Davis, Calif. — Cats would rather take the easy way out when it comes to mealtime, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine found that domestic cats overwhelmingly prefer freely available food over working for their meals—a behavior that sets them apart from many other animals.
Published in Animal Cognition, the study observed 17 cats given a choice between an accessible food tray and a simple puzzle requiring effort to obtain food. Despite some cats having prior experience with food puzzles, most chose the effortless option, spending more time at the tray and selecting it first.
Contrafreeloading: A Common Trait—Except in Cats
Many species, including birds, rodents, primates, and even giraffes, exhibit “contrafreeloading”—the preference to work for food rather than accept a free meal. But cats appear to be an exception.
“It wasn’t that cats never used the puzzle, but they clearly preferred the tray,” said lead author Mikel Delgado, a cat behaviorist and UC Davis research affiliate. “Out of all the species studied, cats seem to be the only ones that don’t show a strong tendency to contrafreeload.”
Laziness Not the Culprit
The researchers ruled out inactivity as a factor, noting that even highly energetic cats in the study opted for the easier meal. The reason behind this preference remains unclear, though Delgado suggests the puzzle may not have fully replicated natural hunting behaviors.
Co-authors Melissa Bain and Brandon Han emphasized that further research is needed to understand feline motivation—and whether different types of challenges might change the outcome.
Meanwhile, cat owners can rest assured: their pets’ love of free food is backed by science.
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