Cats Are Good Physicists

It seems that our furry feline companions are not only the best at looking cute and hunting toy mice, but cats are good physicists, as well. A new Japanese study concluded that cats have a basic understanding of the laws of physics after testing their reactions in a series of experiments.

Cats are good physicists, hunters, climbers, sock-chasers, and bird watchers. They are equipped with keen senses (from balance to hearing, to their high visual acuity) and they are able to perform high jumps without getting themselves hurt. They are the perfect hunter.

However, most hunters would agree that instinct must be accompanied by a basic understanding of the laws of physics. If humans know that the gun will recoil, then cats must also be aware of the fact that every cause has an effect.

In order to test if cats are good physicists, a team of researchers from Japan conducted a series of experiments on the furry predatory felines.

They took a sample of thirty domestic cats and showed them a variety of boxes. Some of the boxes were filled with some treats, while others were empty.

When the scientists shoot the empty boxes, the cats lost their interest quicker than when the men shook the boxes that rattled.

Furthermore, they observed that the felines were not expecting to see anything fall from the boxes that sounded empty, but they were shocked when the researchers turned the “full” boxes upside down, and nothing fell.

The explanation for this behavior was that cats have a causal-logical understanding of noise. This means that in the wild, the felines are counting on their hearing more than their other senses, which are also very keen.

One of the scientists who conducted the experiment argued that cats are usually nocturnal hunters. They may have a heightened visual acuity, but they do have limits when it comes to spotting small details in the dark.

That is where their hearing takes effect. By applying the basic rules of physics that dictate that every cause must have an effect, cats understand the fact that whenever there is a noise, there must also be a source of that sound.

Moreover, they seem to know how gravity works since they were shocked when nothing came out of the tilted box.

Not only are they the perfect pet, but it seems that cats are good physicists, too.

Image source: Pixabay