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Science Proves Cats are Evil |
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 Posted: Fri Nov 20, 09 10:24 am |
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Have you ever thought that your cat really is evil, and is actively manipulating you to do it's bidding?
Science says that it is. Dr Karen McComb of the Centre for Mammal Vocal Communication Research at the University of Sussex has proof.
A BBC News report spoke to Dr. McComb, who stated that it appears that cats "learn to dramatically exaggerate it when it proves effective in generating a response from humans." According to the same report, studies have found that a domestic cat's cries are similar to that of human babies, and that's a sound humans are highly sensitive to.
"The cry embedded within the purr" study was published in the journal Current Biology in July and claims that cats actually exploit humans into caring for them, especially when it comes to filling those food dishes. The abstract states that "even individuals with no experience of owning cats judged the 'solicitation' purrs to be more urgent. "
How long before someone synthesizes those sounds to control humans? I'd write more, but someone's dish is empty, and I feel compelled to fill it.
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The cry embedded within the purr
Karen McComb1, , Anna M. Taylor1, Christian Wilson1 and Benjamin D. Charlton2
1 Centre for Mammal Vocal Communication Research, Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK
2 Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, GA 30315-1440, USA
Summary
Despite widespread interest in inter-specific communication, few studies have examined the abilities of companion animals to communicate with humans in what has become their natural environment — the human home [1,2]. Here we report how domestic cats make subtle use of one of their most characteristic vocalisations — purring — to solicit food from their human hosts, apparently exploiting sensory biases that humans have for providing care. When humans were played purrs recorded while cats were actively seeking food at equal amplitude to purrs recorded in non-solicitation contexts, even individuals with no experience of owning cats judged the ‘solicitation’ purrs to be more urgent and less pleasant. Embedded within the naturally low-pitched purr, we found a high frequency voiced component, reminiscent of a cry or meow, that was crucial in determining urgency and pleasantness ratings. Moreover, when we re-synthesised solicitation purrs to remove only the voiced component, paired presentations revealed that these purrs were perceived as being significantly less urgent. We discuss how the structure of solicitation purrs may be exploiting an inherent mammalian sensitivity to acoustic cues relevant in the context of nurturing offspring. |
Source
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Between the truth and the search for truth, I choose the latter.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 09 10:50 am |
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 09 6:00 pm |
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Spiff put you up to this didn't he?
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"Between the worlds of men and make believe, I can be found."
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| Posted: Fri Nov 20, 09 9:24 pm |
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Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the Gate:
"To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his gods,
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 09 9:37 am |
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WHAT!! The Spaceman doesn't like kittens? 
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Between the truth and the search for truth, I choose the latter.
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 09 12:05 pm |
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| Mahnmut wrote: |
| WHAT!! The Spaceman doesn't like kittens? |
A kitten hater? Ok, we need us a rope and a tree.....
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 09 4:05 pm |
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| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 09 9:38 pm |
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Kittens are fine, fluffy, playful balls of puff.
But they always grow up into CATS and cats are evil.
Science backs me up! OORAW!
_________________
Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the Gate:
"To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his gods,
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 09 8:07 pm |
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I always suspected this was true. My eight year old cat definitely has a whiney cry that he used every morning...and noon, and night, too.
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On cat's intention |
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