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How Do Cats Recognize Their Owners?

Your cat might get excited when you enter your home or run away if a stranger does the same. So, can science prove that cats recognize their owners?

By Alisa Bowman
Nov 22, 2023 4:00 PM
Young woman resting with pet in sofa at home in sunny. Beautiful ginger tabby cat. Animals and lifestyle concept.
(Credit: U__Photo/Shutterstock)

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When parents arrive at a daycare at the end of the day, their human toddlers often race into their arms while joyfully screaming, “Mommy!” or “Daddy!” That’s how parents know their kids recognize them.

Cats, on the other hand, can be much harder to read. Do they really know the difference between you and your neighbor?

Do Cats Recognize Their Owners?

(Credit: Anastasiya Tsiasemnikava/ Shutterstock)

For many cat owners, the answer to this question is a big fat “duh! Of course, my cat knows me!”

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