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The claim: Purring is the sound of a cat’s heartbeat; the only emotion a cat can experience is contempt
Although people usually associate a cat with content content, a recent viral Facebook post claims that this is not the case.
“When you hear a cat brag, it may sound like the cat is happy,” read a Facebook post by Barry Catfish Farmer on Feb. 8, with more than 1,100 comments and more than 300 shares. “It’s impossible, because the only emotion a cat feels is contempt.”
The post, which was shared with the Facebook group Pet Jokes & Puns, claims that spinning is actually the sound of a cat’s heartbeat and the reason it speeds up when you pet a cat is because the cat feels that you are close enough to be. attacked. “
Although the original message may have been meant as a joke, as it was shared with a pet group, many users have since shared similar versions of the meme and presented it as a fact. USA TODAY contact them for comment.
The cat meme has been circulating on the internet for some time. Some of the earliest versions of the claim, posted on meme sites and Pinterest boards, date back at least eight years.
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Cats tickle in happy and stressful situations
There are several reasons why a cat boasts, ranging from contentment, hunger and discomfort to mother bondage and self-mitigation.
Purring, according to Purina, is a way for cats to stay calm in stressful situations when they feel anxious or scared.
For newborn kittens who are blind and deaf, purring is the first form of communication between them and their mother. Adults boast if they are happy, want food or attention from people, or if they are scared or injured, according to Animal Behavior College.
Cats boast a frequency between 25 and 150 hertz, and sounds within this range can improve bone density and promote healing. Since feral cats spend a long time asleep or inactive, the purr serves as a way to keep legs and muscles strong without exerting too much energy, says Animal Behavior College.
What experts say
In an interview with NPR in 2007, cat expert Leslie Lyons of the Davis School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of California compared cats humming to humans.
“We can hum if we’m very happy, but we can hum even if we’re a little nervous and afraid to calm ourselves. So maybe a cat uses their spider,” Lyons told NPR.
Tony Buffington, a feline expert and veterinarian at Ohio State University, told Wired in 2015 that it is “naive to think that cats can only flush for one reason – it’s like thinking that humans can only flush for one Ready can team. “
To understand why a cat flushes, Buffington recommends paying attention to what gives rise to flushing and seeing what it leads to.
Gary Weitzman, a veterinarian and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society, told the BBC that saliva is likely to have communication, installment and healing properties. He added that while the purr usually represents satisfaction, it can also express nervousness, fear and tension.
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Cats’ emotions
It is false to claim that the only emotion a cat feels is contempt. According to animal behaviorist Vicky Halls, cats have real, complex emotions, including fear and anxiety that motivate many of their behaviors.
“We know that cats make positive associations with their owner through pleasant experiences,” Halls told Petplan. “So your cat will associate your smile with good things like mealtimes, loving head rubbing, feelings of safety and play, for example.”
Purina claims that research suggests that all mammals, including cats, have seven fundamental emotional systems that provide the ability to respond in certain situations.
For example, a negative emotion can cause a cat to run and hide, while a positive emotion of happiness will cause a cat to be more loving and affectionate.
According to a 2019 study published in the Journal of Current Biology conducted by researchers at Oregon State University, cats often form emotional attachments to their caregivers.
“Cats, like dogs, can be found in social groups or alone, depending on early developmental factors, resource distribution, and lifelong experiences such as human interaction,” the study authors wrote, adding that “we may underestimate cats.” socio-cognitive abilities. ‘
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Our rating: false
The claim that purification is the sound of a cat’s heartbeat and that it gets faster when you pet the animal because it feels like you’re close enough to be attacked is FALSE, based on our research. Experts and studies state that cats boast of expressing emotions, including happiness, stress, hunger, and self-healing. It is also false to claim that the only emotion a cat feels is contempt, as scientists agree that cats feel negative and positive emotions.
Our sources for fact-finding
- Purina, February 24 visit. Why do cats brag?
- Animal Behavior College, visited on February 24th. Why do cats brag?
- NPR, November 10, 2007, Why do cats brag?
- Wired, May 8, 2015, Why do cats brag? // It’s not just because they are happy
- Petplan, visited 24 February. Do cats have feelings for their owners?
- Purina, consulted on 24 February, understanding for catechisms
- Current biology, 23 September 2019, attachment bonds between domestic cats and humans
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