On cat–human interaction from the viewpoint of physics: An equation of motion

Abstract

This paper provides an enjoyable example through which several concepts of classical mechanics can be understood. We introduce an equation that models the motion of a cat in the presence of a person. The cat is considered as a point particle moving in a potential induced by the person. We demonstrate that this approach to the problem reproduces characteristic behaviors of these curious animals. For instance, the fact that cats do not typically come when they are called, or that they remain longer on the lap of their favorite person; even “zoomies” are reproduced (cats randomly run back and forth across the house). We use this model problem to explore topics of current research such as stochastic equations and periodically driven systems. The pedagogical value of this work and its potential use in teaching are discussed.