Why the cat’s miaow is a cunning ploy for attention
‘Learned over the millennia’
A BABY’S cry brings out the parental instinct in almost everyone – whether it be for food, comfort or a change of nappy.
But it appears one of man’s closest pets has also evolved to manipulate mankind to do their bidding – with cunning cats mimicking the cry of a newborn, according to a study.
According to one of Scotland’s leading vets, cats only miaow to humans to gain attention after learning from babies.
Danièlle Gunn-Moore, professor of feline medicine at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, said our pets are actually manipulating us.
She added: ‘In the wild, kittens will mew to their mum to get them to rescue them. But they are not miaows.
‘Cats have learned over the millennia that if they make a noise not unlike a newborn baby, it is a really good way of getting our attention whether we like it or not.’
She says cats also have more than one way to miaow, depending on the situation.
‘You find each cat has a slightly different miaow and it is whichever noise is most effective at getting their people to do what they want them to do – getting cat food, or whatever.’
Mrs Gunn-Moore also said cats have ‘different voices for different things’, from wanting food or being let out, to a softer miaow if they need a stroke.
Stuart McMorrow, owner and senior veterinary surgeon at Westport Veterinary Clinic in Linlithgow, West Lothian, said: ‘We need to listen to our cats when they are miaowing because they may be trying to tell us something important.
‘It may sound strange to listen out for different miaows but understanding them really can make the bond between pet and owner stronger.’