Recent studies have revealed that Cats have a surprising ability to imitate the facial expressions of the other felinesa behavior that could be fundamental for the formation of social ties and communication between them.
This discovery was made by a team of international researchers who used artificial intelligence To monitor and analyze the facial expressions of cats during their social interactions. The phenomenon studied is known as “rapid facial imitation“(RFM), a behavior that helps animals to build emotional connections and facilitate mutual understanding.
Cats, like other social animals, use facial expressions to communicate and understand the emotions of others. Although the social life of cats is less documented than that of other animals, several research has shown that felines are capable of express a surprising number of emotions through their face. In a previous study, researchers found that cats can show 276 different facial expressionsof which 37% are linked to aggression and 45% to a friendly attitude.
The researchers identified 26 new facial movements
To examine this behavior more closely, scientists have recorded videos of cats that interacted together in a social environmentlike a cat café of Los Angeles. Subsequently, they trained an IA program to analyze the thin movements of their muzzle, tracing 48 virtual points on the face of each cat. This system allowed researchers to identify 26 new facial movementscreating a catalog of hundreds of unique expressions.
The study revealed that, in about 22% of the interactions, cats immediately imitate the facial expressions of others. This behavior is more common when affiliation, such as mutual game or grooming. For example, cats often reflect the movement of the ears of the otherlike when they rotate or flatten them, signs of affinity and socialization.
These discoveries may have practical implications, especially in cat shelters. Understand how cats interact with each other and how facial expressions use to form bonds could help Reduce stress and prevent conflicts between cats that coexist. In addition, the use of the AI to monitor these interactions could improve the well -being of felines, optimizing their care and promoting a better understanding of their social needs.
