Wild or Domesticated, Cats Know the Voices of Their Caretakers

As it turns out, cats “get” your tongue, whether they’re lions, leopards, or house cats.

By Sam Walters
Feb 15, 2024 2:30 PMFeb 15, 2024 2:22 PM
A picture of a Javan leopard.
Leopards were one of 10 species involved in the new study, which found that undomesticated cats in captivity can recognize caretakers’ voices. (Credit: Abxyz/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

They might not come when you call them, but recent research reveals that cats recognize the voices of their caretakers — not thanks to their domestication, but thanks, instead, to their proximity to people.

Published in PeerJ Life & Environment, the research found that captive, undomesticated cats respond to the voices of their caretakers much more quickly and much more intensely when their caretakers are more familiar. Felines as ferocious as tigers, cougars, and cheetahs could tell people apart, and weren't afraid to pick favorites.

According to the authors of the research, the results challenge the traditional conception of cats as socially aloof, and suggest that some species — whether considered social or asocial — acquire the ability to recognize people’s voices as a result of close contact, rather than domestication.


0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2024 Kalmbach Media Co.