Cats mimic their owners' habits: study

The finding shows how profoundly captivity can affect certain animals. While genetics help to explain some aspects of personality and behaviour, an individual's environment clearly is a factor too.

"Our findings underline the high influence of human presence and care on the amount of activity and daily rhythm in cats," said Giuseppe Piccione and colleagues from the University of Messina's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Researchers studied two groups of cats - Each received excellent care, in terms of food, medical attention and grooming. The owners of all the cats worked during the day and returned home in the evenings, 'Discovery News' reported.

The first group of cats, however, lived in smaller homes and stayed closer to their owners. The second group lived more of an indoor/outdoor lifestyle on larger property. These cats were also kept outside at night.

Over time, the cats in the first group mirrored the lives of their owners. Their eating, activity and sleeping patterns were very similar. The cats left out at night became more nocturnal, matching the behaviours of semi-dependent farm cats with more feral ways.

"Cats are intelligent animals with a long memory," Jane Brunt, DVM, and the executive director of the CATalyst Council, said.

"They watch and learn from us, (noting) the patterns of our actions, as evidenced by knowing where their food is kept and what time to expect to be fed, how to open the cupboard door that's been improperly closed and where their feeding and toileting areas are," Brunt said.

Piccione pointed out that cats' food intake is associated with that of owners, perhaps explaining why human and cat obesity rates seem to so often match. Cats may even match their elimination patterns with those of their owners.

Another recent study, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, looked at personality in cats. Many of the primary traits - arrogant, social, shy, trusting, aggressive, calm, timid, excitable, dominant and curious - apply to humans as well.