This article is part of our special Pets section about scientists' growing interest in animal companions.
Over the past two decades, numerous scientific studies have repeatedly demonstrated that dogs are social geniuses and highly sensitive to human cues.
But even as the science of dog cognition developed, few researchers had studied the sociality of cats. After all, dogs are descended from sociable gray wolves and were purposely designed to fulfill specific roles alongside humans. Cats, on the other hand, are descended from solitary African wildcats and were not subject to the same selective pressures from humans. Cats were viewed as non-social and even uncooperative, making them an unattractive subject for study.
But in recent years, an undeterred handful of scientists have published small studies suggesting that cats' sociality has been underestimated, sparking renewed interest. “There are more papers every year,” says Christine Vitale, an animal behaviorist at Unity Environmental College in Maine. “We still have a lot of catching up to do.”
Vitale, who has three cats and frequently collaborates with Monique Udell, director of the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University, spoke to The New York Times about their work and her study of dreaming in cat cognition.
The following has been edited and condensed for clarity.
What are some common misconceptions people have about cats?
A common opinion I see is that cats are not social creatures, or that social interactions are not important to them. Cat social behavior is incredibly flexible, so it's a very personal question based on your cat and your personal experience with them.
Cats must experience human socialization at key times in their lives to develop healthy social behaviors toward humans, so cats who don't encounter humans, especially as kittens, don't learn that humans are a source of good for them and so grow up fearful of humans.
It has been shown that, given the right experiences, pet cats can reliably form bonds with their owners that become stronger and more stable over time.
We understand that you have taught kitten training classes before. What was that like?
It was very similar to the dog class, with things like sit, come when called, go to mat, walking on harness and lead, etc. The final class allowed participants to teach their cats any tricks they wanted to try, so we had them jump through hoops. I think the most advanced behavior was sit and wait while paddling a kayak on the lake.
There were over 50 kittens and their owners. The kittens, aged 3-8 months, came to this environment, were trained and socialized, and there were no fights. It's important to manage the situation and observe the cats' behavior. If the cat starts to show signs of stress, you need to put an end to it and rehome them.
What are you working on now?
We are collecting data on cat-based interventions for children with developmental disabilities. Children bring their pet cats to our facility at Oregon State University and learn how to train them and read their body language and behavior. We are looking at potential benefits of cats in terms of children's physical activity and social well-being, and vice versa. Do cats and children develop a deeper bond? Are there differences in social behavior and ability to read social cues?
What is your dream study?
We're just beginning to look at social cognition in pet and shelter cats, but not in cats that live outdoors. There's a cat that lives at the Colosseum in Rome. There's a cat island in Japan, and I've been there, where a lot of cats live together. How socially intelligent are these cats that live outdoors? I think it would be interesting to look into that.
What do you want cat owners to know?
Research has shown that if you pay attention to your cat, it will spend more time with you. I think too many people have cats but leave them at home and do nothing. What's really important is to explore your bond with your cat, what it likes, and what you can do together.