Have you ever wondered if your cat answers by name or if it just associates that you are calling it? Or have you noticed that it only answers in some situations? Cats are very peculiar and thought-provoking animals and some behaviors are considered "blasé" by most guardians. As expected, this curious temperament has already been studied by experts and we are going to explain to you what theyWe'll clarify once and for all whether felines recognize their own names, whether you can change your cat's name after adopting it, and even tips on how to make your kitty "respond" to your call!

Did you know that your cat only answers to its name when it wants to?

A study published in the journal Scientific Reports concluded that cats do know their names, but - as predicted - they only answer when they want to. To reach this conclusion, they analyzed 77 felines - between six months and 17 years old - and their behavior in two experiments carried out over three years. It is worth mentioning that all the kittens that participated had a different name.human family.

In the tests, the researchers used the names of these animals and four other similar-sounding words. They recorded the five words, including the kitten's name, with a scientist's voice and another recording with the owner's voice. When listening to the audios, the cats ignored the first four words and moved their head or ear when their name was pronounced. This reaction was the same for the voiceThe researchers also noted that even the cats that did not react to the call were able to recognize their own names. The lack of response may have been caused, among other reasons, simply by the feline's unwillingness to interact with their humans.

How to make your cat recognize its own name?

For those who want to know how to make the cat recognize the owner, it's simple: after calling him by name, give a reward, such as a treat or a nice caress. Experts recommend not using the name in negative situations, such as a scolding after the animal has done something.

Another common question is whether it's okay to change your cat's name when he's adopted older - and in this case, already used to being called one way. The kitten won't have an "identity crisis", but you need to teach him that this is his new name. To do this, follow some basic training using treats and things he loves: call the cat by his new name and every time he comes,You can also mention the new name when he is around getting some affection. Over time, he will associate that sound. Again, it is important to avoid using the name when you need to fight or correct him.

The process of teaching new commands will become easier when the kitten learns his name. Usually, cats are not as stimulated to learn commands as dogs. The truth is that felines are super intelligent and can learn many tricks, from simple to more complex ones. Just like dogs, commands improve communication between the guardian and the animal.