Can Cats Tell What a Human Baby Is? Vet-Verified Information
Cats are peculiar creatures; some are curious and friendly and want to be near you, while others retreat to their favorite lounging spot with no desire to be bothered. Some cats tolerate noise, while others hate the sound of screaming kids and chaos. But what about babies? Can cats tell what a human baby is?
A cat doesn’t know what a human baby is in the same way we do. However, they can likely ascertain that babies are “something unique” by smelling them. Read on to learn more.
Can Cats Tell What a Human Baby Is?
Unfortunately, little research supports the theory that cats know what a human baby is. However, cats do use their noses to recognize humans, and therefore, it’s plausible that they demonstrate a particular curiosity toward babies due to the way they smell and sound.
A baby’s crib would also be a place where many strange sounds emanate from, such as an infant’s cry. Likewise, the crib would perhaps have some smells that might pique a cat’s interest, such as baby powder and perhaps even a full diaper (a cat will probably pick up the smell of a diaper before a human does).
Furthermore, cats are also drawn to movement, and a baby kicking about might definitely draw attention from a cat. Fixtures on a crib that make sounds or move (like a crib mobile) may also be interesting for a cat. However, there’s no research to prove that cats know that a human baby is a newborn of our species.
Some people argue that wild cats are able to identify the babies of their natural prey and therefore, would be able to identify a human baby in the way we do. Interestingly, the young of many wild animals have a fantastic self-defense whereby they sit incredibly still, which often confuses cats, as they need to see something move before they’re intrigued to chase it. Therefore, it seems cats don’t always “connect the dots” when they come across newborn prey. Another major flaw in this theory is that humans aren’t prey for cats, so even if they were conditioned to identify the young of their prey, humans wouldn’t be in this category.
Will My Cat Suck the Breath Out of My Baby?
Most cat parents have heard the myth about cats sucking the breath out of a baby1. The myth is just as preposterous as black cats being bad luck. Nonetheless, a large cat that sits on a baby’s face may cause great harm or even possibly suffocate an infant. In fact, this specific risk has been medically documented 2. As such, leaving your baby unattended with a cat is not recommended.
Conclusion
Bringing home a new baby is an exciting time, but it might be difficult to ascertain if your cat knows what an infant is. However, there’s no proof that cats know what a baby is. Rather, the baby’s presence smells, and sounds would be something a cat may find worthy of exploration.
A cat can pose a risk to a defenseless infant if they ever sit on their faces. As such, a cat shouldn’t be left with a baby unsupervised.
See Also:
Featured Image Credit: Sharomka, Shutterstock
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Rachel Giordano is a Pensacola, Florida-based musician and writer. She lives with her partner and their two dogs, Sophie, a Boston Terrier, and Aero, a Border Collie/Sheltie mix. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and loves writing about all types of cat breeds. When she’s not writing about cats, she loves to write suspense/thriller novels. A musician by night and writer by day, she enjoys sharing her knowledge of the needs and requirements of our furry friends.
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