Domestic cats meow more frequently when male caregivers walk through the front door.A new study from Ankara University, published in Ethology, found that domestic cats meow significantly more when greeting male owners than female owners—averaging 4.3 vocalizations in the first 100 seconds for men versus just 1.8 for women.Researchers filmed 31 cats with body cameras as their caregivers returned home and analyzed the first few minutes of interaction. The pattern held regardless of the cat’s age, sex, breed, or household size.The scientists suggest cats meow more to men because male caregivers typically talk to and interact with cats less often, so the cats ramp up vocal signals to get attention.Cats also displayed a mix of affectionate behaviors (tail-up, rubbing) and mild stress-relief actions (yawning, stretching), indicating that greeting owners is an emotionally complex moment for them.Although the study was small and conducted only in Turkey, it provides the first objective evidence that cats may strategically adjust their communication based on the gender of their human.[Yasemin Salgırlı Demirbaş et al, "Greeting Vocalizations in Domestic Cats Are More Frequent With Male Caregivers", Ethology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/eth.70033]Science and facts💡
![Domestic cats meow more frequently when male caregivers walk through the front door.A new study from Ankara University, published in Ethology, found that domestic cats meow significantly more when greeting male owners than female owners—averaging 4.3 vocalizations in the first 100 seconds for men versus just 1.8 for women.Researchers filmed 31 cats with body cameras as their caregivers returned home and analyzed the first few minutes of interaction. The pattern held regardless of the cat’s age, sex, breed, or household size.The scientists suggest cats meow more to men because male caregivers typically talk to and interact with cats less often, so the cats ramp up vocal signals to get attention.Cats also displayed a mix of affectionate behaviors (tail-up, rubbing) and mild stress-relief actions (yawning, stretching), indicating that greeting owners is an emotionally complex moment for them.Although the study was small and conducted only in Turkey, it provides the first objective evidence that cats may strategically adjust their communication based on the gender of their human.[Yasemin Salgırlı Demirbaş et al, "Greeting Vocalizations in Domestic Cats Are More Frequent With Male Caregivers", Ethology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/eth.70033]Science and facts💡](https://cdn4.telesco.pe/file/H_IozzrXz7_ByUUKqouuYoO2r5ae8DXFkmJJao0GPCzYuAvjKDjWKwS6tZXF1em7FrTNrehtHmG1XHCORaqx2lINJf6qAstgvZqkaMNbTORC1huhWYbUAE2NEQwkRaEhYR63mXUWCmNVFh42Ob78RRg1qytGvxdr8JWCnZ14KYEXQg8br_hjWjlXH_9FdU2fR3dqge9KyMDbyTGROgn55_0cCoZuWbbTNL37imsxNekKRy6Y_1Yq_JyLx2ZSp9PYDGK5aLiEUbBpkV9zg789X4DvMZZu3DeoHr5Dg1_oiMZoxDL_SK_Y6_OCYOb7JZjHReB_HUS5_Uky_JG6E3byFA.jpg)
Domestic cats meow more frequently when male caregivers walk through the front door.A new study from Ankara University, published in Ethology, found that domestic cats meow significantly more when greeting male owners than female owners—averaging 4.3 vocalizations in the first 100 seconds for men versus just 1.8 for women.Researchers filmed 31 cats with body cameras as their caregivers returned home and analyzed the first few minutes of interaction. The pattern held regardless of the cat’s age, sex, breed, or household size.The scientists suggest cats meow more to men because male caregivers typically talk to and interact with cats less often, so the cats ramp up vocal signals to get attention.Cats also displayed a mix of affectionate behaviors (tail-up, rubbing) and mild stress-relief actions (yawning, stretching), indicating that greeting owners is an emotionally complex moment for them.Although the study was small and conducted only in Turkey, it provides the first objective evidence that cats may strategically adjust their communication based on the gender of their human.[Yasemin Salgırlı Demirbaş et al, "Greeting Vocalizations in Domestic Cats Are More Frequent With Male Caregivers", Ethology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/eth.70033]Science and facts💡
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