Cats Control Humans, Study Finds

[Bramble]

Who runs your household?

If you've ever wondered who's in control, you or your cat, a new study points to the obvious. It's your cat.


Household cats exercise this control with a certain type of urgent-sounding, high-pitched meow, according to the findings.


This meow is actually a purr mixed with a high-pitched cry. While people usually think of cat purring as a sign of happiness, some cats make this purr-cry sound when they want to be fed. The study showed that humans find these mixed calls annoying and difficult to ignore.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/...mansstudyfinds

[SunShineSally]

I already knew they ran this house!!!!! They literally tell me when they want treats, they will push the treat bowl and meow or just look at me. I love them for it though it makes me laugh!

[EFmom]

And they needed a study to tell us this why?

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by EFmom

And they needed a study to tell us this why?

Yeah...sigh. I LOVE my cats. My two older cats are SO smart. No doubt they have some control around here.

Our youngest cat is so clueless. I mean, ditsy. I think she's used up around 7 lives. I actually have had to rescue her twice from getting her head into things. Sigh. She'd be the only one who wouldn't fit this study. I don't think she's smart enough to control anybody. I should check her pedigree to see how inbred she is. She's super cuddly and sweet though--I can actually put her in a sling and carry her around the house and she loves it. The other cats didn't bat an eye when she joined the household...it's like instantly they could read her cat IQ and knew she was no threat to them.

And, I feel bad "dogging her" but I even mentioned some of her antics to the breeder...who says she's had a few like that LOL!

[Sailor]

I've always suspected this. My mom's cat is such a manipulator! She will totally ignore you, all day long, and won't even let you pet her.

Then, when she wants something from you - like a treat - all of a sudden, she's just the sweetest kitty, rubbing against you, and giving that mournful meow that melts your heart. So, you give her a treat.

And then she's back to ignoring you. Until the next time she wants something, lol.

[lifeguard]

Yeah, our cats are totally in charge. We even refer to one of them as the queen. Whenever they "ask" to be fed we have to verify with one another whether or not they are "lying" about needing food - otherwise they'll get fed all day long.

[milagras]

I love this and I totally agree! Resistance is futile... :-)

Our house is run on their schedule...child locks on cabinets when we have no young children...nothing remotely edible left anywhere reachable... we don't need alarm clocks...they wake us up at 5am for 7am feeding... They tattle on each other for breaking the rules... Though I will say one of them enforces OUR rules...he is the sheriff of the others...too funny.

I love them and their daily challenges to us keep us on our toes! Keeps us young at heart!!! Wouldn't have it any other way.

[HRC121799]

We love our cats, but yes, they live pretty much on their own terms. I mean, I'm in charge of where their food and water bowl is, but they do whatever they want. They love us on their terms and get attention when they want it.

Kittehs are in charge. Even over the dog. Especially our oldest cat, he rules the dog (ie. if the cat is blocking a doorway, the dog won't walk through it! Dog is 4X bigger than cat!)

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by HRC121799

Kittehs are in charge. Even over the dog. Especially our oldest cat, he rules the dog (ie. if the cat is blocking a doorway, the dog won't walk through it! Dog is 4X bigger than cat!)

Oh, I remember Ceasar Milan saying once in a dog whisperer episode that 'dogs and cats can live together harmoniously but the dog has to be submissive to the cat'

I most definitely agree that's true LOL. At least amongst my friends! And, it makes sense to me.

With cats they seem to think that they're equal to us...just a little smaller, cuter and fluffier.

People have remarked how my girl Heaven always get concerned...whenever the baby cries. If our youngest starts crying, she immediately will run over to me and start yelling (he's had some fussy periods as a baby--thankfully he rarely ever cries as he has his mom and his 'nums' generally by his side at all times). Heaven will persistently give a sort of crabby "wanh" sort of cry as if to say..."Hello, can't you tell the baby is crying?" Of course, usually I'm holding, rocking him at that time so I'm like "I know, I know!" LOL. She's a nut! I do think a lot of that is remnant from back when she was a breeding queen because I've seen that behavior before in two other girls!