For most cat owners, your feline friend becomes almost like your first-born. Now you don’t have to feel like a crazy cat lady, with a new study confirming that your cat, probably, sees you in the same light. A new study, conducted by Oregon State University, shows that cats can form bonds with their caretakers, similar to how dogs and babies do.
Cats are just not as willing to show it. Much to our dismay.
The study, which was published in the scientific journal Current Biology, saw researchers observe a total of 70 kittens between the ages of three and eight months. First, the cats were put in a room with their owners for two minutes, then, separate for the same amount of time, returning for a two-minute reunion. About 64 per cent of the kittens displayed a secure attachment to their owner.
The remaining 36 per cent of “insecurely attached” felines were categorised as “ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganised”. So yes, there are some cats out there who would rather choose to ignore our existence.
Researchers also studied cats who were over a year older and found similar findings, proving the attachment doesn’t go away. “The characteristics of a secure cat, for example, [are] greeting their owner and then going back to what they were doing,” Kristyn Vitale, lead study author, told NBC News. “That’s how a secure human also behaves.”
Vitale also said that most cats are looking to their owners for safety and security. “It’s important for owners to think about that,” Vitale said. “When they’re in a stressful situation, how they’re behaving can actually have a direct impact on their cats’ behaviour.”
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