Key Takeaway:
Cats have evolved to live with humans, forming closer bonds with humans. They initially lived alone, hunting and interacting with their mothers and kittens. Over time, cats became more adaptable and tame, forming closer bonds with humans. This adaptation can be seen in Russian farmed fox experiments, where silver foxes became more tame and friendly. Cats have also adapted their vocalisations, tapping into our sensitivity to distress calls. This has led to the use of pet-directed speech, which reinforces a bond with cats. This two-way communication highlights the unique relationship we have developed with our feline friends.
In the beginning, cats were loners. They preferred to live and hunt alone rather than in groups. Most of their social interactions were limited to mothers and their kittens. Outside of this relationship, cats seldom meowed at each other.
However, as cats began to live with humans, their vocalisations took on new meanings. When a cat meows at us, it’s as if they see us as their caregivers, similar to their feline mothers.
Cats probably first encountered humans about 10,000 years ago, when people started forming permanent settlements. These settlements attracted rodents, which in turn attracted cats looking for food. The cats that were less fearful and more adaptable thrived, benefiting from a steady food source. Over time, these cats formed closer bonds with humans.
Unlike dogs, which were bred by humans for specific traits, cats essentially domesticated themselves. Those that could tolerate and communicate with humans had a better chance of survival, leading to a population well-suited to living with people.
To understand this process, we can look at the Russian farmed fox experiments. Starting in the 1950s, Soviet scientist Dmitry Belyaev and his team selectively bred silver foxes, choosing those that were less fearful and aggressive towards humans.
Over generations, these foxes became more tame and friendly, developing physical traits similar to domesticated dogs, like floppy ears and curly tails. Their vocalisations changed too, from aggressive sounds to friendlier ones, similar to human laughter.
These experiments showed that selective breeding for tameness could lead to a range of behavioural and physical changes in animals in a short time. Though the changes in cats are less obvious than in dogs, they have also evolved since their days as African wildcats. They now have smaller brains and more varied coat colours, common traits among many domestic animals.
Cats’ vocal changes
Like the silver foxes, cats have adapted their vocalisations, though over a much longer period. Human babies are entirely dependent on their parents at birth. This dependency has made us particularly sensitive to distress calls, as ignoring them would be risky for human survival.
Cats have changed their vocalisations to tap into this sensitivity. A 2009 study by animal behaviour researcher Karen McComb and her team supports this idea. Participants in the study listened to two types of purrs: one when cats were seeking food (solicitation purr) and another when they were not (non-solicitation purr). Both cat owners and non-cat owners found the solicitation purrs more urgent and less pleasant.
An analysis showed a high-pitched component in these solicitation purrs, similar to a cry. This hidden cry taps into our sensitivity to distress sounds, making it nearly impossible to ignore.
But it’s not just cats that have adapted their vocalisations; we have too. When we talk to babies, we use “motherese”, or “baby talk”, which has a higher pitch, exaggerated tones, and simpler language. This helps engage infants and supports their language development.
We’ve extended this style of communication to our interactions with pets, known as pet-directed speech. Recent research suggests that cats respond to this form of communication. A 2022 study by animal behaviour researcher Charlotte de Mouzon and her team found that cats could distinguish between speech addressed to them and speech addressed to adult humans. This pattern was particularly strong when the speech came from the cats’ owners.
Our use of pet-directed speech reinforces a bond that mirrors mother-kitten interactions.
Changes in vocalisations are seen in other pets too. Compared to wolves, dogs have expanded their barking to communicate more effectively with humans, and we use pet-directed speech with dogs as well.
Over time, cats have evolved to use vocal signals that resonate with our nurturing instincts. Combined with our use of pet-directed speech, this two-way communication highlights the unique relationship we’ve developed with our feline friends. It seems cats might be the winners in this relationship, adapting to get care and attention from us. And many cat owners wouldn’t have it any other way.
