One sound says more about cats than their meows. A new discovery by scientists
The sound of purring, which we most associate with cat happiness, may conceal more information about the pet than numerous meows. Scientists from Italy and Germany prove this in Scientific Reports.
Researchers from the Natural History Museum in Berlin and the University of Naples Frederick II listened more carefully to the cat’s sounds. They determined that meowing had evolved into a more flexible “multi-functional signal” used by cats to communicate with humans.
Scientists have studied cat sounds
In contrast, purring – a typical sign of contentment or a cat’s means of calming down – has been considered a much more consistent and reliable indicator of these creatures’ true nature and personality.
The study observed the meows of domesticated cats and five wild species (including the European wildcat, cheetah and puma). Domestication was found to have changed the way cats vocally communicate: it increased the variety of meows but left purrs largely unchanged.
“People pay special attention to meowing because cats make these sounds mainly at us,” noted ecology professor Danilo Ruso from the University of Naples. “But when we take a closer look at their acoustic structure, purring turns out to be a better means of identifying different individuals,” he continued.
New knowledge about cats. Purring is more individual than meowing
Study co-author Anja Schild from the Free University of Berlin added that each cat examined had its own characteristic purr. It often appeared when the animal was relaxed, when it was petted or in contact with a trusted person. It was also used for communication between the mother and the young shortly after birth. Meowing, in turn, served a variety of purposes.
The study used automatic speech recognition methods originally created for the human voice. The researchers checked how successfully the computer would assign appropriate sounds to specific individuals, based solely on sound. Purring turned out to be a much more reliable method, better indicating the cat’s identity.
Scientists hope that their discovery will help create a more complex picture of cat communication and provide new insight into cat behavior and cognitive abilities.
