Why Cats Can Sense When Their Owner Is Coming Home: Expert Explanation 0 11

Many people who have cats already know that their pet waits by the door a few minutes before they arrive. In such cases, it seems that the animal instinctively senses when we are coming home. However, as nlc. writes, this behavior is related to routine.

If you return home around the same time on weekdays, then any noises in the apartment and on the stairs, the rhythm of movement on the street, as well as the daily routine in the house will become "signals" for the cat.

"Moreover, the hearing range of cats is much wider than that of humans: according to research, a cat's hearing covers a range of about 48 Hz to 85 kHz. In other words, they can pick up such high frequencies and subtle sounds that we can no longer hear. The familiar sound of a car, the rhythm of your footsteps, the jingle of keys... all of this can be a signal that the cat will learn to recognize over time," the material adds.

Cats also have a strong sense of smell. According to some veterinary reviews, a cat's nose contains more than 200 million olfactory receptors, while humans have significantly fewer. And according to recent studies, cats can distinguish the scents of familiar and unfamiliar people, so their sense of smell indeed plays a role in recognizing people.

At the same time, not only smell but also voice is important. In a classic study, cats reacted differently to strangers' voices and their owner's voice, so they can recognize a conversation partner by voice even before the door opens.

Is There Some Kind of "Paranormal Phenomenon" in This?

Sometimes claims arise that pets can psychologically sense when you are coming home. This has already been studied by scientists, but it has not become a widely accepted and reliable proof. Therefore, the everyday cat's premonition is explained by routine, hearing, smell, and learning.