when i call their names

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Why do cats ignore humans?

 Cats pretend not to hear you on purpose. They clock your voice instantly, they just weigh whether responding is worth it. Nine times out of ten, it isn’t.

They can hear a can opening from halfway across the house, and yet sometimes they don’t even twitch an ear when you call them from the other end of the couch. Are they ignoring you? Yes, they sure are!

 Science confirms they hear you perfectly-they are just actively choosing to ignore you.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo conducted a study and  determined the following:

Science:

  • Voice Recognition: The study showed that cats clearly recognize their owners’ voices and know when they are being called. 
  • Subtle Reactions: Instead of coming over, a cat will often just twitch an ear, move its head, or dilate its pupils to show it heard the sound. 
  • No Pack Instincts: Unlike dogs, cats were not bred over thousands of years to obey human commands or follow pack rules, so they feel no obligation to answer. 

Why They Ignore You;

  • Selective Attention:  Cats weigh whether an action benefits them before they decide to move.
  • Relaxation: If your cat is resting or comfortable, your voice is registered as low-priority information that does not require physical movement.
  • Autonomy: Felines prefer to dictate the terms of their own social interactions.


    Your  cat certainly understands you when you call them-they are simply choosing not to respond.
     Only 10 % of cats who recognize your voice will choose to do anything about it.

”if cats could talk, they wouldn’t.’

-nan porter

 

 

 

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source credit:

Atsuko Saito and Kazutaka Shinozuka, University of Tokyo

“Vocal recognition of owners by domestic cats (Felis catus)”Animal Cognition: 2013

art credit: gary larson, the far side

Sep15

swiping left.

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The octopus is one of nature’s smartest and most enigmatic creatures, seemingly able to engage in some of the more complex thought processes in nature while also taking advantage of its unique physical abilities. Recently, some angry cephalopods were discovered to be assaulting fish by striking them with an arm.

Their taste for violence doesn’t end there. A new study demonstrates that when an octopus wants to be left alone, it’s not above tossing the nearest object at the noggin of its target.

Researchers at the University of Sydney published their findings in the science journal bioRxiv, and it’s clear that octopuses have a low tolerance for unwelcome visitors. Observing them off the eastern coast of Australia, scientists witnessed octopuses hurling shells, algae, and other debris at other octopuses in an effort to warn them off.

Octopuses don’t “throw” objects the way a human might. Instead, they use their arms to position the object in front of their siphons, which can produce a jet stream of water that propels the material into their adversary.

This behavior has been observed before, but this new study shed some fresh light on their motivations. The footage obtained via GoPro cameras captured a number of female octopuses throwing shells at would-be male suitors, a kind of swiping left, using blunt force.

In these cases, the males were not always discouraged. One bachelor was hit 10 times but stuck around. Others attempted to dodge the projectiles. Octopuses can toss objects for other reasons. They may, for example, want to clean up their living space by removing clutter. In some cases, that unwanted clutter may also mean a pushy mate.

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“you want trouble, you can get trouble” 

s. rotslach

 

 

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credits:

Photo- S. Rotslach/Getty Images, Mental Floss/J. Rossen, Science Alert/ M. Starr, University of Sydney/bioRxiv