Co-dependent and clingy or informal and aloof – a brand new examine has examined the behaviour of pet cats to grasp what it means about their relationship with their proprietor, and the analysis suggests it’s a two-way road!
The analysis My Cat and Me – a Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship by teachers on the University of Lincoln, UK, concerned practically 4000 house owners responding to a collection of statements about their very own behaviour and that of their pet.
In addition to the analysis, the University of Lincoln has launched a brand new interactive quiz on its website so cat house owners can discover out what sort of relationship they’ve with their feline companions.
Despite the cat’s recognition as a pet, little is thought about its bond and relationship with house owners. The examine identifies and characterizes the various kinds of relationship which cats would possibly set up with their house owners through the use of human attachment and social help theories.
The questionnaire, accessible as a part of the interactive quiz, was developed to collect info concerning totally different emotional parts that would underpin the connection. These included the cat’s potential notion of the proprietor as a safe base in a house, the proprietor’s stage of engagement with the cat, their sensitivity to the cat’s wants and the consistency of the proprietor’s interactions with the cat.
Five distinct types of cat-owner relationship have been recognized. These relationships are what folks would possibly categorize as: “Open relationship”, “Remote affiliation”, “Casual relationship”, “Co-dependence” and “Friendship”.
Professor Daniel Mills, animal behavioural specialist on the University of Lincoln, stated: “Cats type shut emotional relationships with people, but little is definitely identified about this. As with any advanced social relationship, the kind of cat-owner bond is a product of the dynamic between each people concerned, together with their sure persona options.
“While many cats could also be aloof, plainly this isn’t as widespread as could be portrayed. The wider sociability of the cat and proprietor expectations could also be vital, and the proprietor’s stage of emotional funding within the cat and the cat’s sociability seem like significantly vital in discriminating what kind of relationship they’ve collectively.”
The “open relationship bond” was characterised by a evenly emotionally invested proprietor and an avoidant cat. The “Remote affiliation” and “Casual relationship” concerned a comparatively emotionally-distant proprietor however the cat’s acceptance of different folks assorted. The “Co-dependent” and “Friendship” relationship had emotionally invested house owners however once more the cat’s acceptance of others assorted, in addition to the necessity for the cat to remain near its proprietor.
It is hoped the analysis will enhance understanding of proprietor relationships with cats and pave the way in which to higher pet care extra usually. The analysis My Cat and Me – a Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship will be discovered right here:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1601