Unconsciously, I make the sound "Pspsps pspsps puspuspus..." whenever I see a cat.

It's like a magic spell that comes out without thinking.

A friend hears it and asks, "Are you calling a cat?"

Yes. Puspus is neither Korean nor English; it's just a common language among cat owners worldwide.

If you Google it in English, it comes up as Pspsps Pspsps. A Korean person might find it hard to pronounce this word at first, haha.

Interestingly, cats really do respond to this sound.

Even when they are looking out the window, at the sound of "puspus!" their ears perk up and their heads turn. Why is that?

There is no scientific proof that completely explains this question.

It's understandable since you can't interview a cat to ask why they like puspus, and who would fund research to statistically analyze their reactions to different sounds?

However, there is a fairly convincing theory among cat experts.

The most frequently mentioned theory is the difference in sound frequency. Cats can hear sounds at much higher frequencies than humans.

The 's' sound we make is actually quite high-pitched, and when the 'p' consonant, which is a sharp break, is inserted, it creates an irregular and sharp rhythm like "shh-shh." In short, to a cat's ears, it's a sound that is much more unique and striking than the usual human speech.

Moreover, this 'puspus' sound is said to be similar to the sounds cats would hear while tracking prey in nature.

For example, the sound of crunching leaves, rustling insects, or even the sharp cries of mice. According to Hungarian animal behaviorist Peter Pongracz, the 's' sounds that humans unconsciously make could be interpreted by cats as the sound of "something small and moving."

Another interesting hypothesis is that we may have trained cats to respond to this sound.

For instance, if I make the puspus sound and then treats come out, or I pet them, or throw a toy, they might remember that 'puspus = good thing.'

So, in the end, they respond like it's a conditioned reflex.

And one more thing. The expression "puspus" is actually thought to be a quickened version of the English phrase "Here, pussy, pussy, pussy~."

The rhythm of the song "Pussy, Pussy, Pussy" by the band Light Crust Doughboys from the 1930s is very similar.

If you listen to it, it sounds almost exactly like puspus. If you have a cat at home, try playing this song on YouTube.

It might be fun to test if their ears perk up.

Cats are not just "cute creatures"; they are small predators sensitive to high-frequency sounds and have good memory for interactions with humans.

When we call them with puspus, they might simply think, "Oh, it's treat time," but they also look at us with curious eyes as if to say, "Is there something over there?"

And with just one look from those eyes... we pull out the treats again.

Isn't it us who are being trained?