Study proves: Your cat doesn't just meow – it treats you like servants

A study from the University of São Paulo reveals that cats intentionally meow at humans when they need help. In the experiment, the likelihood of meowing was 16 times higher in the presence of a person, and cats alternated glances between their owners and the problem.

A new study from the University of São Paulo in Brazil reveals that cats use meowing as a deliberate means of communication with humans, especially when they need help. In an experiment where a treat was hidden inside a closed box, it was found that the chance of meowing was 16 times higher in the presence of a person. Researchers documented 86 meows in the presence of a person compared to only 20 when the cat was alone. The cats also alternated glances between their owners and the box, indicating a targeted request. The study included 38 house cats whose owners reported that they meow frequently around food. The researchers note that this is a small sample and further studies are needed. The headline claims that the cat treats its owners as servants, but the study describes communication for help, not a master-servant relationship.