this post was submitted on 08 May 2025
796 points (98.4% liked)

Science Memes

14519 readers
2881 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] CidVicious@sh.itjust.works 70 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Incidentally I don't think this is actually evolution; more learned behavior. They repeat the tone we respond to the most. My cat also bites my foot when he wants attention because he has learned that it's hard for me to ignore.

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 45 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Cats were perfectly positioned to coexist with humans - they eat the pests that feed on our grain, aren't large enough to be much of a threat, aren't a good food source, and are soft and nice to pet. Explains why they self-domesticated more than once in different parts of the world!

[–] SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net 11 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Domesticated is a bit of a stretch, especially when we often hope they still hunt rodents. 😜

They tolerate us, and maybe often love us, but would not hesitate to survive without us.

Cats are independent people that choose to continue to live with you because it’s nice. Most of them can find a way out if they want it.

[–] Sirence@feddit.org 3 points 15 hours ago

They could find a way out but they don't because they like us and I think that makes them special. Like even if a neighbor feeds them it's us they come back home to so their love is not motivated by just food and shelter.

[–] Glytch@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They repeat the tone we respond to the most.

I once had a cat that learned to imitate my text message notification sound (at the time it was Tiny Tina saying "pooow") just to get my attention. He would also scream his lungs out if he thought no one was home.

[–] flambonkscious@sh.itjust.works 6 points 23 hours ago

That's a great tone!

That's a worthy distinction. The genetic vs the social. I'll allow it.