Does your cat sometimes stare into space and freeze? A study has investigated whether cats really do see things that aren’t there.
Sometimes, cats stare up at the ceiling with their eyes wide open, as if they can see demons or ghosts passing by. Creepy… Cats seem to see things that aren’t actually there, or rather things that are invisible to us humans. This animal mystery can even be explained scientifically.
Cats and spirits: What people think
Once, Medical News Today conducted a survey among 2000 dog and cat owners in the UK. The respondents expressed the following views:
- 30% of respondents believe cats can see ghosts
- Cats stare into space and raise their hair in the presence of a supernatural presence
- Cats are very sensitive and follow evil spirits to drive them out of the house
- Burning white sage can support the cat’s activity
- Cats attract bad energy charges and purify them
- 75% believe cats have clairvoyant abilities and can predict death and illness
- Cats are a source of positive energy. They can ward off curses and render them ineffective
What Cats really see
Cats and humans are very similar in some ways. We also sometimes see things that are not even there, at least on the front plane. Imagine you are walking past a property with a large fence. Suddenly, you see a small dog barking at you from behind the fence. Although there is a fence between the two of you, you can fully perceive and see it. This is called amodal perception. With your imagination, you can also see the areas covered by the fence.
Incidentally, this doesn’t just apply to sight: it can also be the case with hearing. For example, if you are watching someone speaking on TV and the sound cuts out for a word, you can imagine what that person has said.
The Kainzsa triangle represents precisely this phenomenon. Due to the shapes’ contours, you can see a triangle in the example image, although this is not drawn in.
The phenomenon has been better researched in humans than in animals. We humans can communicate, but we can’t communicate as well with animals. Therefore, science has to approach studies with animals differently.
Does the phenomenon also work with cats?
Even though cats can’t talk to us, the latest findings from studies show that cats are also affected by this phenomenon. Every cat owner knows how much the little velvet paws love boxes and other confined spaces. Therefore, over 500 cats were tested to see whether they would sit in a two-dimensional surface such as a painted circle just as often as in a box or laundry basket.
The experiment showed that cats also like the surfaces when they are imaginary. The cats in the study used the imaginary surface just as often as the real surface. This also explains why cats stay in a painted circle. They perceive the painted surface in the same way as a box, for example. Try it out with your own velvet paw!
Why your cat sees more than you do
These small, whimsical creatures don’t just see surfaces where there are none. Sometimes, it seems as if they are chasing ghosts. Don’t worry: cats don’t have supernatural abilities. There is no scientific evidence that cats can see ghosts or other supernatural phenomena. Your cat can just see much better than you can, especially in the dark. Dogs and cats can perceive more spectrums of light than we can, including UV light. Cats’ senses are generally sharper than those of humans.
Conclusions
Of course, we can’t completely rule out the possibility that cats can see demons, ghosts, or any other spirits. After all, we can’t be 100% sure of this. So, if you believe in it, be as loving as possible with your cat. Because who knows, maybe she really protects your home from evil spirits…