What are the cats trying to say? Scientists have found out

According to new research, cats use over 300 different facial expressions to communicate, suggesting that cats have surprising social depth and are not as indifferent as previously thought. was

Researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center in the United States say that until now facial expressions have been widely studied in many mammals, including humans, dogs and chimpanzees, but research on purring and meowing sounds coming from the mouths of cats has not. There is very little.

In the new study, researchers observed spontaneous interactions between 53 adult domestic cats at a pet cafe in Los Angeles and recorded their facial expressions.

The Cat Cafe Lounge, a non-profit rescue organization in California, is an open space on one floor where people can play with a group of cats that are available for adoption.

The study, recently published in the journal Behavioral Processes, collected 194 minutes of video footage of 186 interactions between cats.

Scientists discovered 26 facial muscle movements in cats, including parting of lips, expansion or contraction of pupils, blinking, licking of noses, twitching of calves and various ear movements. The cats used these movements to create 276 different combinations.

“We observed 26 different facial muscle movements (AUs) that were used to create 276 different combinations,” the scientists wrote in the study.

Cat faces convey everything from playful intent to aggressive and all moods in between.

The majority of cats in the study were either overtly friendly (45 percent) or aggressive (37 percent). About 18 percent of feedback was unclear and fell into both categories.

Although it’s not clear what the cats are saying to each other with these expressions, scientists have found some overall patterns in their interactions.

For example, researchers say cats point their ears and whiskers toward another cat during friendly interactions and move them away during unfriendly interactions.

Scientists say that some of these expressions, including some sneers and smiles, were not just for communication between cats, but were the result of cats co-evolving with humans over 10,000 years.

‘Our findings suggest that domestication likely had a significant effect on the development of intrafacial pointing ability in cats,’ the researchers wrote in the study.

The latest research also suggests that cats are not the socially isolated creatures they are often thought to be.

Scientists say the new findings could help future pet owners better understand their cats and choose cats that will blend in with the cats they already have.