Empathic Cats

Empathy Cues 

Humans! They need proof. We cats have known all along that we respond to your feelings. 

Anyway, now there's proof. In a recent study, Social referencing and cat–human communication, scientists found that cats referred to their human's feelings as a reference to how they could respond.

Most cats (79 %) exhibited referential looking between the owner and the object, and also to some extent changed their behaviour in line with the emotional message given by the owner. 

 My personal theory is that the more time we spend with humans, the better we read them. But, hey, what do I know? I'm a cat. 

I've been with my human Mom and Dad a long time in cat years. I think I read them pretty well. 

Curiosity, Mischief, and Intelligence

Curiosity is a Sign of Intelligence

Many times when humans think we are trouble makers, we're really just following our natural curiosity. A cat's life is filled with strings of what if questions.

All cats exist in a constant state of tension between caution and curiosity. One emotion pushes them forward, then the other yanks them back. The whole time, their brain is running through possible scenarios.

Way of Cats blog 

We just can't resist investigating. And then, testing. What if I put my paw on this paper? Oh, look, it moves. That's how it starts.

That's just the way so many things happen in Tails from the Park. I'm out. I investigate. And, then...trouble finds me.

I've been doing a lot of exploring lately because the humans are getting the book ready. I can spend only so much time waiting for the paper to come out of the printer. When it doesn't, I'm off to find something else to do. Or, of course, catch some ZZZZZs.

Max