Researchers discovered that cats prefer to play fetch on their terms, initiating play with their guardians and deciding when to end the game. Perhaps unsurprising, given their independent nature.

It's unlikely the cats learned to fetch from, say, a dog in the house since only 23 percent of the fetching cats lived in a household with a dog or another cat who liked to play fetch.

Published Dec 14, 2023 at 11:00 AM EST Updated Dec 14, 2023 at 5:03 PM EST 00:58 ... Cats Can Play Fetch Without Being Trained, Scientists Find By Robyn White Nature Reporter ...

Animals Cats play fetch, too — as long as they're in control, a study finds December 15, 20235:11 PM ET By Diba Mohtasham ...

Cats play fetch, too — as long as they’re in control, a study finds By Diba Mohtasham (NPR) Dec. 18, 2023 6:53 a.m. Birman kitten playing with mouse Nico De Pasquale Photography / Getty Images ...

If you think of a game of fetch, you might picture a dog running back and forth, eagerly retrieving a ball. But a new, first-of-its-kind study in the journal Nature shows that they're not the only ...