Why do cats meow more at men than at women?

A study by scientists at Ankara University found that men tend to interact less with their pets, leading cats to “talk” more loudly to get their attention. The findings are published in Science Alert.

Key findings

The researchers studied videos of 31 cat owners as their pets reacted when they returned home. Participants were instructed to behave as naturally as possible.

According to the results, men received an average of 4.3 vocal responses (such as meowing, purring, or chirping) within the first 100 seconds of entering, while women received only 1.8 responses. Age, cat breed, and other demographic factors did not significantly affect the results.

“Our data confirm that cats are more vocally responsive to male caregivers, with no other factors influencing the frequency or duration of their meows,” the study authors write.

Characteristics of cat behavior

The study also included 22 behaviors, including yawning and food response. However, vocalization was the most variable by owner gender. Cats often combine social behavior (such as tail wagging and rubbing against their owners) with substitution behavior (touching or scratching), suggesting that their greeting signals are more complex.

The authors suggest that this difference stems from women paying more attention to cats, understanding their emotions better, and imitating their sounds more often. Men, on the other hand, may need more vocal communication to understand their pets’ needs, which may lead cats to use more vocalizations to get their attention.

Previous articles discussed whether cats really like being alone and which ingredients in Christmas dishes can be dangerous for dogs.