If you’re a cat owner looking for more reasons to play with your feline friend, now you can do it in the name of science. Researchers at the Animal Welfare Epidemiology Lab at the University of California, Davis, are conducting a study to better understand how cats and humans interact during playtime. They are asking volunteers to submit footage of themselves playing with their cats to aid in their research.
According to Gizmodo, the study will be conducted in two parts. In the first phase, participants will submit a short video of themselves playing normally with their cats for two minutes. They can send in multiple footage samples if they wish. The second phase involves a playfulness test where owners will receive a „standard“ toy and be asked to move it in a specific way for two minutes. The instructions state that each play session must be at least 12 hours apart.
To participate in the study, volunteers must meet certain criteria. They must be at least 18 years old, reside in the U.S., and have at least one cat that is 1 year or older. There are no risks involved in participating in the study, and volunteers can withdraw at any time.
Hee Jin Chung, a UC Davis Ph.D. student involved in the study, hopes that the research will shed positive light on cats, as they are often misunderstood animals in a home. By studying their behavior during playtime, researchers aim to demystify their actions and improve our understanding of them.
Aside from the opportunity to contribute to scientific research, participants in the study also have the chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card by providing their email address in the survey. Additionally, all volunteers get to keep the cat toy sent to them for the second phase of the study.
If you’re interested in participating in this cat science study, you can sign up on the UC Davis website. Playing with your cat not only strengthens your bond with your pet but also contributes to valuable research that could improve our understanding of these beloved animals. So grab your cat’s favorite toy and start filming – you might just help uncover new insights into feline behavior.
