Overview
- A peer‑reviewed paper published in PLOS One on Nov. 4, 2026 reports that a minority of domestic cats display a mix of high fear and a tendency to approach novel people or objects, a pattern the authors call 'human infant‑like shyness'.
- Researchers surveyed about 310 cat owners using questions adapted from child‑personality measures to score each cat's fearfulness, shyness, and approach behavior.
- Analysis of owner responses grouped cats into four personality types: highly sociable, sociable/fearless, fearful, and a fearful‑but‑curious group that resembles infant shyness.
- The infant‑like shy pattern was reported more often in male cats and those born as strays, but the study cautions this reflects owner reports rather than direct observation.
- Authors and coverage stress the study's limits and call for owner‑assisted home behavioral observation and citizen‑science projects to validate findings and explore welfare and shelter applications.