Have you ever watched online videos of people “playing” with cats and noticed the cat doesn’t actually look like it’s having fun? If so, you’re likely better than the average person at reading cat body language.

Regular interactive play supports cats’ physical health, reduces stress, and strengthens the human-cat bond.

But according to our most recent study, what many people think of as “play” may not be play at all. In fact, these interactions cause cats annoyance or stress.

When ‘play’ isn’t actually play

When playing, both humans and cats need to tell apart behaviors that might be threatening in other contexts, such as sudden movements, swatting, or chasing.

Research shows people struggle to interpret cat communication and often fail to notice when a cat doesn’t want to play. Even when they do notice, many people choose to continue anyway.v

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Read the full article on Nspirement

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