Mary Allen
Cats are considered independent and headstrong animals that do what they want and see their humans as one thing above all: can openers. But a study has shown that cats are actually more affectionate and bonding than is often thought!
“Dogs have owners, cats have staff” – a saying that expresses a great prejudice against cats: while dogs build a close bond with their humans and love them unconditionally, cats are aloof and only need humans as food suppliers. However, researchers at Oregon State University have refuted this prejudice.
Study: How Clingy is Cats Really?
In the study, the researchers used the so-called Secure Base Test to examine the attachment of cats to their owners. This test has also been used to research the attachment security of great apes or dogs.
During the study, the cats first spent two minutes with their owners in a strange room. The owner then left the room for two minutes and then returned for another two minutes.
Depending on how the cats behaved after their owners returned, they were divided into different groups:
- Cats with secure attachments calmed down, were less stressed (e.g. stopped meowing), sought contact with people, and explored the room curiously.
- Cats with insecure attachments remained stressed even after the human returned, but at the same time excessively sought human contact (ambivalent attachment), they were completely disinterested in the owner’s return (avoidant attachment), or they were torn between seeking contact and -Avoidance to humans (disorganized attachment).
Of 70 young cats between three and eight months, 64.3 percent were classified as securely attached, 35.7 percent as insecurely attached. Of the 38 cats older than one year, 65.8 percent were considered securely bonded and 34.2 percent insecurely bonded.
Interesting: These values are similar to those of children (65% sure, 35% unsure) and dogs (58% sure, 42% unsure). According to the researchers, the attachment style of cats is therefore relatively stable. So the view that cats don’t bond with their owners is a prejudice.
Build a Bond With the Cat
How much your cat bonds to you also depends on you. Sure, every cat has a different character: Some are naturally more affectionate than others. But you can also consciously ensure that the bond with your cat is strengthened. Here are some options:
- Give your cat plenty of time every day to play and cuddle.
- Keep coming up with new challenges for the cat, e.g. with food games or build it a den out of blankets or cardboard.
- Give the cat clear rules.
- Don’t yell at your cat at all, of course, violence isn’t an option either!
- Respect when the cat wants to be left alone and do not disturb it when it is sleeping.
Take the cat’s facial expressions and body language seriously.