New Study: Cats Attach to Their Owners

Cats do a lot of things. They can jump from pretty muchanywhere and land, like graceful dancers, on their feet. They can rotate theirears 180 degrees. They can make over 100 different sounds. They can use theirwhiskers to determine whether a motionless animal is alive or dead. And now,according to the newest cat study, they can attach to us similarly to dogs andbabies. 

The study, published this September and conducted by OregonState University, set out to study feline attachment as it relates to theirbonds to owners. Interestingly, in order to conduct this study, the researchersrecreated the famous psychology study on attachment called the “StrangeSituation.” In the original study, babies were placed in a room with theirprimary caregivers, the caregivers were instructed to do a series of exits andentries back into the room, and researchers observed the babies’ responses.From this study, psychologists believed that much can be learned about the qualityof the attachment when child and caregiver are reunited. Is the baby happy,relieved? Or is there a different reaction, like indifference or ambivalence?

It is with this arrangement in mind that researchers setabout wanting to learn more about cats’ attachments. Here’s how they did it: 70kittens were put in a room with their owners. The owners were instructed toleave, then return several minutes later. What they found was about 64% of thecats displayed a positive and secure attachment to their owners when they werereunited, “greeting their owner then getting back to what they were doing,” akey behavior in children who have secure attachments. “We may beunderestimating cats’ socio-cognitive abilities,” states the study. It appearsso, as every study proves again and again that felines not only share socialtraits with dogs and children but that many of our preconceived notions aboutthe species are off the mark. We can’t wait to hear what the next study comesout with!

See the full study here.