Cat Brains Are Shrinking, And It's All Humans' Fault

https://www.livescience.com/house-cat-brain-size-shrink

https://archive.ph/idmxv

Cat brains are shrinking, and it's all humans' fault

House cat skulls have gotten significantly smaller over the last 10,000 years, and so have their brains.



Thousands of years of human dependence has shrunk your cat's brain, new research suggests.

In a study published Jan. 26 in the journal Royal Society Open Science, researchers compared the cranial measurements (an indicator of brain size) of modern house cats with that of two of their closest wild ancestors, African (Felis lybica) and European wildcats (Felis silvestris). The team found that cranium size — and therefore brain size — in domesticated cats has shrunk significantly over the past 10,000 years or so compared with their wild ancestors.

This doesn't necessarily mean that your tabby is dumber than a wildcat. But, according to one hypothesis, it shows that prioritizing tameness in domesticated animals may have inadvertently changed the ways those animals' brains develop, the researchers said. These changes likely begin when an animal is still an embryo and just beginning to develop its neural crest cells — a special type of cell unique to vertebrates, which plays a key role in the development of the nervous system, among other things.

"Selection for tameness in the domestication of animals may have caused a downregulation in the migration and proliferation of neural crest cells, leading to decreased excitability and fear," the researchers wrote in their study. "However, this downregulation may also cause correlated changes to morphology, stress response and brain size."



In their new study, the researchers replicated several older studies from the 1960s and 1970s comparing the cranial size of domestic and wild cats. These older works supported the idea that domesticated cats have seen a significant reduction in brain size over the years — however, some of these studies compared modern cats with just the European wildcat, which is no longer considered to be their direct ancestor.


The authors of the new paper wanted to update this past research by comparing house cats with the African wildcat, which genetic research has since confirmed to be the closest living ancestor of modern domestic cats.


The team found that the old research still holds up, with house cats showing as much as a 25% reduction in cranial size compared with African and European wildcats. The researchers also examined a number of hybrid wild/domesticated cat species, and they found that these cranial measurements fit in a perfect middle ground between the wild and domestic species.

All this goes to show that domestication has had a significant effect on the evolution of cats over the past several thousand years — a phenomenon seen in many other species of domesticated animals, as well.


"Changes to cranial volume have been well documented across [domesticated] species, including sheep, rabbits, dogs and many more," the researchers wrote.


Understanding this not only shines a light on some of the developmental changes that domestication incurs on wild animals, but also raises concerns about wild species that are "threatened by hybridization with domestic animals," the researchers concluded.

 

[TenMilesWide]

So measuring skulls is an indicator for cognitive ability? Then maybe they didn't stop doing that with humans because the results were inaccurate, maybe they stopped because the results were inconvenient

You ask me, it's all the work of those damn cephalopods.

No skulls at all but they fancy themselves so very smart.

 

[Tijuana Bible]

Ensuring continued human supremacy by keeping cat brains small, you read it here first.

 

[Toolbox]

Skull size doesn't directly equal intelligence in domestic breeds, or irregardless between species. If this were actually the case all smaller dogs would be dumb as shit but intelligence seems to vary wildly, across all scales. Going away from mammals, birds have tiny heads but similar intelligence to much larger animals, if not better, because their brain structure evolved a lot denser. If this mechanism already exists in this form, surely skull size shrinkage in cats wouldn't equal unintelligence? Human skulls, and thus brains, have technically gotten smaller over our evolution as well yet if anything we increased in intelligence or at least in our ability to keep knowledge, at least for a lot of human history. Though 10k years might not be enough for the density effect to take place.

 

[Unassuming Local Guy]

I don't see how this has changed their intellect since cats are still independent but choose to continue to be doted on by their human slaves. FFS there's a study that showed cats recognize their names, they just choose to ignore their owners.

My cat absolutely knows his name. Whether or not he cares to respond to it is up to him at that given moment.

Cats are the chaotic neutral of the animal kingdom.

 

[spinal gas chamber]

Skull size doesn't directly equal intelligence in domestic breeds, or irregardless between species.

No cat or Asian would fuck up regardless, so you’re right about skull size and intelligence.

 

[Zbk3VmLfujjzjxBd43tL]

Decreased excitability? How do we increase this feature in cat brains, I want more cats acting like hyperactive kittens on crack.

I don't see how this has changed their intellect since cats are still independent but choose to continue to be doted on by their human slaves. FFS there's a study that showed cats recognize their names, they just choose to ignore their owners.

It isn't just their names IIRC, it's commands in general. A cat understands the commands like a dog does, but unlike a dog, a cat does whatever it feels like in response. I know this is true because a friendly stray cat where I work responds to his name, but totally ignores it when he feels like going inside the building and wandering aroujd.

 

[IDanceonTrannyGraves]

Well no fucking kidding they're shrinking, they used to be saber toothed tigers.

 

[Mr. Bung]

Our brains are shrinking, too.

This isn't even a joke. The brains of original wild humans really were bigger before civilization and domestication shrunk them. It's also commonly believed that both humans and cats self-domesticated.

Domestication does some strange things.

 

[Trust Me I Know]

I thought @Feline Supremacist posts had become a little more incoherent lately, but I figured it was just me.

 

[Feline Supremacist]

I thought @Feline Supremacist posts had become a little more incoherent lately, but I figured it was just me.

Yes, it's just you, now excuse me, this subject has me:

 

[Dysnomia]

I just read an article on something called domestication syndrome.

https://www.science.org/content/art...t-some-animals-tamed-themselves-without-human

This is the first study to show that self-taming can produce the same traits as human-directed domestication, says W. Tecumseh Fitch, an evolutionary and cognitive biologist at the University of Vienna. He and others have proposed that a group of cells involved in early development called the neural crest are responsible for the suite of traits associated with domestication syndrome. Those cells affect skin color, ear cartilage, facial bone formation, and the adrenal glands, which produce stress hormones and testosterone—all of which differ in domesticated and undomesticated animals. The new work, says Fitch, is consistent with his prediction—he would love to know the genes involved.

Some time after reading this a mouse came onto my desk to say hello. He only ran when I made a sudden movement. Other than that he seemed pretty curious about me. I didn't have any food either.

The brains of foxes living in cities have gotten smaller too and they have begun to develop some dog-like traits.

https://www.science.org/content/article/urban-foxes-may-be-self-domesticating-our-midst

 

[Roast Chicken]

I just read an article on something called domestication syndrome.

https://www.science.org/content/art...t-some-animals-tamed-themselves-without-human



Some time after reading this a mouse came onto my desk to say hello. He only ran when I made a sudden movement. Other than that he seemed pretty curious about me. I didn't have any food either.

The brains of foxes living in cities have gotten smaller too and they have begun to develop some dog-like traits.

https://www.science.org/content/article/urban-foxes-may-be-self-domesticating-our-midst

There was a story on Facebook in my community where a fox with a short snout and wonky teeth wandered into a woman's home and made itself comfortable on one of her cushions. She took video of her feeding it pieces of fish. Wasn't afraid of her at all.

 

[Positron]

Small brain is part of Domestication Syndrome, and has been described in many, many species.

 

[fhqwhgads]

I don't see how this has changed their intellect since cats are still independent but choose to continue to be doted on by their human slaves. FFS there's a study that showed cats recognize their names, they just choose to ignore their owners.

One of my cats frequently responds with rapt attention if I & other people she's familiar with call out her name, and I don't really think she's ever ignored me, so I'm curious whether she'd respond in the same way with strangers.

The article you linked states no:

Saito says the felines in the experiments probably “associated their names with some rewards or punishments,” and she thinks it is unlikely they understand that these sounds are attached to them as individuals. “There is no evidence that cats have the ability to recognize themselves, like us,” she explains. “So the recognition [of] their name is different from ours.” Still, it may be possible to teach cats to recognize other words. Whether that could allow humans to train cats to respond to commands—as dogs readily do—is another matter.

But I counter with this impressive video of what I judge to be a cat recognising herself in the mirror:

And you can teach cats, it's just a lot more effort than teaching a dog.

Curious to test this name thing out with my cat when someone she's not familiar with comes round next... she's a bit of a scaredy cat with strangers, though, so will be a job!

 

[Kari Kamiya]

But I counter with this impressive video of what I judge to be a cat recognising herself in the mirror:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=akE2Sgg8hI8

That's adorable. I mentioned in the thread about the name recognition my cats don't act defensive or anything whenever they're in front of a mirror or sitting by the glass door where a reflection can clearly be seen. Honestly do think it depends on the cat, and also probably at what age they are, but I wouldn't doubt it if there are more cats out there that can recognize their reflections.

I do know whisker length is the best way to gauge their intelligence. My indoor-outdoor tux is the smartest cat (or at least he's street smart), but he's also the most aloof who definitely recognizes he's got humans waiting hand-and-foot for him and will use you for a pillow if he so desires. Even just struts into houses as he damn well pleases lol. We're sure he's forgiven us for misgendering him long ago, you just never know with cats.

 

[The Unbecoming]

This isn't even a joke. The brains of original wild humans really were bigger before civilization and domestication shrunk them. It's also commonly believed that both humans and cats self-domesticated.

Domestication does some strange things.

From my (limited) reading on the brain shrinkage in human beings, most scientists think this is less us getting dumber and more our brains getting gradually more efficient at retaining knowledge and using less energy to power itself.

The human brain is a massive energy hog.

 

[Manul Otocolobus]

Decreased excitability? How do we increase this feature in cat brains, I want more cats acting like hyperactive kittens on crack.

It isn't just their names IIRC, it's commands in general. A cat understands the commands like a dog does, but unlike a dog, a cat does whatever it feels like in response. I know this is true because a friendly stray cat where I work responds to his name, but totally ignores it when he feels like going inside the building and wandering aroujd.

They've shown in studies that a cat's thought process is very similar to that of a human's. Human's will perceive information on a conscious level, then the next area of the brain to light up is where they evaluate whether they want to act on it. If they want to act on it, the next area of the brain to activate is the one involved in executing an action. If the human decides not to do something, the activity ceases at the second step. Cat brains have been shown to operate the same way. They've shown that dogs brains operate differently. They perceive information on a conscious level, and the next area of their brain to light up is the one involved in executing an action, there is no evaluation step.

So, basically your cat hears what you are saying, decides if they want to listen, and then either chooses to do so, or decides what they are doing is more aligned with their interests and you will be ignored.

Your cat knows what you are saying to it, you are just being actively ignored.

I think this is why people actually like cats. Their minds and thought processes are structured substantially like ours, just not quite as complex, and they lack a concept of oneself as a discrete organism other than as a sensory process.

But I counter with this impressive video of what I judge to be a cat recognising herself in the mirror:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=akE2Sgg8hI8
And you can teach cats, it's just a lot more effort than teaching a dog.

Curious to test this name thing out with my cat when someone she's not familiar with comes round next... she's a bit of a scaredy cat with strangers, though, so will be a job!

Now that is quite impressive. It would honestly appear that the cat understood it was her ear that she was seeing in the mirror. According to what we know about cats, that shouldn't be possible. Cats are supposed to lack a sense of self as a discrete object. This video would seem to contradict that. That cat would be very interesting to study.

 

[Blobby's Murder Knife]

It kinda does though. Case in point, I used to feed around 6 different strays that used to come around my old house.

Each and every one eventually got eaten by their brainier wildcat cousins and other creatures of the forests.

All they had to do was lounge around the property and eat and they'd be fine, but they insisted on fucking around in the woods. Sooner or later, they all got eaten because they wanted to play in woods.

I tried to convince my ex the cats were too dumb and vulnerable to be left outside, but he screeched Muh Cat Freedumbs. One day one cat he really liked just disappeared into nothing. Makes sense as we lived on a property where we often see coyotes and owls around the yard. Then he was like oh...

They've shown in studies that a cat's thought process is very similar to that of a human's. Human's will perceive information on a conscious level, then the next area of the brain to light up is where they evaluate whether they want to act on it. If they want to act on it, the next area of the brain to activate is the one involved in executing an action. If the human decides not to do something, the activity ceases at the second step. Cat brains have been shown to operate the same way. They've shown that dogs brains operate differently. They perceive information on a conscious level, and the next area of their brain to light up is the one involved in executing an action, there is no evaluation step.

So, basically your cat hears what you are saying, decides if they want to listen, and then either chooses to do so, or decides what they are doing is more aligned with their interests and you will be ignored.

Your cat knows what you are saying to it, you are just being actively ignored.

I think this is why people actually like cats. Their minds and thought processes are structured substantially like ours, just not quite as complex, and they lack a concept of oneself as a discrete organism other than as a sensory process.



Now that is quite impressive. It would honestly appear that the cat understood it was her ear that she was seeing in the mirror. According to what we know about cats, that shouldn't be possible. Cats are supposed to lack a sense of self as a discrete object. This video would seem to contradict that. That cat would be very interesting to study.

I know cats straight up understand more than they let on. I don't know the extent, but they can have an extensive human vocabulary like dogs and they often seem very frustrated they don't have the means to communicate as they know they could if only. My cats have learned probably at least 40 or 50 different vocalizations that they use based on conditioning because that is all they have. I think domesticated animals are bred in a way that they can understand rudimentary human language as a feature. For working animals like horses and dogs, this is must. They just can't speak like we do because it is rather complex the species specific anatomical system we have place for that.

From my (limited) reading on the brain shrinkage in human beings, most scientists think this is less us getting dumber and more our brains getting gradually more efficient at retaining knowledge and using less energy to power itself.

The human brain is a massive energy hog.

This is legit the only choice left for humans. The human female's hips are at their biological limit to pass skulls through. So nature figures out another way and hope it works.

For domesticated animals, it is working smarter not harder. We provide them with everything and all they have to do is grow and be tasty or have a certain working function. But the latter does require intelligence so those animals can't be stupid like chickens. Chickens are pretty wild and we picked them because they have some favorable characteristics like roosting behavior. As long as they know they have a good place to sleep at night, they will consistently come back and lay you eggs and give you meat. Chickens can be pets, but I dunno, maybe that is only 10% of chickens I have owned and they were industrial breeds like ISA Browns. Most just expect you to keep a coop and feed and otherwise want nothing to do with you. But the exceptions are fun. They become good lap and indoor chickens. I sometimes wish I could breed them, but I don't have the space yet.

 

[Manul Otocolobus]

I know cats straight up understand more than they let on. I don't know the extent, but they can have an extensive human vocabulary like dogs and they often seem very frustrated they don't have the means to communicate as they know they could if only. My cats have learned probably at least 40 or 50 different vocalizations that they use based on conditioning because that is all they have. I think domesticated animals are bred in a way that they can understand rudimentary human language as a feature. For working animals like horses and dogs, this is must. They just can't speak like we do because it is rather complex the species specific anatomical system we have place for that.

I had a hound dog that got rather frustrated that he understood me extremely well when I talked to him, but I had no idea what he was saying when he spoke to me. The frustration after he said the same thing to me 4 or 5 times and I didn't understand what he was saying was clear. He didn't understand why he could understand me, but I had no idea what he was saying. I haven't been able to figure out why humans can't understand animals when they try to "talk" to us.

 

[Blobby's Murder Knife]

I had a hound dog that got rather frustrated that he understood me extremely well when I talked to him, but I had no idea what he was saying when he spoke to me. The frustration after he said the same thing to me 4 or 5 times and I didn't understand what he was saying was clear. He didn't understand why he could understand me, but I had no idea what he was saying. I haven't been able to figure out why humans can't understand animals when they try to "talk" to us.

We are just as frustrated as they are a lot of time, but we have sort of figured out what they want 70% of the time based on vocalization and body language. It is the other 30% that is tricky.

I think, for some reason, scientists have a bias against animal intelligence. That they can't be as smart as we are or even close. Animals can be smart with the tools they have available to them. Check out how Toronto raccoons figured out the way around supposedly raccoon proof cans. They just can't do calculus, but then again, most humans can't either, mostly because they have no need. Horses have straight up warned me to threats I was oblivious of and they will not put themselves in what they consider stupid situations (which is usually true, but not always). Geese and chickens are excellent guard animals and will attack and alarm at anyone they don't know, human or animal (they can tell good animals from unknown/bad just like they can tell individual humans apart). Most people associate the behavior with dogs, but chickens and geese also are very good at it.

I mean, I'm still going to eat all of them at the end of the day, but fair is fair, they would eat me too if they had to. Cows have been known to eat rabbits, for example, and I don't think I need to bring up pigs.