“Dangle Test” for Cat Temperament: Funny but Unreliable

Key Points

The dangle test supposedly determines a cat’s temperament.
Holding a cat to conduct the dangle test does not hurt them if it’s done correctly.
Other temperament tests are more accurate than the dangle test.
Breed, coat color, and gender impact a cat’s temperament.

Can you really tell what kind of personality a cat has by holding them up Lion King-style and letting them hang there? If you believe in the dangle test, the answer to that question is yes.

What Is the Dangle Test?

This unique cat temperament test made its way into mainstream media when a TikTok created by veterinarian Dr. Tori Given in July 2022 went viral.

In the video, Dr. Given holds up a kitten and demonstrates what she calls the dangle test. You hold a kitten up by its armpits and wiggle them around. If the cat is all right with that and doesn’t resist, that means they have a good temperament and are well-behaved.

Dr. Given didn’t come up with the test by herself, however. She explained to Newsweek, “When I started working in a veterinary hospital at around 18 years old, a wise older veterinarian introduced me to the ‘dangle test.’ His theory was that if you hold up a puppy or kitten and they loosely dangle without stress, then they will grow to be nicely tempered dogs and cats.”

The video blew up, and everyone began conducting the dangle test with their kittens. Some of the comments on the original video are too good not to share; some of the duets are even better.

One commenter summed up the typical relationship between cat and human by saying, “FYI: my cat dangles, but she’s a menace [sad face emoji] she hates me. She makes her own rules. I pay rent to her.”

Another TikToker had their own name for the test: “We call it rubber kitty and there’s a lil jingle to go with it [crying laughing emoji].”

One cat took the dangle test and showed his true feelings immediately after. The commenter explains, “I tried this with my cat Kevin and he bit my ankles when I put him down smh”.

Many commenters confirmed the efficacy of the test: “10000% accurate [crying laughing emoji] i have a chill dangler and a spicy donut [crying laughing emoji] and a diva ragdoll but that’s a different issue [sweating smile emoji]”

While others had the opposite experience: “My sweet cat didn’t pass this test the first time but my spicy/aggressive cat passed with flying colors.”

Finally, some commenters couldn’t perform the test because of their cat’s chonk status: “What happens if my cat is too fat and I can’t do it without him falling over?”

The popularity of the video means it’s safe to say a ton of people have been dangling their cats. This brings up some critical questions.

Does Dangling Cats Hurt Them?

No, the dangle test does not hurt your kitten if it’s done correctly. Holding your cat properly (or your potential future cat companion) is essential; otherwise, you’ll get off on the wrong paw. In a follow-up video, Dr. Given demonstrates the proper form by testing her own pets: “The proper dangle safety is to keep the arms and shoulders as one unit. And then dangle.”

Also, you must keep your cat close to your body while conducting the dangle test. This makes it easier for you to support their weight and decreases the risk of them flailing out of your arms and accidentally hurting themselves.

What if Your Cat Fails the Dangle Test?

Say your cat fails the dangle test. That doesn’t automatically mean they are going to be bad pets. Many cats have failed (some hilariously so) and are still excellent companions.

If your cat doesn’t do a perfect Simba impression, don’t worry. It doesn’t mean that they are bad. It just means that they don’t like to dangle—and really, who could blame them? How would you like it if someone came along, picked you up by your armpits, and started swaying?

Remember that this is only one way to determine a cat’s temperament. There are other methods to use that are research-validated and are, therefore, more likely to be accurate.

Cat paws at woman's face while she sits on couch

Other Tests To Determine a Cat’s Temperament

Cats are much more intelligent than most people realize. Some studies show they even know when you’re talking about them — and they usually don’t appreciate it unless you’re gushing about how fluffy and beautiful they are.

The study didn’t say that last part, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

The thing everyone loves most about cats is that they’re independent and do things on their terms. They may be adamantly against the dangle test one day and then perfectly content to hang around the next. This makes the results from this test more variable than other methods.

Several tests out there are backed by legitimate research. Here are three of the most popular ones:

ASPCA Feline Spectrum Assessment

The ASPCA’s Feline Spectrum Assessment (FSA) determines how socialized a cat is. When conducted in a shelter setting, this test identifies how used to people the animal is. A cat’s level of socialization plays a major role in its temperament. For instance, a cat with minimal human contact is often more bad-tempered than one who grew up interacting with people.

The FSA evaluates a cat’s comfort level with people by assessing its reaction to the evaluator’s touch, its reactions to movement and sound, and its behavior around food and toys. This is a four-item assessment, and to pass, cats must either score a “one and done” or at least four “four or more” checklist behaviors.

Cats who pass the FSA are typically social and are immediately adoptable.

Cat rolls around on their back

Feline Temperament Profile

Another way to determine a cat’s temperament is to use the Feline Temperament Profile (FTP). A study on this test showed that cats who score well generally display more positive reactions to people. It doesn’t matter whether or not the cat is familiar with the person conducting the test. Additionally, the cat’s familiarity with the environment in which they were tested made no difference to the test results.

During the assessment, the person conducting the test squats down, puts their hand out to the cat, and calls them a few times. Ideal behaviors in this situation are the cat making eye contact, meowing or chirping, approaching the person, rolling around, and sniffing the person’s hand.

If the cat doesn’t approach, the tester moves forward and tries again. They want to see if the cat exhibits any ideal behaviors. The behaviors they don’t want to see are the cat not making eye contact, hissing or growling, retreating, or watching the person without approaching.

Once the tester gets the cat to come to them or approaches the cat themselves, they put their hand out again and look for a new set of behaviors. Hopefully, the cat sniffs the person’s hand, rubs their head on them, rolls around, and purrs or meows.

The remainder of the test examines:

How well the cat reacts to human touch
If they like to play or not
How comfortable they are when someone holds them
If the cat comes when called after interacting with the person for a while
How they react when a person applies pressure to their tail
How they react to loud unexpected noises

The Feline Temperament Profile is an excellent option for determining the temperament of shelter cats. It provides accurate, consistent results, leading to successful adoptions with better outcomes for the cat and its new owner. Ask the shelter staff for help if you feel like you need it; they may even be able to point you in the direction of your preferred cat personality.

Cat rests in a cardboard box

The Feline Five

As you can probably guess by its name, this test breaks cat behavior into five personality traits. It’s like a kitty Myers-Briggs test.

Neuroticism

A feline with a neurotic personality is more shy and anxious around people. They may also exhibit obsessive behaviors such as over-grooming. On the other end of this scale, a cat who doesn’t have a neurotic personality gets called chill or lazy.

Extraversion

An extroverted cat is highly active. They’re vigilant and always want to be up in everyone’s business. Traits in this category include being inventive, inquisitive, and smart. Cats who don’t exhibit extroverted traits enjoy watching from a distance rather than getting in the middle of things.

Dominance

Dominant cats exhibit behavior such as bullying or aggressiveness toward other cats. Another common trait of dominance is a cat rubbing its face on something they want to claim. Cats on the low end of the dominance spectrum are submissive, and other cats are likelier to bully them.

Man hugs orange and white cat

Impulsiveness

Cats who are impulsive are often known as erratic or reckless. These cats are both anxious and high-energy, which may make them unpredictable. As a result, they don’t always react to situations the same way every time.

Agreeableness

Traits of an agreeable cat include affectionateness, friendliness to people, and gentleness. A cat high on the agreeable scale gets along with everyone and loves to rub up on people to show how much they love them. Cats who are socialized as kittens generally grow up to be more agreeable. Less agreeable cats may be standoffish or aggressive.

Test Environments May Play a Role in Results

While all of the tests listed above are better indicators of a cat’s temperament than the dangle test, they aren’t always going to be 100% correct. The testing environment may have an impact on the cat’s behavior.

For example, cats who have just entered a shelter are often highly stressed and anxious. The results won’t be accurate to the cat’s true personality if they take the test immediately. Cats need time to decompress before the evaluation begins.

As with everything else, context matters. All cats, especially shelter cats, deserve the best chance for success when given temperament assessments. They need time to adjust, a knowledgeable evaluator, and a proper testing environment before the evaluation begins.

Gender, Coat Color, and Breed Influence Cats’ Temperament

Cats are individuals, and each has its own personality. That’s one of the best things about cats and is just one of the many reasons why people love them so much. Certain factors influence a cat’s temperament, including their gender, coat color, and breed.

Gender

Do male and female cats have different personalities? Some sources say there’s not much difference. Their environment and owners’ personalities are more likely to influence a cat’s behavior than gender.

In other places, you’ll read that male and female cats have distinct differences to consider when adopting. Most people you talk to agree that male and female cats have distinct personalities.

Male cats are generally more social and playful, while female cats are more independent. A male cat is likelier to hang out when new people visit the house, while their female counterparts make themselves scarce. While male cats make friends with almost anyone (other pets included), female cats are often fiercely loyal to their one chosen human.

Woman cradles cat in her arms

Breed

You’ll often hear people talk about the behavioral characteristics of certain cat breeds. While it’s true that breed behaviors are often inherited, that doesn’t mean that every cat of a particular breed has the same personality. However, common characteristics across breeds may give you an indication as to what the cat’s temperament is. For instance, ragdoll cats are usually easygoing and affectionate. People call them ragdolls because they go limp when picked up, which means this breed usually passes the dangle test.

When considering adopting a cat, you need to start by identifying the breed whose typical characteristics match what you’re looking for in a companion. Do you want a breed that’s usually more aloof like the Russian Blue? Or are you looking for a generally calm and friendly breed like the Persian? Considering these factors helps guide your decision to find the cat that fits your lifestyle best.

Coat Color

Ask any feline fanatic, and they’ll swear that the color of a cat’s coat impacts their personality. Scientific studies on the topic show mixed results. However, people continue to believe cats behave differently depending on their coat color.

What generalizations exist? One well-known stereotype is that male orange cats are usually sweet and outgoing. Another is that tuxedo cats are always sassy and full of attitude. There are many more to add to the list, but suffice it to say that coat color is one detail you’ll want to consider when you’re looking to add a new kitty to the family.

To Dangle or Not To Dangle?

The dangle test is hilarious and won’t hurt your cat if done correctly. Also, if your cat fails, that doesn’t mean they are bad-tempered or not a good fit. It just means they didn’t want you to hold them like that.

When considering adopting a cat or kitten, other temperament assessments are more accurate than the dangle test — even though they’re less fun and won’t make for very good TikTok videos. Consider the kitty’s gender, breed, and coat color when deciding which one to bring home.

In the end, though, there’s no such thing as a bad cat. All cats are unique and unforgettable in their own ways. You can’t go wrong, whether your cat passes the dangle test or not. These tests aim to determine if a new cat’s personality is perfect for your home or to teach you more about the kitty you already have.

Learn more about the intricacies of cats’ personalities and breeds by subscribing to CattitudeDaily.

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