Cats can remember the identity of the people who fed them the day before, Taipei-based veterinarians said on Friday, debunking a popular myth that cats have a short memory.
If a stray does not recognize the person who fed them the previous day, it is likely because they are not carrying food and the cat has no reason to recognize them, said Wu Chou Animal Hospital head Chen Chen-huan (陳震寰).
“When cats come to a human bearing food, it is coming for the food, not the person,” he said. “The food is the key.”
Photo: Huang Mei-chu, Taipei Times
Since the cat’s attention is on the food, it would only develop an interest in the person if feedings consistently take place at the same location and time over a long duration to reinforce the association, he said.
After the cat starts to associate the person with food, it might seek that person out for play or petting, Chen said, adding that cats need to feel safe to engage in play.
Each cat has a different comfort level with people and some cats are simply more vigilant even toward humans they are familiar with, he said.
A cat’s attitude towards humans is shaped by their upbringing and unique nature, Chen said.
The natural response is for cats to be suspicious of strangers, but cats who have recently given birth to a litter and have built trust with people might seek out humans for aid, he said.
House cats tend to be closer to people, while strays are more suspicious, although homeless cats living near convenience stores are often domesticated enough to be more curious, Chen said.
Cats can also learn from the behavior of other cats, as a stray that consistently interacts with a group depending on humans for food would adopt some of the group’s familiarity with people, he said.
Monga Veterinary Clinic head Liu Chun-kai (劉均凱) said domesticated species usually become more intimate with humans over time.
Cats are significantly more aloof than dogs, creating the erroneous impression that stray cats are unable to remember the people who fed them a short time ago, he said.
Another possibility is that cats are hierarchical animals and might consider humans their social inferiors beneath recognition, even if they had come bearing gifts before, Liu said.
“Dogs believe humans are their masters, but not cats,” he said. “Cats deem humans their servants, but it is a role some humans are only too happy to play.”
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