An excellent Netflix documentary on cats, first screened in 2022, gets "Inside the Mind of a Cat" and details the latest research into domestic cats, or felix catus.
There have been far more studies on dogs in the last 50 years than on cats. That may be one reason cats are so mysterious. The latest research proves many things we thought we knew about cats to be wrong.
Cats are very social animals. It's a myth that they are aloof, solitary creatures. Currently, my newest kitten, the male Yanqi, has charmed the socks off our ornery and standoffish female, Midnight. The two are now fast friends and play constantly — especially at 4 a.m.
Cats are actually "crepuscular," meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. Not necessarily "nocturnal," they spent several millennia hunting when their gift of being able to see in very low light gave them a marginal advantage over other predators.
Another myth exploded by recent research is that cats are "independent" and "low maintenance." Try ignoring your cat's dental needs and long-haired cat's grooming. A feral cat can't groom itself properly or care for its teeth, which could lead to a dramatically shortened life.
“Forget everything you think you know about cats,” the trailer to the documentary begins. “A new generation of scientists is challenging preconceptions.”
The mysterious cat's purr, previously thought to be a sign of contentment, is actually a way for the cat to show affection. The purr is at almost the exact same wavelength as a baby crying. Cats have figured this out and use the purr to wrest food or affection from their companions.
The cat's purring releases the "love hormone" oxytocin that leads to feelings of bonding and intimacy.
Cats are more subtle in showing affection. Yet their owners often report the same warm feelings of companionship and stress relief that dog owners do – and studies are increasingly backing these reports up. Researchers in Japan, for example, reported in 2021 that brief petting sessions with their cats boosted oxytocin levels in many owners.
In that study, women interacted with their cats for a few minutes while scientists measured the owners’ hormone levels. The results suggested that friendly contact (stroking the cat, talking in a gentle tone) was linked to elevated oxytocin in the humans’ saliva, compared with a quiet resting period without their cat.
Many people find petting a purring cat is soothing, and research indicates it’s not just because of the soft fur. The act of petting and even the sound of purring can trigger oxytocin release in our brains. One 2002 study found this oxytocin rush from gentle cat contact helps lower cortisol (our stress hormone), which in turn can reduce blood pressure and even pain.
Another recent finding from the fossil evidence suggests cats were first domesticated in the Near East about 10-12,000 years ago. That's more than twice the time that scientists deduced from the Egyptian cat mummies from 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, first thought to represent the origins of cat domestication.
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All this time, cats have been worming their way into our affections. In return for performing the effortless task of catching mice, cats get a warm place to sleep and supplementary food if they need it, as well as the rewarding jolt of oxytocin from allowing humans to stroke them.
Maybe humans could learn something from their feline friends on managing attachment styles. The key to bonding with a cat is understanding how they communicate.
Unlike dogs, cats don’t rely on prolonged eye contact to bond. Instead, they use more understated signals. The most well known is the slow blink. It’s a feline smile, signalling safety and trust.
Purring also plays a role in bonding with people. The low-frequency rumble of a cat’s purr has been linked not only to healing in cats themselves, but also to calming effects in humans. Listening to purring can lower heart rate and blood pressure; oxytocin mediates these benefits.
The companionship of a cat, reinforced by all those little oxytocin boosts from daily interactions, can serve as a buffer against anxiety and depression – in some cases providing comfort on par with human social support.
"Cat ladies" aren't crazy after all.
