Cats recognise the voices of their owners.
Cats can tell when their owners are speaking
Researchers have found that felines act more intensely when they hear the voices of their owners than when they hear the tones of a stranger.
The cats got even more excited if their owner spoke in a "baby" voice and the study claimed that one-to-one relationships are important for cats and humans to create bonds with one another.
When listening to their owner on tape, the cats turned their ears, moved more and their pupils dilated.
Charlotte de Mouzon, who led the study for Paris Nanterre University, said: "For a long time it has been thought that cats are very independent creatures, only interested in (humans for) eating and shelter, but the fact that they react specifically to their owner, and not just anybody addressing them, supports the idea that they are attached.
"It brings further evidence to encourage humans to consider cats as sensitive and communicative individuals."