Scientists Discover How to Instantly Love a Cat | Society

Cats are notorious for being somewhat aloof, especially when compared to dogs. But a new study shows that getting close to them isn’t actually all that difficult if we can learn to do the “cat smile,” which involves very slow blinking and blinking while staring at them.

A new study suggests the most effective way to get a cat to like you: smile at them… but in their own way.

Research published in the journal Scientific Reports He determined that in order to connect with the animal, we must learn to imitate the cat expression known as the “cat smile.”

Thanks to this new discovery, cats may become more endearing to many people.

Scientists were able to confirm that this move makes cats, both familiar and unknown animals, closer and receptive to humans.

“As someone who studies animal behavior and also owns a cat, it’s great to be able to show that cats and humans can communicate in this way,” said psychologist Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in England. the study was published.

What is “cat smile”?

Call “cat smile” It is a common gesture of cats that we can imitate. squint your eyes and blink slowly.

It’s like when people squint when they smile, and It usually happens when the kitten is relaxed and happy.

For the study, the scientists conducted two experiments, the ultimate goal of which was to determine whether cats behaved differently with their owners and unknown people after using this method.

In the first test, we worked with the owners of 21 cats from 14 different homes.

After the cats relaxed, humans were told to sit a meter away and start blinking at them as instructed.

Capturing the cats’ expressions with cameras, the researchers compared how cats blink with and without human interaction.

The results showed that the cats blinked slowly at their humans followed by a slow blink compared to the no interaction situation.

In the second experiment, it was the researchers who had no previous contact with the cat, not the owners, who blinked at the cats.

The researchers performed the same slow blink as in the first experiment and added an outstretched hand towards the cat.

And they found that not only did cats blink more, but they also tended to approach the human hand after blinking their human eye.

looks like a cat

“This study is the first to experimentally investigate the role of slow blinking in communication between cats and humans,” says McComb.

“And it’s something you can try with your own cat at home or with cats you meet on the street. It’s a great way to strengthen your bond with cats,” she added.

“Try squinting at them as you would with a relaxed smile, then close your eyes for a few seconds. You will find that they respond in the same way and you will be able to start some kind of conversation”provided.

It’s hard to know why cats wink at people like that. It has been interpreted as a way to signal goodwill, as it is believed that cats interpret a look as a threat.

But it’s also possible that cats have developed this expression because humans respond positively to it.

When it comes to pets, it’s usually impossible to tell. In any case, it seems to help build a relationship, and that’s always a good thing.