Cats that have not been taught to retrieve are the most enthusiastic at playing fetch, according to research. While dogs are known for their ability to fetch and bring back objects thrown by their owners, many cats also enjoy playing fetch. However, this behavior has been studied less frequently in cats, leading to uncertainty about whether they can learn to fetch without being taught.
A recent study conducted by British researchers with over 900 cat owners through an international online survey sheds light on this topic. These owners reported on over a thousand cats that enjoyed fetching. The results were surprising: more than 94 percent of these fetching cats had picked up the habit on their own without any special training. Most of them began playing fetch when they were young, without the influence of other fetching animals in their households.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, found that cats were most engaged in fetching when they initiated the game themselves. While certain cat breeds like Siamese, Bengals, and Ragdolls are known for their tendency to fetch, over 90 percent of the cats reported in the study did not belong to a specific breed. This research challenges the belief that cats have to be trained to enjoy playing fetch.
The findings of this study were recently published in the magazine “Tiede Luonno 2/2024.”
