Are cats getting tamer – or is it people who are changing?

Have cats gotten friendlier in recent years, or is it something else? The Conversation reports on research into animal behavior in cities. Scientists studying urban foxes in London and deer in Dublin have found these species evolving to be bolder around people — but cats, domesticated thousands of years ago, may not have changed much at all. Instead, the real shift has been in us. Grace Carroll of Queen's University Belfast explains that over the past century, fertility rates have dropped sharply, and more people are living alone and turning to companion animals to meet needs once fulfilled by close family. The growing popularity of affectionate cat breeds like ragdolls reflects what we're looking for in our pets. So perhaps your cat isn't becoming friendlier — you're the one who's changed.

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