Study Finds Cats Learn Words Faster Than Human Infants

Research reveals that cats can associate words with images more quickly than 14-month-old babies, challenging assumptions about feline cognition.

Cats demonstrated the ability to form picture-word associations in just four trials, spending only nine seconds per pairing.
The study involved 31 cats and used animations paired with made-up words, testing their ability to detect mismatched pairings.
Results showed cats spent 33% more time observing screens when audio did not match the expected image, indicating comprehension.
Unlike human infants, cats learned associations without reward-based training, highlighting a natural inclination to understand human speech.
Previous studies have shown cats recognize their names and the names of familiar cats, suggesting advanced cognitive abilities.