11.19.09 By: Jennifer A. Brown

Have you ever thought that your cat really is evil, and is actively manipulating you to do it's bidding?
Science says that it is. Dr Karen McComb of the Centre for Mammal Vocal Communication Research at the University of Sussex has proof.
A BBC News report spoke to Dr. McComb, who stated that it appears that cats "learn to dramatically exaggerate it when it proves effective in generating a response from humans." According to the same report, studies have found that a domestic cat's cries are similar to that of human babies, and that's a sound humans are highly sensitive to.
"The cry embedded within the purr" study was published in the journal Current Biology in July and claims that cats actually exploit humans into caring for them, especially when it comes to filling those food dishes. The abstract states that "even individuals with no experience of owning cats judged the 'solicitation' purrs to be more urgent. "
How long before someone synthesizes those sounds to control humans? I'd write more, but someone's dish is empty, and I feel compelled to fill it.
Filed under: News/Reactions









Halfastickat 11-19-2009
Weinberg's gonna have to rethink his relationship with Jones.
Joyceat 11-20-2009
probably got a grant from the government to make this study and students pay tuition to hear all about it
Jenn Brownat 11-20-2009
Jones will surely have A Talk with him... since he didn't get his picture in the post. Plunkett is suitably chuffed, and demanding more belly rubs.
Bitat 11-21-2009
I cat, I zZZ, I purr, I sex, I produce, I work, I is human, if cats are selfish, Humans are about the same, its the affection that matters.
veronicaat 11-20-2009
Only we know how our animals behave. I think that this article is B----- . because our loved animals such as the cats, and I have 2 they are so humble and like all of us they need their food and water. this Doctor might have being mistaken dosmetic animals with others animals that live in the woodsss!!!!! He needs to rethink again before write such thing.
Is that why he went to the University??? Just tell me which one because I won't even walk in same side walk of this University!!!
Please before you write such idiotic thing for all of us to read, learn first.
Good Luck on your new studies because you'll need it.
Albertat 11-20-2009
Yeah...ok. I liked cats when I was a kid, until I caugt on to wat it was the wre dong. Asfor cats bengevl thats ridiculous! Superstitions.
rightstockat 11-21-2009
Rightstock dictionary:
Manipulator- a cat, a child and most women.
Study seems pretty accurate.
erienat 11-21-2009
exactly ill kick there (beep) and you can help
tmcmillian32at 11-21-2009
So a cat crying like a baby proves the cat is evil. So a crying baby is evil per this study. Equating the two is ridiculous. Those who cannot bear children choose animals to fill that void. My cat and dog are my children. How dare you tell me my child is evil. Find a cure for cancer. Obviously the philanthropist who provided funding for this study had no idea what it was being used for at the time.
asdfghjklat 11-21-2009
first off cats rnt evil!!!!!
thats it
craisrgat 11-21-2009
This is BS!!!!!!
AnimalExpert101at 11-22-2009
wow you guys are rediculous. cats are definately NOT evil. there is NO SUCH THING as an evil animal. take pitbulls for example, dogs arent evil, and not every pitbull has bad behavior. it can be any breed of animal. they are only as mean as the people who raised them and treated them that way. people have been known to breed pitbulls to fight. therefore.. if the dog has been raised to fight and kill or have any cruel actions in anyway, it will act the way it was treated. so will cats or anyother animal that has not been treated with the TLC they deserve. just like humans, "TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED"
susanat 11-23-2009
Fisrt of all, Bad choice of words," Evil " no I don't think so and that caught my attention.yes they do get us to give in to them alot , but who cares , that's part of the beautiful relationship we experience with our cats.they in turn are very loyal and love us dearly.One ponit i can confirm is i work in Labor & Delivery and everytime i pass by the nursery,it's sounds like cat's crying and calling for attention ,weather it is one baby or several at a time. i always think CATS when i hear the sound.So there has to be something similar to this.i only have cats , no kids ,so i am intune to the sound and i find the simularity in the call.
Gailat 11-22-2009
Another thing, take down the headline science proves cats are evil. There are enough people that are cruel to animals. Please let's not fuel the fire. Your headline and the content do not match. As usual we use exaggerated terms to get readers.
Bite Me
Dannyat 11-22-2009
Cats aren't evil and maybe you are one the real evil who wrote this and spread the world for losing more cats living in house then turn into streets. Who will be fault? You did but not us becasue we are innocent but you are not innocent yet because you wrote it.
eunique05at 11-22-2009
Yes, they are evil...they hide their claws and jump on you whenever they like...they don't care about who's their master. Dogs are way better, I hate cats!
susan collinsat 11-22-2009
there is enough misunderstanding and cruelty toward cats without some idiotic studies to make it even more plausible for maniacs to torture them.
You people suck and should think about the consequences of your articles.
mandyat 11-22-2009
I think this is just crazy talk I have had cats all my life and not once have there cry's sound of that like a baby and I have one baby and one on the way so I know and yeah they purr and meow but dang man dogs bark and growl does that mean there stupid because they bark at everything even the wind and whats really bad dogs have killed or hurt more people then a cat ever could ..
Brendaat 11-22-2009
I agree, our cat, Roscoe P. Coletrain, is just like he said. Cries to get what he wants and if you don't pay attention he attacks. He has left marks on the whole family. We had to have him declawed.
destinyat 11-22-2009
what ever