Your Cat Actually Wants You To Talk To Him Like A Baby

Want to get your cat’s attention? You might want to try talking to him like a baby.

New research suggests that when cat parents speak using a high-pitched, sing-song tone, their cats know they’re talking to them. But if a stranger uses the same tone, your cat will probably just ignore them (which basically means your cat really does love you after all!).

During the study, scientists from Paris Nanterre University watched for changes in feline behavior — like ear and tail movement and dilated pupils — when cats listened to recordings from both strangers and their cat parents.

Researchers saw that cats typically ignored a stranger’s voice calling their name, even when they used a high-pitched tone and “baby-talk.” And when their cat parents spoke in the same sing-song way, 10 of the 16 cats perked up and started paying attention.

“For a long time it has been thought that cats are very independent creatures, only interested in [humans for] eating and shelter, but the fact that they react specifically to their owner, and not just anybody addressing them, supports the idea that they are attached,” Charlotte de Mouzon of Paris Nanterre University told The Guardian. “It brings further evidence to encourage humans to consider cats as sensitive and communicative individuals.”

So, the next time you’re calling your cat for dinner or trying to get his attention, try pretending he’s your little “cuddly wuddly baby” — and by the way, there’s no reason to be embarrassed about it!

“People may be shy about admitting [that they speak “baby-talk”], but I think it can help to reinforce the bond between cats and their owners,” de Mouzon said. “They get that we are giving them attention.”

Your cat will know you’re talking to him and, most importantly, how much you love him, too.