Snippet: Cat imitates human, in first scientific demonstration of behavior

Ebisu may be the world’s first literal copycat. Researchers have shown that the Japanese feline can imitate the actions of her owner under controlled scientific conditions. The ability has only been seen in a handful of creatures, and the find could suggest that imitation arose relatively early in mammal evolution. Read the story ($): Additional footage: Credit: (footage) Fumi Higaki/Claudia Fugazza; (music) Pond5 About Science Snippets These videos are short snippets from researchers’ work—often videos actually used as data in a study or to demonstrate results in a paper. For context or additional explanation, check links.