The preference on the left may have evolved as a defense mechanism, since the visual stimuli captured on this side are processed by the right hemisphere of the brain, which specializes in the response to threats.
A new one published in Current Biology revealed the reason that explains why most cats prefer to sleep on the left side. Research indicates that this behavior that can be an evolutionary adaptation to help them respond more quickly to threats when waking up.
The investigation was conducted by scientists from institutions in Italy, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, and Türkiye, including the University of Bari Aldo Moro and the University of Ruhr in Bochum. The team analyzed 408 uninfit videos YouTube that show cats visibly lying on one side for at least 10 seconds. The findings were impressive: about two thirds of the feline were rest on the left.
According to investigators, this preference may be more than a mere coincidence. “Asymmetries in behavior can have advantages because both hemispheres brain They specialize in different tasks, ”said Professor Onur Güntürkün, a biopsychologist involved in the study.
When cats sleep on the left side, their left visual field is more dominant when waking up. Visual stimuli perceived in the left field are processed by the right hemisphere of the brain, which is more Specializing in threat detectionspatial awareness and coordination of rapid escape answers. This configuration can give cats a crucial advantage in detecting and reaction to predators or prey immediately after waking up.
Cats are known to have a light sleep, sleeping normally between 12 and 16 hours a day. To increase safety, they often choose high rest sites to avoid soil level threats. This new investigation suggests that your favorite sleeping position may be an additional layer of defense against predators, explains the.
“This can be a survival strategy“The researchers concluded, proposing that this asymmetrical behavior helps cats to remain alert even during rest.
