Cats Do Control Humans, Study Finds

Yahoo ^ | 7/13/2009 | Staff

[Red in Blue PA]

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.

"The embedding of a cry within a call that we normally associate with contentment is quite a subtle means of eliciting a response," said Karen McComb of the University of Sussex. "Solicitation purring is probably more acceptable to humans than overt meowing, which is likely to get cats ejected from the bedroom."

[nmh]

Did the people doing the study also know that finger nails on a chalk board are also irritating? Maybe that will be the next “study”?

[discostu]

Got a full fledged spray bottle, holds more water, plus usable for other stuff. Should see the cats when it’s time for some bachelor ironing, trying to figure out what the shirt did wrong.

[La Lydia]

And if you try to move them off the chair they are in so you can sit in it, they act as if you are a famously well known abuser of innocent wittle kitties. Then they go sit on the keyboard of your laptop and erase the last hour's worth of writing.

Both cats and dogs have the ability to get that look that says, "No one in this cruel, stingy household has fed me for weeks and I am starving. To death. Take pity on me please, please, please."

[retrokitten]

Two different personalities, both fairly annoying,

LOL!! Mine are the same way. One is loud and the other just stares at me, apparently willing me to do her bidding.

[kalee]

ping

[Excellence]

My five-year-old calico cries like a newborn kitten (weak and raspy) when she wants to snuggle with mommy (me). On the other hand, I can say, “Valentine go potty,” and she goes to the sandbox.
When the fish wants to be fed he slaps the water. I have smart animals.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I have a friend who had pet goats. So,,,, I altered the story a bit. Changed it from cats to goats. It wont format here correctly, but in an email, my mac makes my edits look perfect.

Goats Do Control Humans, Study Finds

LiveScience.com – Mon Jul 13, 12:50 pm ET
If you’ve ever wondered who’s in control, you or your goat, a new study points to the obvious. It’s your goat.

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

This grunt is actually a burp mixed with a high-pitched cry. While people usually think of goat grunting as a sign of happiness, some goats make this grunt/burp sound when they want to be fed. The study showed that humans find these mixed calls annoying and difficult to ignore.

“The embedding of a burp within a grunt that we normally associate with contentment is quite a subtle means of eliciting a response,” said Karen McFudd of the University of Sussex. “Solicitation burping is probably more acceptable to humans than overt grunting, which is likely to get goats ejected from the bedroom.”

[Cyman]

“My cat reads the forums and forces me to post... “

So you truly are pussy whipped!

[conservative cat]

Your cat looks a lot like ours. He is honestly one of the best cats I have ever lived with (I don’t say owned, cause we all know that’s a joke.)

[LostInBayport]

You want to try "difficult to ignore", try a Siamese cat.

My 13-year old Siamese cat has perfected a "look"...she is a bit, ah, big-boned, and will sit quietly looking a lot like a bowling pin with her ears slightly back and her eyes narrowed to slits.

It works. The other animals know to steer clear, and when I see her sitting like that at the water dish I know it is time for fresh water. I don't even look at it anymore.

[glorgau]

The study showed that humans find these mixed calls annoying and difficult to ignore.

I find that it usually means the start of a game called "kick the cat".

[AnAmericanMother]

Adorable!

He's a tortie point, with that blaze on his face. The white paws are actually quite common in part-meezer to part-meezer matings.

You'll have to wait til he hits maturity before you know if he's going to have the full-fledged Siamese war cry. It's pretty unnerving if you're not expecting it.

[Fire_on_High]

He’s a real cutie! I like how AAM phrased it...Siamese war-cry. My MIL had a black kitty with Siamese ancestry who had the full out voice...MRRRROW!

[hope]

Well...true if you think about the alternative name for cat...

I can't believe I said that.

[sig226]

She really is evil. All this time Ithought I was just making a joke. :(

[Vendome]

I am just sittiing here petting the cat, beeeee-czzzzz, she won’t leave me alone.

I was laughing at the earlier posts then saw yours and showed it to the cat.

She sniffed her little nose in the air and walked saying something about, “Stupid Human Tricks”?

What the hell does that mean? What do you think she meant?

lol!

[Vendome]

that’s me! But, I do love the little thing. Even if she doesn’t really do anything except make me feed her, brush her, scratch her, clean her box, buy her toys, play with her, etc. It never stops.

I am so pussy whipped. Why can’t she be more like my dogs

[rlmorel]

LOL! I am sure your cat had an opinion about posing for the camera...she just doesn’t know that not only does my cat read, but he controls the nuclear football...:)

[Vendome]

Guess who made it clear that I was going to give her some of my beef jerky?

Yep, won't stay on my lap, normally, but I am sitting here eating some beef jerky and she just walks all over me.

Made it real clear she was going to my beef jerky, put her face in mine and then started grabbing the beef jerky I had in my hand.

Thought I would fix here little problem by giving her a big piece. Hah! Wanted more.

I think she ate half my jerky. I hope she has a stomach ache.

Witch! Must of cast a spell on me. I don't share beef jerky, ever.

Tonight I am having popcorn and a movie. I may have to lock her in another room. LOL!