Successful Reading of Cat's Facial Expression Not Linked to Ownership

Reggie, the cat who plays Goose in Captain Marvel, poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, California. (Reuters)
Reggie, the cat who plays Goose in Captain Marvel, poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, California. (Reuters)
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Successful Reading of Cat's Facial Expression Not Linked to Ownership

Reggie, the cat who plays Goose in Captain Marvel, poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, California. (Reuters)
Reggie, the cat who plays Goose in Captain Marvel, poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, California. (Reuters)

Cats have a reputation for being independent and even aloof, so it is no surprise that their facial expressions are difficult to read. Perhaps more unexpected are findings indicating that very few people can decode the emotions in feline facial expressions and that this ability has little to do with cat ownership.

During the study, a research team at the University of Guelph, Canada, recruited 6,329 people from 85 countries and asked them to watch 20 YouTube videos of cats.

The videos depicted cats in either a negative or a positive emotional state. In the negative videos, for example, the felines were showing signs of avoidance by withdrawing from an object or person or fleeing to a hiding spot. In some, they were struggling against physical restraint or being denied opportunities like going outdoors. The cats in these videos also had health problems, such as malaise or physical pain.

In the positive videos, the felines had sought out favorite spots or interaction with people, such as being petted. None of the videos depicted obvious facial expressions, such as open mouths or flattened ears, although all the videos focused on the cats' eyes, muzzles and mouths.

Most participants performed poorly at the facial recognition tests, with the average score being barely above the chance average, 11.85 points out of 20. However, 13% of participants were individually significantly successful scoring more than 15 points out of 20.

Surprisingly, personal contact with cats (e.g., pet-owning) had little effect on the results, as few of the people who scored high were cat owners.

These people were more likely to be women than men, and more likely to be veterinarians or vet technicians. Younger adults also generally scored better than older adults.

In a report published Saturday by the Medical News Today website, study lead author Prof. Georgia Mason said: "The fact that women generally scored better than men is consistent with previous research that has shown that women appear to be better at decoding nonverbal displays of emotion, both in humans and dogs."

"The ability to read animals' facial expressions is critical to welfare assessment. Our finding that some people are outstanding at reading these subtle clues suggests it's a skill that more people can be trained to do," she added.



Not Quite the ‘Girl from Ipanema’, a Fur Seal’s Rare Appearance on Rio’s Famous Beach Turns Heads

A fur seal stands on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
A fur seal stands on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
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Not Quite the ‘Girl from Ipanema’, a Fur Seal’s Rare Appearance on Rio’s Famous Beach Turns Heads

A fur seal stands on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
A fur seal stands on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Short, and dark, and young, and tired, the seal on Ipanema was basking ...

The fur seal on Rio de Janeiro’s iconic beach was turning heads of locals and tourists alike Wednesday morning — though not for the same reasons as the famous "Girl from Ipanema."

The animal is often spotted along Brazil's coastline during winter and spring, but rarely is it seen this time of year, a few days before the start of the Southern Hemisphere's summer, said Suelen Santiago, a biologist who works at the company that monitors the beach.

"This year we're having atypical situations," she said.

Cordoned off by tape and flags, the young male seal became the main attraction on one of the world’s most famous beaches. Among the curious onlookers was Jordana Halpern, 29. She had never seen such a specimen and rushed to the beach when she heard it had been spotted.

"It's cool, but it’s kind of sad. It seems like it’s not doing very well," Halpern said. Almost as though hearing her, the seal moved more energetically, lifting its head and emitting a low sound. "Oh my God! It moved a lot!" Halpert said.

Santiago said they still don't know why the animal ended up in Ipanema out of season, but wasn't worried: "It's just resting. The animal is very active, so he’s only resting, and soon it’ll head back to the sea."