Is Your Cat a Psychopath?- SimplyPodLogical #89

On this episode of SimplyPodLogical, Cristine and Ben answer a questionnaire to determine if their cats have psychopathic tendencies.
Evans et al., 2021 research paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science...
Full questionnaire: osf.io/ysb9z/
0:00 - Hey what’s up holo everyone
1:44 - Zyler is a barfy boy
3:07 - The Cat Psychopathy Test
4:06 - How brave or bold is your cat
12:49 - How sociable is your cat
24:20 - How mean is your cat
33:26 - How unfriendly is your cat
46:00 - Test results
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©Simply Nailogical Inc. All opinions are our own.

[@prettybyaccident]

Cristine being completely in denial about her son's behavior is the best part of this episode.

[@ghostfeathers321]

i know every time she tried to retort ben I was so weak

[@rossanasosa]

Zyler is obviously smart because he attended University with you. Menchie didn’t which is why she’s less aware lol

[@KZesty]

I love hearing in-depth about your cats' unique personalities, how Zyler is this mastermind and Menchie is, in Ben's words, "A dumb-dumb" 😂😂😂

[@catsaregreat6314]

My cat is both lmao

[@SundiMyint]

Cristine saying they'll get a dog when they retire and Ben's under-his-breath: "whenever you let me retire" HAS ME IN STITCHES OMFG

[@bakuninsocio]

The best part of the podcast. The SHADE!!!

[@thenopedetective]

I guess it wasn't that long a wait! lol

[@bbutterfly]

Have you seen that tweet that’s like “everyone who owns 2 cats has one beautiful idiot and one terrifying demon plotting a coup?” Because that sounds exactly like Menchie and Zyler 😹

[@AmusedGiraffe]

Sounds like 2 of mine too 😂😂😂

[@kennyvarney9923]

@@valap_ important question here is.. which kid are you..? 😳😅

[@Rey_Palpatine]

Mine are kind of the opposite. My awkward dumb boi is the one who's always causing chaos and starting fights with the quiet smart one who just tries to avoid the drama

[@vitaluka]

That sounds like my rabbits lol. Except the beautiful one is also the demon plotting a coup, and the other is just a cute idiot.

[@wildador]

the handy man brining in a random orange cat is HILARIOUS 💀💀💀

[@kait.theidiot]

I love how apparently menchie is always “head empty, no thoughts”

[@yamiles.4763]

We’ve been blessed with an appearance from Zyler 🥰

[@mimi45961]

Right?!? He be so MIA at times, it's refreshing to see him

[@ziippolighter]

thought zyler was like 8 and quickly realized it’s because i started watching cristine 5 years ago and that age was what stuck in my head. the progression of time is so wack

[@Hivdghn]

I have the same issue with Jenna Marbles, her old crusty boys are forever puppies in my mind

[@braingoop]

I like your profile picture!

[@cameronblue89]

When Menchie meows and no noise comes out I’m pretty sure she is still making noise, it’s just not within human range of hearing. One of my cats does that too.

[@maleiah8940]

my cat does it too. it’s adorable

[@Micmichellelaw]

I like that they always praise Zyler’s intelligence, and often say that menchie is a dumb sweetheart😂😂

[@atinity6749]

Omg I just realized that Zyler and Menchie are EXACTLY 💯% like Garfield and Nermal 😳

[@Ceilvia]

You could try a slow feeding bowl (bowl with big shapes inside so zyler can't eat his food too fast)

[@squishy2368]

I've heard for a lot of cats when they have to rub their wiskers on stuff when eating (like deep set bowls etc) it's uncomfortable for them and it's usually better to have a raised tray and slow feed by hand

[@isabelchmontuenga]

@@squishy2368 then there is me, who i need to motivate him to eat slower by making he chase any and all dry food pellets

[@marikotrue3488]

Yes, worked for my two cats. They used to inhale their food like those bigger, furrier, barking creatures. I cannot use the "d-word" as one of my two roomies is right by the keyboard.

[@basstrammel1322]

Those are so good. Or the eating mat style, to giving him a ton of work to eat.

[@Isabellissima]

@@squishy2368 some cats can get around that. My cat started picking up his food with his paws (and eating it directly from his paws) when I switched to a slow feeder 🙂 comfortable for him and so so so so so adorable!

[@amys3168]

Highly recommend a teeth cleaning. We had a barfy kitty and then we did a teeth cleaning. The dr found that his teeth were being resorbed and he was in a lot of pain. The barf sorta slowed. We had some eating issues as well. Good luck!

[@nemorafarraige]

how many times a year do you clean your kitty teeth? I'm planning once a year but I'm afraid it's too long, she won't let me brush her teeth too lmao, the front teeth are very clean since she loves to bite on plushies and sometimes my hand :D but I'm worried with the back teeth

[@runningonempty6679]

@@nemorafarraige My vet recommends once a year for my cat, who is 10, and who she says is a "very plaque-y boy" :) (I am unable to brush his teeth, either, because I will lose a hand.)

[@amys3168]

I actually just have my animals teeth cleaned when my vet recommends. It can be around $1000 US, so I don’t clean them until the vet says to. And none of my animals let me brush by hand.

[@Reefspidey]

I get both of my kitty’s teeth cleaned once a year. Since they’re getting sedated for it, it’s a great time to get other stressful things done too like vaccines! Also if your cat won’t let you brush I highly recommend the Healthy Mouth water additive (the only VOHC approved water additive for cats)

[@nemorafarraige]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I live outside of us and cleaning teeth is affordable here so I'll go with once a year, hope she won't be too mad with me after the cleaning 😂

[@hapsate]

So cute with Zyler pawing Ben's face

[@Kaeracter]

Purring while attacking - purring represents 1 of 2 things: happiness/contentment, or as an act of self-soothing when afraid. So, if a cat purrs while it attacks ... That's because that cat is afraid. It's not like someone laughing gleefully while they are purposely hurting someone. It seems to be that many of these questions are weighted from a human psychopathy perspective, which just doesn't apply to cats, lol.

[@Kiterpuss]

There's also a big difference between a cat actually attacking you and a cat play fighting with you, and unless someone has spent a long time around a variety of cats you can't always tell the difference.

[@mandylee3139]

The only times I've been scratched while my cat was purring is when he has gotten catnip. He gets really excited over catnip and I think he doesn't realize his claws are out lol.

[@mandylee3139]

@@Kiterpuss yeah one of our cats loves to attack me. But he is definitely playing because I never actually get hurt. Then one time my cousin brought over his big dog and I got some nasty cuts trying to get him to a quiet room.

[@Rey_Palpatine]

I also think cats will sometimes try to play with a human the same way that they play with another cat. Like my cats will wrestle and slap/kick each other and nothing will happen, but I can't say the same thing for myself if they tried doing that to my hand or something. I don't have a pelt covering my skin like they do, unfortunately 😞

[@Basey]

I watched my cat wait to push a box off the table till my Chihuahua was walking directly underneath it lol. Never underestimate a cat. They're always plotting. 👀

[@meatsue]

cristine's cat impressions are so good???? i was listening to the podcast while doing something else and i genuinely had to double check if cristine made those sounds or if zyler did haha

[@wolfrynmothercosplay1769]

Soaking your cats dry food in warm water before giving it to them can help them slow down when eating- plus it gets them more water

[@maliahwillis4194]

I love that Ben immediately respected Cristine’s wishes when she said stop calling zyler barfy boy

[@Sika6061]

I have to point out that this whole test is biased from the point of view of humans. If cats were in charge, not only would their behavior not be pathologized, but they would consider our positive social tendencies to be strange and abhorrent. 😆

[@kjb0313]

Tried the tin foil trick myself, and my cat grabbed the tin foil sheets, played with them until they were in a ball. Now he loves balls of foil. Total failure.

[@bbshrimp]

This study seems to saying that cats will be more psychopathic if they have a lot of hunting play/practice behaviors or are scared lol..... it's sort of a shame they don't seem to take into account that cats are both predators that need to practice hunting skills ("torturing" prey/toys) and also small enough to be prey themselves which if they're uncomfortable or scared that can make the cat aggressive too. eeeh. In any case I'm all for hearing about Zyler and Menchie for an hour hehe!

[@LesleyMtz28]

It also assumes that all cats are outdoor cats, or indoor/outdoor. Cats should stay inside for their own safety.

[@bbshrimp]

@@LesleyMtz28 Yep agreed... and for the safety of all the small wild animals outside too lol! 😸

[@laurenwelsh640]

There are studies that show pregnant women who live with pets are more likely to have kids without pet allergy which I think is pretty cool.

[@eryaviel]

My cat disobeys house rules, knows it, and absolutely doesn't care. In fact, he's only doing it because of me. For example, he'll only try to climb the screen door when I'm outside. My roommates? He won't try it around them - he doesn't want to be outside with them. He's a cute little butthead.

[@commanderwaddles3483]

Why don't you get him a leash so he can chill outside with you?

[@annoyedshedevil]

@@commanderwaddles3483 not all cats enjoy being on a leash

[@eryaviel]

@@commanderwaddles3483 Sorry, just saw this reply! I take him out on his leash every other day for at least an hour. He also gets plenty of outside time in our screened off porch! He's just a little explorer with places to be, I guess.

[@KimHyunJoongLeeteuk]

It's nice to see more of Zyler, Zyler seems to hide off camera more often than I notice Menchie. Munchies seems to always want to be on camera lol. Munchies loves the camera.

[@leggi_bois4eva]

Absolutely yes for my cat. No test needed.

[@ch03rry440]

LOL

[@recoil53]

Question 1 - is your cat a cat? - Yes It's a psychopath.

[@ayanawth]

Same, my cat is absolutely insane LMAOO

[@acraia7256]

It seems like the people who made this quiz have zero knowledge of natural cat behavior and why they might act a certain way. Like some people view normal cat hunting behavior as misbehaving because they want them to act like humans or dogs. Or if a cat is aggressive etc it might be because they are in pain, they are being mistreated or they are bored. As prey animal fear is a life saving trait that manifests in many ways. I wish people would learn about these amazing animals before judging them. Maybe the quiz is just for fun, but it makes me a little mad and sad that it spreads such negative and uninformed view of cats.

[@ariannamakenna4611]

the way cristine was so serious when she said "stage 5 clingers"😂

[@allih615]

I purchased my first ever holo taco order a month ago. I got 'Plum Luck', 'Rainbow Snow', and 'Everything is Pine'. I honestly was not expecting your polish to be so far superior to all the other brands I have tried in the past but I am so glad I was wrong. Yesterday, I purchased the Menchie Zyler duo along with a few others so I'm really stoked this weeks podcast is about your cats.

[@leah3801]

My cat once, in the span of about 2 seconds, jumped up and grabbed the door handle of the closet, to hurl herself on top of the hangers, which she used to propel herself to the top of the closet door. She's crazy.

[@trystatat1]

Cristine is the tik tok that says "MY CHILD IS FINE!!" then cue evidence of her child not being fine hahahaha

[@iamshraddhakhedkar]

😹

[@karly.asshhh]

I have two cats. One of them (the orange one like Zyler) is so food motivated that can eat so much until he throws up so we have to supervise his meal times, the other one (a tabby gray) literally ignores his favorite food and treats if he's not in the mood for eating. Regarding hunting, my orange cat does hunt insects and eats them but my gray cat hunts and tortures insects (like drowning them in the water bowl or letting them scape to chase them down) but never eats them, he literally just likes to kill. My orange cat is pet and people friendly (will demand pets even from strangers) and my gray cat hates every living creauture but our family. So... I'm pretty sure my orange cat is an angel and my gray cat is the psychopath lol I still love them both so much! ❤

[@marleneflanagan7137]

we always said our dog, Skittles had circus music playing in his head 24/7. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

[@gutterflower335]

Finally you're answering the hard questions!

[@mercedeslucero1955]

I love when you all do quizzes!!!

[@Look_look_at_my_cats]

I have an orange boy Zyler's age and he has thrown up immediately after eating, probably from bolting it so fast. Like the food in the barf was basically almost identical to uneaten food. And our other cat ate it!! So nasty, but at least I didn't have to clean it. He throws up the odd hairball too, even though he's on hairball control food.

[@commanderwaddles3483]

Are you brushing him? That's the best thing for hairball prevention since you get all the loose hairs, leaving much less of it for them to swallow.

[@monicataco3734]

Cristine’s face in this thumbnail is unmatched

[@Tigger2006]

My cat had been doing the same thing as Zyler! He's also an orange kitty and at 15 years old seemed pretty healthy. He started throwing up after the first meal of the day, and I thought for sure it was because of how fast he ate. The vet ran different blood tests and found his B12 levels to be very low. After an ultrasound, it was determined he has IBD and pancreatitis. They were also not expecting him to be down to one kidney. He's now on a few treatments and hasn't thrown up since.

[@cholec9230]

species: orange

[@sheamagnus6826]

I wonder if Menchie and Zyler would score the same if someone else evaluated them, not a stranger, but also not their parents, like Jen , for example. Pet owners are usually extremely biased towards their own fur babies. For example, I have a friend whose chihuahua is a menace and picks on her cat, but the cat is usually the one scolded because the dog is her baby and can do no wrong in her eyes.

[@commanderwaddles3483]

It was amazing to get to know the kitties more, I've been watching for years but there's just so much we couldn't have known! Would love more kitty-focused tests if they're around lol. Maybe some kitty toy unboxings?

[@happygargle]

I totally second a cat toy segment

[@lorrainebevington1180]

It's also called zoomies for cats. I love this one!

[@TallulahDevereaux]

Ben: There was a snake… Cristine: What?! So my reaction.

[@adamemac]

Almost ashamed to admit there were a few times I had to remind myself they were talking about their fur-babies and not human children. 😅

[@ievakalniskane1992]

"Mother... Mother, I crave violence!"

[@peacechickification]

My cat loves the taste of flesh haha we’re still finding the line in which he can attack my hand for fun without making me hurt so much it’s no longer fun for me lol

[@babib]

My cat is 20 years old and used to be a total barfy boy - we elevated his bowls so that he doesn’t have to lower his head to eat. Reduced his barfing episodes by 90%. It’s a thing, you can look it up 😅

[@ulissedazante5748]

I came to conclusion that my cat trained me very well. He repeated some exercises exactly in the same way so when he sits there I automatically go to open the door, for example

[@hpdftba]

My friend’s cat used to carry stuffed toy mice around in his mouth and bring them to the food and water bowl. We always thought it was less of a drowning instinct and more of desire to help feed them like kittens.

[@denise_the_economist]

I told my husband about the cat psychology test and then asked how we could get our cat to take it 😂

[@ellebelle86]

Guys, my cat (Jack) does a LOT of the stuff on this test - much like you guys' babies - and when I talked to my vet about it, they indicated that Jack was bored. So I got him more toys that he actually likes, like those crinkly sounding tube things that they can run through, anything that he can hunt/stalk, and made him more vertical space. Cats love to perch and observe from high up, because it gives them the most clear view of their surroundings. Since then, he's stopped being so disruptive (walking across the dinner table while we're eating, eliminating outside of the litter box...) and he's back to being a little cuddle bug. I'm not saying definitively that Zyler and/or Menchie are bored, but that it's something to perhaps take into consideration. Thank you for this edition of the podcast! I learned so much :-)

[@thenopedetective]

Yes, the only time my cat becomes a psychopath is when she's understimulated and I haven't played with her enough. Which she can play for two hours so it does happen, but she's happier even with 30 minutes of play.

[@misspiece22]

I genuinely love listening to you guys talk. You guys are only 2nd to, the best of the best, Jenna and Julien Podcast (r.i.p.).

[@kaylondon6133]

This made me so happy. I loved listening to you talk about your cats.

[@Teri96]

I have a dog and cat, have had the dog for 5 years and the cat for 4. They absolutely love eachother, won't fall asleep unless they're cuddling. But it did take over a year to get close to that point. Alot of their relationship has just grown over time. And for the first 6 months we couldn't have them together

[@GarliccDread]

My cat was not doing well and they found kidney disease in his tests. He's on the special kidney food now so I'm hoping it'll help slow down those issues. He still gets a bit nauseous sometimes but it's getting better. He had to have 7 teeth removed during his cleaning which I think was a huge help because he had a hard time eating I think from tooth pain

[@mel-ch2xs]

This is the type of content I subscribed for

[@johnvicarellano6468]

OMG! I totally missed your podcast! My city was hit by a very strong typhoon, and there was no electricity for almost a month. I could listen to you guys again.

[@Sgublaka94]

My pet snake demands a youtuber apology with a deep sigh at the begining and lots of fake crying! 👿🐍 (Really he couldn’t care less)

[@alona270]

This was such a cute podcast! Zayler was like “yes…yes…indeed”😹😹

[@nattcattt]

Now I can enjoy my Tuesday morning commute! :)

[@DrizzingSakuras]

Was just jamming to your previous one, did not expect this-

[@nemorafarraige]

this podcast dropped right when I'm going back to work! yeassshshh something to watch while working uwu

[@LoveCrumb]

Why is it that I get bored when people talk about their kids, but I could literally listen to people talking about their pets for hours lol This was so entertaining and helped give me a smile on a really bad day- thank you!

[@future.cadaver]

Zylers little orange toes poking out of his white sock are adorable 🥰

[@gracielucas2344]

Menchi sitting behind the laptop just listening to y’all think that she has no brain until the new kitty comes in and she takes after zyler 😂😂

[@violeta8445]

Menchie sounds like me lol, anxious 24/7, doesn’t like people, sleeps all the time, loves snacks 😀

[@lily-wg1ut]

Zyler is lovin the camera in this one

[@kortneybabcock9472]

It was interesting to hear your takes on your cats childhoods shaping their personalities! I had the opposite experience, my cat (female) that I got when I was in college and had roommates and people over all the time is super timid and afraid. Where my other cat (male) I got during covid and while I was living alone! And he is so friendly and loving and brave with new people. I thought maybe my girl cat didn’t like all the people when she was young and that led to her fear where my boy didn’t meet people until he was already bigger and braver!

[@fi.281]

Kinda sad this isn't on Spotify yet I will listen to it later❤️

[@LadyThoopie]

Menchie! It is always the quiet ones you have to watch 🤣🤣

[@cece_marie]

Great episode! Going to rewatch and take the test for our kitties. We have a menagerie of 4 indoor kitties, a large dog and a cockatiel, and previously a pair of guinea pigs. 3 of the kitties are siblings, and 2.5yo, who we raised from 2wks old. The other kitty is 10yo. (Our oldest cat has passed, he was 18.) The cats are not trusted around the cockatiel, we don't leave them alone together, but they do not stalk or bother him at all. And the cockatiel is not afraid of the cats or the dog. It's pretty crazy how they all not only get along, but love each other.

[@Yorea]

My cat also had throwing up issues and using a Feliway diffuser helped a lot! Going from almost every other day to once or twice every two weeks. She never showed she was stressed in her body-language but she was always a little bit of an anxious cat from the start and I guess she needed a little help.

[@taistarr9568]

My cat used to purr when she attacked you. She would wrap her front paws around your wrist and chew it, while the back claws shredded your forearm. The whole time, purring.

[@25kitty]

I love Ben's Moo Shu ice-cream sweater! 😻🍨

[@justcomments]

Your comments on the test were really interesting! I remember hearing someone refer to cats as a prey animal, and I’d never before appreciated the fact that cats are so much smaller than a lot of other animals. This inferiority is the reason many small dogs are so aggressive. When you’re surrounded by huge animals, what can you do? Freeze or front.

[@salomehoyosgil5091]

I would love a podcast highlight compilation of Cristine doing the cats sounds

[@sadiedayz2405]

There should be separate tests for indoor cats and in and out cats. I have had both and they are vastly different

[@sofi0212]

Fun pod simplys!

[@PickledMags]

I see that Moo Shu merch! Love that sweater 🐱

[@tnsfan1980]

Omg Zyler touching Ben’s face in the intro 😭💕

[@Hollithesarcastic]

I'm here for the Nature vs Nurture conversation points 👌

[@leighinstitches]

The Moo Shu sweater!

[@JeanneEllenSW]

It is so nice to see Zyler 🎉😁❤️

[@clockworkmonsters8590]

My cat purrs when he's "attacking" me because he's actually playing, not attacking (but with claws and teeth). I think the purring is both a way to show he's happy and a way show he's not attempting to hurt me, just playing a bit rough (like if he bites me a bit too hard, he'll lick me after). I love his weird quirks, he's a cute, clingy dumb dumb like Menchie XD

[@melcurina]

Yesss! A video about cats!

[@mandylee3139]

We don't do Turkey for Christmas but the day after Thanksgiving my grandmother always uses the leftovers to do Turkey tacos.

[@marissafaltings9019]

You guys may want to consider one of those puzzle food mats for Zyler! They can help to slow your pets eating down! I have seen them used for dogs mainly but I’m sure they have a cat version!

[@No1PlutoSupporter]

omg this was upload on my birthday and now im watching 2 wks later lol

[@kyndramb7050]

I love Ben's shirt.

[@sprinklediamond]

I love Ben's shirt

[@veronikapop8161]

I had a cat for many years, she died 14 years old, she was a sweetheart and I loved her, but the bond I now have with my dog is something totally different. It doesn't take anything away from the love to my cat, it's just a way different level of a relationship 🤍

[@sslimeman]

44:59 a lot of dogs that you pick up from shelters can have past trauma that keeps them from trusting humans, and so many have biases towards certain types of people so its not always easy to gain their affection

[@micivalantincic8227]

How cute was Zyler at the beginning:)

[@KelsieJG__they-them]

My first two cats had a lot of the same personality traits as Menchie and Zyler, but swapped around. It was my no thoughts, head empty, little sweetie cat who was talkative and friendly with everyone, and my food-loving, smart queen of the house cat who was scared of everything and nonconfrontational.

[@sienaqk]

Ayyy that's the website I use for my research courses in school lol. I'm going to base my next research topic on this paper, haha, except probably try to fix the bias a little

[@adeleshade5066]

i want bens reaction to ethan mentioning simply and holotaco during the rant about the streamys lmao

[@phoebehall4015]

I always thought my cat was the only cat that chirped at birds.

[@complainielainie]

I got pandemic kitties, one is very sociable despite not having met many people, the other is downright terrified of everyone except me. The scaredy cat I adopted later in his life, and even though he was only a few months old, he clearly has a lot of trauma to overcome. It’s nice watching his confidence grow, though

[@kat_kami]

Ben's shirt is sooo cuteee 😍

[@FiendishOmen]

Cristine sounds like she's in denial about Tyler biting.... I tell my partner that our cat is the perfect angel. She could do no wrong. (Shes is the biggest brat!) 😂

[@recoil53]

Yeah "he doesn't big _every_ day"

[@rosemanning2508]

I rescued two cats from the same litter, same upbringing, same age. They have totally different personalities. It's is absolutely wild.

[@ATrace-pn6wx]

We had a tiger loose in a Houston neighborhood over the pandemic... equally as terrifying as a 12ft snake!