Cats Play Fetch, Too: Study

Researchers find that cats often initiate fetch games and start fetching without any training.

Cats are known to play fetch, a behavior typically associated with dogs, according to a study by animal psychologists at the University of Sussex.
The study, which surveyed families of 1,154 cats, found that 94% of cats began fetching without any training, indicating that the behavior is intrinsically motivated.
Siamese, Bengal, and Ragdoll cats were the top three breeds most inclined to fetch, and toys were the most popular items for cats to fetch.
Cats often dictate the rules of the fetch game, fetching specific objects for specific people, and initiating and ending games more often than their owners.
The researchers suggest that being receptive to a cat's preferences for play, including fetch, may be beneficial for the cat's welfare and the cat-owner relationship.