Like many who share their homes with a cat, I often talk to the miniature predator (小型掠食者)who sleeps on my pillow. Mostly, I ask Ophelia whether she wants food or snuggles (依偎). I know she hears me—her oversize ears rotate (转动 ) like furry satellite dishes in my direction as soon as I open my mouth. What’s less clear is whether she is aware I am addressing her.
A new study in Animal Cognition shows that she probably does.
Charlotte de Mouzon, fellow cat lover and ethologist—a scientist who studies animal behavior—has devoted her career to understanding the cat-human bond from the kitty’s perspective.
De Mouzon designed a series of experiments to test how pet cats of various breeds(品种) responded to hearing recordings of their owners and of strangers talking to them.
She first recorded the owners speaking specific phrases, such as “Do you want to play?”, “Do you want a treat?”, and “See you later.” Their voices were recorded twice: once as if they were talking to their cat, and once as if they were speaking to a person.
Recordings in hand, De Mouzon conducted the next stage of the experiments in the cats’ homes, where the animals were comfortable and would respond naturally. At each home, she played audio recordings of both the cat’s owner and strangers speaking the same phrases, while video recording the cat’s responses.
The cats responded when they heard their owners using cat-directed speech, but not human-to-human speech. They also did not show a response when they heard a stranger’s voice, whether using cat talk or adult talk. This indicated that the cats could recognize when their owners were talking to them, de Mouzon says.
“This really important,” says Marsha Reijgwart, an ethologist at Purr Doctors, an educational research facility in the Netherlands, who wasn’t involved in the study.
“It’s an indication that cats really can distinguish that the sound they’re hearing is relevant to them.”
And de Mouzon said her research should give cat owners confidence that their pets are likely listening to them.
“Even knowing cats aren’t human babies,” she says, “we can still talk to them in a way they’re sensitive to and that can reinforce (加固) our bond.”
12. According to the writer, can the cat recognize its owner’s voice?
A.Yes. | B.No. | C.Seldom. | D.Doubtfully. |
13. Which of the following statements is
True?
A.When the owner of the cat says “See you later.”, his cat will respond. |
B.When a guest says “See you later.”, the host’s cat will respond. |
C.When the owner of the cat says “See you later.” as if he were talking to his cat, his cat will respond. |
D.When the owner of the cat says “See you later.” as if he were talking to his guest, his cat will respond. |
14. How did De Mouzon draw the conclusion that the cats are sensitive to their owners voice?
A.She makes friends with the writer. |
B.She carries out a series of experiments. |
C.She makes friends with some cats. |
D.She records the owners speaking specific phrases. |
15. What is the best title for the text?
A.Your cat can recognize your voice. | B.Cat – a kind of smart pet |
C.Can you speak cat-directed langue? | D.Your cat can understand you. |