Many cat owners may have found themselves convinced that their pets possess a fluidity akin to water. A new study has confirmed that not only have humans noticed this peculiar trait, but it seems that cats themselves are aware of it, reports ScienceAlert.
A recent experiment demonstrated that when faced with small openings, cats can effortlessly slip through them, stopping only before certain ones.
This suggests that cats also possess a degree of self-awareness regarding the size of their own bodies.
The discovery by ethologist Peter Pongracz from Eötvös Loránd University may influence the assessment of the cognitive abilities of the entire species.
Previous research has already shown that cats can literally "melt" to fit comfortably into boxes where they hide. In a sense, cats can be classified as amorphous bodies, not entirely solid and not quite liquid.
Pongracz aimed to determine whether cats exhibit awareness of their own bodies. The researcher designed an experiment conducted in a comfortable environment for cats – their homes. He created a setup with boards featuring openings of various sizes: one section with different widths and the other with varying heights.
Most of the openings were navigated by the cats without difficulty or hesitation, even when the passage was half the width of their bodies. However, with openings of different heights, the situation changed; cats became hesitant if the opening was lower than the height of their withers. In such cases, the animals sought alternative solutions, such as simply jumping over the obstacle.
This behavior was more pronounced in taller cats, indicating that an awareness of body size plays a role in decision-making.
The results of the experiment showed that cats perceive narrow and tall passages differently. Narrow openings do not intimidate cats, as they know they can squeeze through them. However, the height of the passage can pose a problem, possibly because the cat would need to crouch to get through.
"The results indicate that it may be more challenging for cats to pass through a low opening than through a high but narrow one. The anatomical features of cats support this theory," says the study's author.
As a reminder, scientists have explained how to calculate your cat's true age. Researchers created a "calculator" that allows pet owners to determine their pet's actual age.