Surprising study finds that cats actually prefer people over food.

Photo: flickr/Live Once Live WildIf you've ever had a cat, you probably believe that, given the choice, your cat would always choose food over you. But assumptions are not always correct, which is why we test them with science! Here, scientists tested whether pet and shelter cats prefer social interaction, food, scent, or toys. They found that "although there was clear individual variability in cat preference, social interaction with humans was the most-preferred stimulus category for the majority of cats, followed by food." Now, doesn't that make you feel special?Social interaction, food, scent or toys? A formal assessment of domestic pet and shelter cat (Felis silvestris catus) preferences "Domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) engage in a variety of relationships with humans and can be conditioned to engage in numerous behaviors using Pavlovian and operant methods. Increasingly cat cognition research is providing evidence of their complex socio-cognitive and problem solving abilities. ...