From wagging tails to whimpering to puppy eyes, dogs have a knack for expressing their feelings.
Cats, which are known for being a bit more reserved, are actually harder to read, according to their owners.
In one study, 438 pet owners were asked to indicate whether their dog or cat displayed a list of 22 emotions, ranging from joy and sadness to frustration and disappointment. Compared to cat owners, those who owned dogs believed they detected a much higher number of emotions in their pet.
On average, 65 percent of dog owners believed their pets could express a particular emotion, compared to 58 percent of cat owners.
Dogs seemed to express more subtle feelings like empathy and guilt. But while cats are generally closed books, they are notable for their ability to express one particular emotion: anger, which about 85 percent say their cat can express, compared to fewer than 60 percent of dog owners.
According to their owners, cats – who are known for being a bit more reserved – are actually harder to read than dogs (file photo)
Compared to cat owners, those who owned dogs believed they detected a much higher number of emotions in their pet (file photo).
The study’s authors say that “semi-loner” cats may get away with being inscrutable because they didn’t have to interact with humans as much as dogs, which were once used for hunting and herding.
Cats also tend to look at their owners less often than dogs, which could make it harder to understand what they’re thinking.
However, some still want to try reading their cat’s mind if they want to reduce the risk of claw injury.
Professor Daniel Mills, co-author of the University of Lincoln study, said: “When cats hit on their owners and scratch them, it may be because owners are missing subtle signs that suggest it’s time to meet them.” no more touching or caressing.”
“That’s why it’s important to understand our pets, but these results suggest we may not get along with cats as well as we do with dogs.”
“That could be because dogs may have been bred to have more expressive faces than cats.”
“But unfortunately, we still don’t know if cats and dogs actually show different emotions, or if humans project more emotions onto dogs than cats, since we often work more closely with dogs and therefore need better communication.”
The study, published in the journal Animals, surveyed people who had lived with their pets for at least two years and therefore knew them really well.
They answered whether they had seen their pet’s six primary animal emotions – anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise – and how these were expressed through, for example, facial expression, head position, and eye contact.
The volunteers were then asked if they had ever seen 16 less clear emotions.
Among these, fear, boredom, confusion, envy, frustration, guilt or shame, pain, and positive anticipation were recognized more frequently in dogs than in cats.
Of a subgroup of 68 people in the study who owned both dogs and cats, about a third said they recognized guilt or shame in their dog.
In one study, 438 pet owners were asked to indicate whether their dog or cat displayed a list of 22 emotions, ranging from joy and sadness to frustration and disappointment (file photo).
Dogs seemed more likely to express subtle feelings like empathy and guilt, but if cats are generally closed books, they’re excellent at expressing one specific emotion: anger (stock photo)
But no one in this group ever thought their cat looked guilty.
Interestingly, the group of people who owned both cats and dogs reported even more emotions from their dogs.
However, the authors suggest that people may have simply imagined that we knew what dogs or cats were thinking in certain situations.
On average, 65 percent of dog owners believed their pets could express a particular emotion, compared to just 58 percent of cat owners.
However, previous evidence suggests that cat owners are less likely to think of their pet as part of the family than dog owners, so they may feel less attached to one another, meaning they don’t think they can read the cat’s feelings in the same way.
Even if we struggle with some of their emotions, cats may not be indifferent and indifferent, as the proportion of cat and dog owners who claim that their pet expresses love and affection is not significantly different.