If cats' meows seem tailored for our interactions, their true vocal signature lies in their purring, according to recent research.
To reach this conclusion, scientists from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the University of Naples Federico II conducted an acoustic analysis of domestic and wild cats. They used automatic speech recognition techniques, originally designed for humans, to study recordings from sound archives.
Pixabay illustration image
The results show that purring constitutes a stable indicator of each cat's identity. According to the researchers, this sound, produced during calm moments like petting, has a rhythmic and frequency structure unique to each individual. Unlike meows, it changes very little, making it a precise acoustic marker for differentiating one cat from another, even for an algorithm.
Meows, on the other hand, show great flexibility. Cats use them in many circumstances, for example to request a meal or solicit contact. This adaptability results in notable acoustic heterogeneity, even for the same animal. The study notes that this characteristic makes meows less effective for individual identification, but more effective for transmitting specific requests to their human companions.
The comparison with wild felines provides information on an evolutionary level. The team inspected the meows of five wild species, such as the African wildcat or the cheetah. The data indicate that the meows of domestic cats are much more diversified than those of their wild cousins, pointing to a relatively recent adaptation.
Acoustic analysis of a domestic cat's purr.
Credit: Marisa Idolo
This transformation appears linked to domestication. Living alongside humans, with their multiple habits and reactions, likely favored cats capable of modulating their vocalizations. The scientists specify that this vocal malleability helps cats better define their place in a human-influenced environment, by shaping their messages according to situations.
Thus, cats' vocal communication relies on two complementary pillars. Purring, stable and low-frequency, functions as an acoustic identity card, useful for close social exchanges. Meows, on the other hand, prioritize dynamism and offer a wide range of sounds for communicating with humans.