It is no coincidence that cats are adorable: we have raised them selectively over generations to get maximum gentleness. But this reproduction has a disadvantage: some of our feline friends have left permanently frowning faces, which can not show emotions.
In particular, new research published in the journal in December The frontiers of veterinary science suggests that selective breeding for the “brachycephalic” or flattened face type – I think the Persians and Himalayas – has hampered the ability of these cats to accurately communicate fear, anxiety or pain.
These flat-faced breeds have faces locked in a permanent grimace that suggests pain, even when they are not suffering at all.
“This result was a real eye-opener for me. I didn’t exactly think that brachycephalic faces would have pain-like expressions,” said study lead author Lauren Finka, a postdoctoral researcher at Nottingham Trent University in England.
Permanent grimace
These permanent grimaces could mean that cat owners will not be able to tell when their cat mates are actually suffering, Finka told Live Science.
Due to the selective growth of humans, the faces of cats have changed most of their physical features. However, despite the importance of faces for nonverbal communication in animals, little research has studied how this reproduction changed feline facial expressions.
To answer this question, Finka and her colleagues used a computerized algorithm to analyze facial data from more than 2,000 cat photos and to assign each a score from neutral to full grimace.
By comparing the neutral facial expressions of different breeds of cats with the grimacing facial expressions of short-haired domestic cats recovering from routine operations, Finka and her colleagues found that while cats are not terribly expressive to begin with, cats with short hair. the flat face seemed to show “pain” – like facial expressions even when completely relaxed. One breed, the Scottish Fold, achieved even greater results for pain-like facial expressions than short-haired cats, who actually suffered.
Forever Young
So why do we prefer cats that seem to suffer? One theory is that we reproduce animals to stay longer in an infantile state, a process called neotenization. Both babies and young people cry a lot.
“We probably have an innate preference for pain-like characteristics, because they probably use us to feed us,” Finka said. “We’re sorry for them.”
Our preference for baby faces can end up harming our furry companions. Previous research has shown that extreme facial changes in cats come with a lot of ailments, from restricted airways to excessive folding of the skin to breathing and vision problems. And all this is due to our penchant for smooth faces.
“Unfortunately, what this means for our pets is that we can continue to prefer – and even encourage – the existence of breeds with serious health problems that could also struggle to communicate with us and potentially with other animals, “Finka wrote in The Conversation.
This is right. Broken faces, no matter how cute they may be, could interfere with the way cats communicate with their owners, which means that cat owners may be absent when their cats are actually suffering.
“If you buy a cat, make sure you do the research,” Finka said. “It’s important to consider our animals’ ability to communicate.”
This article was originally published by Live Science. Read the original article here.