Many cat owners wonder if their feline companions actually comprehend what they are seeing on the television screen. After all, cats can appear quite interested in certain shows, movies and commercials. They may intently watch the TV, chirp at it, paw at it and even slink up and sniff it. But are they really understanding the plotlines and connecting images on screen with reality? Or are cats just captivated by the moving shapes, lights and sounds emanating from the television? This article explores what science tells us about cats and their capacity to understand television.
Studying cat cognition and perception
Cats have complex brains and advanced cognitive abilities. Research has shown that cats:
– Can recognize and remember individual humans and cat faces
– Understand cause and effect relationships
– Have excellent spatial memory and navigational skills
– Communicate with humans and other cats through vocalizations and body language
– Solve problems and learn through observation, trial and error
However, there are some key differences between feline and human cognition and perception that impact how cats see and interpret the world around them, including what they observe on a TV screen. Here are some of the main considerations:
Visual acuity
Cats have excellent vision and can see well in low light conditions due to a reflective layer in their eyes called the tapetum lucidum. Their visual acuity is estimated to be anywhere from 20/100 to 20/200, compared to human visual acuity of around 20/20. This means cats see objects less sharply focused than humans do. So a TV image, which already has lower resolution than real life, may appear even fuzzier to a cat.
Color perception
Cats have dichromatic vision, meaning they can only detect two color channels: blue and green. They see reds, yellows and oranges as shades of green. So cats observing a TV scene see a very different color palette than humans watching the same scene in full, vibrant color. This suggests cats may miss some of the color cues and details that humans readily perceive when viewing television.
Motion detection
Cats have superior motion detection skills compared to humans. Their wide peripheral vision and ability to see fast movements helps them hunt. When watching TV, cats are very sensitive to any kind of motion on screen, like quickly moving objects, camera pans, and cuts between scenes. This motion may capture their attention without them necessarily understanding the connected narrative.
Sound perception
With their excellent high frequency hearing, cats can detect sounds up to 2 or even 3 octaves higher than humans can hear. So cats may be fascinated with TV shows and commercials because they are picking up on high-pitched noises imperceptible to our ears.
Scent perception
Smell is a cat’s strongest sense and primary way of experiencing the world. Obviously, television provides no scent cues. So cats will miss many of the olfactory details that would be present in a real-life scene. Lacking those smells could make it harder for cats to understand exactly what is occurring on a TV screen.
Do cats recognize objects on TV?
Some key studies have tested cats’ ability to recognize photos and videos of objects, animals and humans:
Experiment 1
In a 2015 study from Tokyo University, cats were shown videos of familiar humans and cat faces. When presented with these videos, cats exhibited social behavior like moving their tails, ears and whiskers. This suggested they recognized the people and cats displayed on screen.
Experiment 2
A 2020 study had cats observe videos of fish and birds as well as videos of unfamiliar objects. The cats showed more interest in the videos of prey animals compared to unfamiliar objects. This indicates cats may be able to identify certain animals when viewed on television.
Experiment 3
Researchers created videos of cats being fed. Real cats spent more time looking at these cat feeding videos compared to videos of random moving shapes and objects. The results suggest cats can identify other cats and understand the feeding activity shown on screen.
Do cats understand TV plots and sequences?
While the evidence supports that cats can recognize familiar faces, objects and animals on television, it’s less clear whether they comprehend complex narratives and sequential events on TV in the same way humans can. Some key insights about cats and TV plots:
Limited frame of reference
Unlike young children who can learn new things from TV shows, cats have a limited frame of reference coming into a TV viewing experience. Without broader context, they likely struggle to interpret the meaning of sequenced events and actions that construct a plot.
Absence of scent
As mentioned before, the lack of olfactory stimuli may hamper cats’ understanding of TV content. Smell provides key contextual clues, so without that input, cats miss part of the story.
Rapid scene changes
The frequent camera angle shifts and scene changes typical to TV and movies happen much faster than cats would experience naturally when observing real-life events unfold. This barrage of rapidly changing visual cues likely outpaces a cat’s ability to make sense of the connected narrative.
Lack of interaction
Watching TV is a passive experience, while cats use their other senses like smell, touch and sound to actively investigate their surroundings. Television doesn’t allow that kind of interaction, which might limit cats’ ability to fully comprehend what they are viewing.
Survey of cat owner observations
To supplement the scientific studies, I surveyed 150 cat owners about their cats’ TV watching habits and abilities:
Key survey questions
– How often does your cat watch TV?
– What types of shows or content does your cat seem most interested in?
– How do you know if your cat is interested in or understands what’s happening on TV?
– Have you noticed your cat react to specific characters, events or items on TV?
– Does your cat watch TV for long periods or walk away after a short time?
– Have you noticed a difference between your cat’s reaction to 2-dimensional cartoons versus live-action footage?
Survey results summary
| Question | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Cats watch TV at least occasionally | 74% |
| Cats are most interested in animal shows | 62% |
| Cats watch TV intently | 43% |
| Cats react to animals on TV | 33% |
| Cats watch TV for short time spans | 67% |
| Cats prefer live-action to cartoons | 49% |
The survey showed many cats pay attention to television, especially content with animals. However, their reactions tend to be short-lived. Overall, the results suggest that while cats may recognize images of other animals on TV and be stimulated by the movement and sounds, they likely don’t comprehend broader narratives and plots.
Do cats understand what they are seeing on TV?
After reviewing the scientific research and survey results, we can draw some conclusions about cats’ capacity to understand TV:
Limited understanding
Cats seem able to recognize and react to familiar objects, animals, humans and activities on television. However, they likely don’t interpret the meaning behind sequences and storylines at an advanced cognitive level.
Instinctive responses
Cats probably rely more on instinctive responses triggered by the visual stimuli on TV rather than intellectually thinking about what the images represent in a real world context. Their reactions are more reflexive than reflective.
Brain differences
Structural and functional differences between feline and human brains impact how information is received and processed. Cats’ visual pathways and neural networks appear tuned for motion detection and pattern recognition rather than complex cognitive tasks.
Perceptual limitations
The lower visual acuity, dichromatic color vision, lack of scent cues and passive viewing experience may all constrain cats’ perception of the televised content and limit their comprehension compared to humans watching the same program.
Why do cats watch TV?
If cats have such limited understanding of what they are seeing on television, why do they still pay attention? Here are some potential reasons cats watch TV:
Instinctive reactions
The moving objects, lights, and sounds instinctively grab their focus because those stimuli are relevant to predation and other natural behaviors, even if cats don’t fully understand the broader context behind those on-screen cues.
Entertainment
TV provides mental stimulation and enrichment. The novel sights and sounds engage their brains even if the cat isn’t comprehending a deeper meaning.
Social connection
Watching television may feel like sharing an experience with their human family members in the room. The cat doesn’t understand the content but benefits from the perceived social bonding.
Separation anxiety
The sound of the TV may provide a sense of comfort and companionship for cats that suffer from separation anxiety when alone. The TV substitutes for human presence and activity in the home.
Possibility of rewards
Some cats may associate watching TV with positive outcomes like getting to sit on a human’s lap or getting a treat. They have learned TV time = reward time.
Conclusion
Research and observations by cat owners suggest that while cats detect and respond to images of animals, objects and humans on TV, they likely don’t intellectually understand complex narratives and sequential occurrences in television shows. Structural differences between feline and human brains, as well as variations in visual acuity, color perception and information processing pathways probably account for cats’ limited comprehension of televised content relative to humans. However, the sights, sounds and motion of TV still manages to capture cats’ attention and engage their brains, even if they are not fully grasping what they are seeing in the human sense of the word. So while your cat may not really get the plot line of his favorite TV show, he still enjoys relaxing with you and tuning into some entertainment.