🐱 A study by @universityofgroningen #researchers of #Dutch #cat owners reveals:

Many of them anthropomorphize their pets, attributing #human #social roles like family member or #child.

➡️ "Cat owners’ anthropomorphic perceptions of feline emotions and interpretation of photographs"

This can lead to misinterpreting #feline emotions and behaviours by projecting complex human-like social and emotional characteristics onto cats.

🔗 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159123003222?via%3Dihub

#OpenAccess #caturday #CatsOfMastodon