Do you think that playing "fetch" is a game reserved only for dogs? If so, you couldn't be more wrong! A study from the United States has overturned this common stereotype, showing that cats also play this game—and they genuinely enjoy it!
Mikel Delgado, a senior researcher at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine, adopted three kittens from a shelter and was amazed to find that they played "fetch." The kittens would carry toy mice to her, and after she threw them, they would run to retrieve them. Although Delgado has had cats her whole life, she had never seen cats play this game before, which made the discovery especially fascinating.
Encouraged by this unexpected finding, Delgado and her research team decided to investigate just how many cats actually play "fetch." They surveyed over 8,224 cat owners and 73,724 dog owners, revealing some eye-opening results:
- A surprising 41% of cats play "fetch"! While this is lower than the 78% of dogs that do, it's still an impressive figure.
- The cat breeds most likely to engage in "fetch" include Abyssinian, Bengal, Siamese, and Siberian cats.
- Male cats tend to play fetch more than female cats.
- Kittens are more likely to play fetch than adult cats.
- If a household has both cats and dogs, the likelihood of either playing fetch decreases.
- Indoor cats are more inclined to play than outdoor cats.
This research was published last September in the academic journal PLOS One. Delgado notes that many people think cats are aloof and independent, but in reality, when cats bring a toy to you, they are seeking to interact. The study proves that cats truly enjoy playing with humans, and their love of playfulness might be stronger than you ever imagined!
