Title: Cats Can Fetch Too: Breaking the Stereotype of Canine Retriever Champions
Perusing a dog park, you might picture puppers chasing after sticks and balls, inadvertently echoing scenes from old TV shows. But wait a minute – it's not just our canine friends who know the thrill of retrieving. Cats, too, have their own unique tactics for fetching, with a little training and encouragement from their owners. Researchers from the University of Sussex recently discovered that our feline friends can master the art of fetch without any laborious training.
Cats Seize Control of Retrieval Games
Retrieving varies between cats and dogs taking entirely different approaches. Unlike dogs, cats don't respond well to commands inhabiting their independence. They choose the toys they prefer and who gets to play with them, depending on their whims.
"Our findings show cats dictate this behavior, influencing their owners’ responses directly," said Jemma Forman, research lead and professor of behavior and evolution at the University of Sussex, speaking to Northumbria University. Forman and her team studied 924 cat owners across 1154 cats to better understand feline fetching preferences.
It's worth noting that most cats began exhibiting this behavior as kittens or when they were young, suggesting it's an innate ability rather than a learned skill. Cats like to carry toys from A to B, often preferring fun toys, spherical items, or cosmetics, depending on their individual preferences.
Fetch: A Cat's Game of Will and Control
Fetch games can sometimes catch their owners off-guard, like one comment left in the questionnaire: "I opened the newspaper and the rubber band slipped off, flying down the hall. Waldo chased it, returned it and dropped it at my feet. I shot it again, he retrieved it."
Forman encourages owners to recognize and respond to their cats' play preferences. "It's just silly to allow our own feline's obsessions to dominate our sleep – not that we'd ever encourage that!" she said with a laugh.
Interestingly, cats control the fetch games by design. Some bring the toy to their owners, others only half the way, and some drop it further away than their human. Legend has it, a cat might also demand treats or attention as rewards for retrieving the item – a truly opportunistic felid!
Bonding Over Fetch
When cats control the fetch games, it benefits their well-being and strengthens the bond between cats and humans. Cats who initiate fetch games play longer and more often, generating positive effects on their mental and emotional health.
In some special cases, cats may exhibit commanded fetch behavior, rare but adorable cases that never fail to delight their owners.
Additional Insights
Cats' fetch behavior differs from dogs in various ways, including their learning process and overall relationship with their feline friends.
- Learning process: Some cats may learn fetch behavior through positive reinforcement and training, while others exhibit it innately. The learning process often depends on each feline's personality and relationship with their owner.
- Bonding: Fetch games help establish a strong bond between cats and their owners. Playing fetch together promotes mutual affection and trust, which can influence the overall attachment type between the pair.
If you've discovered your cat's inner fetcher, embrace it and cherish their individual quirks - and why not enter a kitty-centric fetch tournament to show off their natural-born skills!
