Purring: stupid research tricks

[Bobcat[_2_]]

Here's an academic time-waster, reported by the Associated Press:

'A cat's purr normally says, "I'm happy." But a new study suggests
some purrs send cat owners a different message: "Feed me!"
Researchers found that purrs of hungry cats included a higher-pitched
sound, somewhat like a cry or meow. They played recordings of these
purrs from 10 cats to 50 human volunteers. Even people who'd never
owned a cat found them more urgent and less pleasant than contented
purrs from the same animals.
These food-seeking purrs may exploit the way humans naturally respond
to a baby's cry. Some cats apparently learn it's effective in getting
a human to feed them. Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in
England and co-authors present their work in today's issue of Current
Biology.'

Well, doh! Every cat owner knows that their kitty purrs for various
reasons.

[Winnie]

On Jul 14, 9:25*am, Bobcat > wrote:
> Here's an academic time-waster, reported by the Associated Press:
>
> 'A cat's purr normally says, "I'm happy." But a new study suggests
> some purrs send cat owners a different message: "Feed me!"
> Researchers found that purrs of hungry cats included a higher-pitched
> sound, somewhat like a cry or meow. They played recordings of these
> purrs from 10 cats to 50 human volunteers. Even people who'd never
> owned a cat found them more urgent and less pleasant than contented
> purrs from the same animals.
> These food-seeking purrs may exploit the way humans naturally respond
> to a baby's cry. Some cats apparently learn it's effective in getting
> a human to feed them. Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in
> England and co-authors present their work in today's issue of Current
> Biology.'
>
> Well, doh! Every cat owner knows that their kitty purrs for various
> reasons.

I saw that too. What a waste of research money.

Winnie

[EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)]

Bobcat wrote:
> Here's an academic time-waster, reported by the Associated Press:
>
> 'A cat's purr normally says, "I'm happy." But a new study suggests
> some purrs send cat owners a different message: "Feed me!"
> Researchers found that purrs of hungry cats included a higher-pitched
> sound, somewhat like a cry or meow. They played recordings of these
> purrs from 10 cats to 50 human volunteers. Even people who'd never
> owned a cat found them more urgent and less pleasant than contented
> purrs from the same animals.
> These food-seeking purrs may exploit the way humans naturally respond
> to a baby's cry. Some cats apparently learn it's effective in getting
> a human to feed them. Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in
> England and co-authors present their work in today's issue of Current
> Biology.'
>
> Well, doh! Every cat owner knows that their kitty purrs for various
> reasons.
>
And anyone who has ever attended a female cat in labor knows that she
usually purrs non-stop during the entire birth process (which must
certainly be nearly as painful for cats as for humans). I have read
about genuinely important studies that indicate purring is in itself
both healing and comforting, so a sick or frightened cat will often
purr, too - to benefit itself, even if there is no human present.

[Joy]

"Bobcat" > wrote in message
...
> Here's an academic time-waster, reported by the Associated Press:
>
> 'A cat's purr normally says, "I'm happy." But a new study suggests
> some purrs send cat owners a different message: "Feed me!"
> Researchers found that purrs of hungry cats included a higher-pitched
> sound, somewhat like a cry or meow. They played recordings of these
> purrs from 10 cats to 50 human volunteers. Even people who'd never
> owned a cat found them more urgent and less pleasant than contented
> purrs from the same animals.
> These food-seeking purrs may exploit the way humans naturally respond
> to a baby's cry. Some cats apparently learn it's effective in getting
> a human to feed them. Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in
> England and co-authors present their work in today's issue of Current
> Biology.'
>
> Well, doh! Every cat owner knows that their kitty purrs for various
> reasons.

I can't help wondering who paid for that ridiculous study. We also know
that cats manipulate us.

Joy

[Baird Stafford]

In article
>,
Bobcat > wrote:

> Here's an academic time-waster, reported by the Associated Press:

> 'A cat's purr normally says, "I'm happy." But a new study suggests
> some purrs send cat owners a different message: "Feed me!"
> Researchers found that purrs of hungry cats included a higher-pitched
> sound, somewhat like a cry or meow. They played recordings of these
> purrs from 10 cats to 50 human volunteers. Even people who'd never
> owned a cat found them more urgent and less pleasant than contented
> purrs from the same animals.
> These food-seeking purrs may exploit the way humans naturally respond
> to a baby's cry. Some cats apparently learn it's effective in getting
> a human to feed them. Karen McComb of the University of Sussex in
> England and co-authors present their work in today's issue of Current
> Biology.'

> Well, doh! Every cat owner knows that their kitty purrs for various
> reasons.

Not so stupid, actually. The research found out *how* cats send the
"Feed me!" purr. The study also points out that not all cats have
learnt it - but that those who know it use it perhaps to excess. And
now that I know how it's done and can recognize it, I can ignore it when
it is being produced by overweight four-foots whom I'm trying to get
back down to a reasonable cat-size.

For a more complete explanation of the study than AP gives, see:

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8147566.stm>

Baird

--
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice
there is. -Yogi Berra

[spot]

Yea right, My cat clearly knows how to tell me she's hungry and it in
no way involved purring. She squalls at me and the more hungry the
louder she gets. There is a big difference between the I'm hungry squal
and the my litter box is dirty clean it NOW.

The joys of being owned my a cat................:)

Celeste