What does a cat think when you call its name?

As all cat owners know, when you call your pet cat by its name, it tends to ignore you. But Japanese behavioral scientist Atsuko Saito has discovered that—just like dogs— domestic cats are able to recognize their own name and can discriminate between their owner’s voice and that of a stranger. This may be because an owner’s utterance of a cat’s name is usually associated with some reward, such as food, play, or petting. Other research shows cats are somewhat sensitive to the emotions of their owner and may be influenced by their human’s mood. In other words, your cat can recognize your vocal cues and gestures but may well be choosing to ignore them.