February 28, 2011
Studying the Bond Between a Cat and Its Human
Motley, an affectionate cat (photo by Sarah Zielinski)
It took 120 hours of observing 40 cat-human pairs for scientists to conclude that the bond between the two can be similar to other human relationships. And, yes, I know that most of you who have cats—or know someone who has a cat—will not find that surprising, so let’s delve into the details. It turns out that this study isn’t as simple as it appears.
The scientists (whose study appears in the journal Behavioural Processes) sent a team of researchers repeatedly into the homes of cat-human pairs in Vienna, Austria. The team would visit for about 45 minutes around the cat’s feeding time, with one person interacting with the cat and human and the other wielding a video camera. They evaluated the personalities of both the human (with a personality test) and the cat, through both observations (e.g., did the cat accompany the human to the door?) and a series of tests that included the cat’s reaction to being picked up. The video of the cat’s behavior and interactions with the humans in the room was later coded and the researchers analyzed it all with a computer program that looked for patterns in the behaviors of the cats and the humans.
The scientists found some correlations between human personality and the behaviors of the cats—such as that cats with humans classified as “extroverted” or “conscientious” exhibited more complex patters of behaviors—and concluded that “it seems that an important area of negotiation between the owner and the cat is mutual attention and friendly tactile interactions” and that the patterns in the relationships between the cats and humans resemble other long-term and complex relationships, “such as those between humans.”
But then the researchers also went on to claim, in a story published by Discovery News, that their research indicates that women tend to interact more with their cats than men do.
“In response, the cats approach female owners more frequently, and initiate contact more frequently (such as jumping on laps) than they do with male owners,” co-author Manuela Wedl of the University of Vienna told Discovery News, adding that “female owners have more intense relationships with their cats than do male owners.”
While I find the study interesting, I have a few quibbles. First of all, there is little in the study to back up the researcher’s claims about the differences between men and women in their relationships with their cats. Their sample included only 10 male owners, and this hardly seems like an adequate number for making conclusions about all male-cat relationships.
In addition, if I think about the realm of personalities and interactions that exist in just one friend’s cat household (he’s got three), I find it hard to imagine that 40 cat-human pairs would be enough of a sample to adequately analyze the large number of behaviors (162!) and personality traits included in this study.
My other problems with this study stem from my own human-cat relationship. My kitty, Sabrina, is a 13-year-old tortie, and she wouldn’t fit neatly into this study. She is a very different cat with me (friendly and cuddly, though she refused to pose for a photo for this post) versus people she has met before (friendly but often standoffish) versus strangers (where did she go?). And I suspect other cats may be the same. Any study in which you place total strangers into the animal’s home environment is going to produce some abnormal behavior, and judging a cat on that behavior only is probably unfair to the cat.
Furthermore, some of the tests of the cats’ behavior may not have given an accurate accounting of the cats’ personality. For example, they tested the cats’ response to a novel object, a plush owlet left on the floor. Many cats, like Sabrina, ignore most anything simply lying on the floor (perhaps they are used to messy housekeeping) but are happy to pounce on on object suspended just an inch above. And there are some cats, like my own, that do not enjoy the sensation of being picked up (would you?), even by their own human, but are otherwise quite friendly.
If I were to do this study, I would use a much bigger sample size, add more behavioral tests and have the human in each study pair repeat the tests without the researchers present but in front of a camera.
All that said, the researchers deserve some credit for being the first to attempt to tackle the complex personality dynamics within cat-human relationship. Sadly, though, they only scratched the surface of this complex world.
Sign up for our free email newsletter and receive the best stories from Smithsonian.com each week.
28 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
HA HA! That sucker with 3 cats! I wonder who’d…oh. Contrary to popular belief, cats aren’t as independent as many people think. They’re devoted creatures of habit and don’t take kindly to changes in routine, despite my desperate pleas to exist in peace in one household.
Agreed, but I hope you realize that this is how science goes. Large samples are expensive in terms of money and time and results have to be replicated in several studies before they are considered meaningful. (I know that the press in search of sensational headlines doesn’t get that.)
In an initial study, it’s most appropriate to look at a variety of behaviors in a smaller study. The next step is to use results from the first study to narrow a research question and explore it with better control of specific variables within a larger pool (if there’s funding for that). Sometimes the first study is required in order to obtain funding for a more specific second study.
Yes, I recognize that this is how science is done. I guess my beef is mostly with how they’re hyping their own work in the press and claiming that their study says more than it can.
TYPICAL JUNK SCIENCE! I agree with what you say, but it goes deeper, the very small group studied is not large enough to come to ANY reliable conclusion.
Try having 5 cats and several more strays to feed and you understand what feeding time is like. Kitties always know it’s best to be very friendly to their human before din din. The study doesn’t mention anything about before feeding time when the cat has the ability to sound just like a crying baby to get attention. That was another study done by Current Biology June 2009.
I agree. Each cat takes visitors differently. My 2 females are affectionate toward nearly any visitor and my male cat sticks close to me and only pays attention to people we are close to such as my family. There is no way that this study proves anything other than the fact that cats have developed habits which they show when no one is around and I wholly agree that it should have been repeated with NO visitors in front of a camera.
I learned most of what I know about relationships from a cat. Sometimes you are in the mood for interaction and sometimes you are not. Same with a cat. If my cat rejects affection now she will not later. Usually she initiates the interaction. I feel I learned how to handle rejection from my cats.
I know my cat acts completely different To strangers than with me. My family got him when I was 4 as a kitten. I remembered I walked outside and there was this little black fluff ball hiding in a bush. He came right to me and i carried him in the house and he has been ours ever since. He has always been extremely close with me. I’m 21 now and live in my own apartment with him and he is amazingly devoted to me. Every night for 17 years he has slept in my bed with me, curled up beside me. he walks to the door with me as I leave for school and us always waiting when I get home. He sits beside the keyboard as I’m on the computer. he is 100% bonded with me. But whenever I have a visitor of any kind he hides under the bed. He is terrified of other people. he has always been like this. With my family for over a decade and he almost never interacted with them. It has always been me. This study definitely needs to be done without strangers to truly measure the bond.
The problem with studies with cats–as has been pointed out–is the tremendous variation in personality and preferences among them. Imagine trying to pick any 40 random human-to-human relationships and attempting to draw overly broad conclusions based on such a study. I am a male and I must say in all honesty that i have formed closer human-to-cat bonds than the women in my life over the years–and that includes cats that were originally theirs! That doesn’t prove anything of course other than the fact that more studies ought to be done before broad conclusions are drawn.
I’m a male who lives alone with an 11 year old cat (since she was about 6 months old) who’s rarely been seen by any strangers (this includes my closest friends and family) other than her vet. She hides at the first sign of visitors. Our relationship is extremely close and to me human-like; for instance her vocalizations closely approximate those of a small child, a fact that she seems to take full advantage of. The study as described in this article would’t be able to capture any it unless the methods of observation were undetectable by the cat.
We adopted Ziggy (Orange Tabby) when he was a junior. No telling his exact age. He is affectionate with both my husband and myself. But the strange thing is that he loves people, even workmen who come to our home. He has never hidden from anyone.
Agree with all comments here. My cat interacts differently with me alone as opposed to me with anyone else in the house. They have different relationships (or not) with different people. Any tests would have to be undetectable to measure true reaction. Also, the human-cat bonds with time. Sometimes it takes years, a very slow, steady development of a relationship. Just saying.
For catowners like myself and many I know it’s been known without making an expensive study like this that most likely someone obtained a government grant to do and for what purpose just how much money was wasted on this “science” that was needed so much? Be more interesting to get a grant to study the brain of the person who approves this stuff.
I’ve had cats all my life and currently have 5, all male. I have 4 different relationships. Two purr when picked up, two hate it and struggle to escape, one depends on his mood. One crawls all over strangers, three are curious, one hides. Two like to lay on me, three next to me. I could go on, but the point is made. Cats, while having an identifiable cat persona, are also ideosyncratic, like people.
I have a short hair domestic, have had her since she was about 6 weeks old. She loves water, very affectionate, has no problem with strangers, will usually walk up to them and start sniffing their clothes and shoes. Sleeps by my side every night, seriously bonded, shes almost three now. Interesting part was she has never went into heat. Never have seen that before. She is closely bonded with two other people, but not as close as me as during the week, its just me and her.
When I visit homes where there are cats it takes only a few minutes before they hop into my lap. It happens that several cats who don’t normally get along end up in my lap to the amazement of their owners. I had a very large Maine Coon cat for many years. He was a great companion and would take me for walks every evening. He loved to show off his tree climbing ability. That cat could make about 100 sounds and did so as we walked along. He learned new tricks the first try, if he wanted to. He sometimes would sit on a rock in our creek and fish. Their were many instances where he outsmarted me, even though I have a Ph. D.
Studying cats, all kinds of cats, will provide variations of behavior that match individuals known as human beings. No study can begin to scratch the surface in making generalizations. For sure however cats are much like women, unpredictable. It is noteworthy that in the Anglo-American literature human females are frequently categorized as “feline.” That never occurs referring to the male human species.
Also, no mention in most studies is ever made that ESP or possessing “Extra-Sensory-Perception” is characteristic of cats. I know. I’ve been in many places in the world visiting people with cats. Routinely I’m told I won’t see any, but often one or more will appear and somehow realize I’m a cat lover. Routinely, I have them sitting on my lap within a few minutes without my touching or signaling to them in any way. The owners have often been startled by this by saying for example; “My Fifi or a second or third cat have never done that to anyone.” It’s as if I were exuding mental cat-nip!
Breed is also an important factor. Breeds such as Siamese or Balinese tend to be more social and extroverted than others. I’ve had a Siamese who was not shy, and my Balinese, Salem, LOVES attention from anyone and everyone. He usually flops to the ground and rolls on his back even for strangers. What’s funny is that he is afraid of my housemates’ birds (they have cockatoos, Amazons, and African greys) and the dwarf bunny who also resides with us! However, he has so intimidated the poor 130-lb. Rottweiler that she will cry and back her way out of the room when Salem approaches. Go figure.
Our Maine Coon came into our lives when I was in 4th grade, and out of nowhere very scruffy and with a dead tail. Teddy was with us al through my college time and 6 years into my marriage!!! vWhat a georgeous guy and an independent cat he was..ate kidney livers and was a delight in his very old antique chair he thought was his.I still miss him.
I have 5 cats. Studying my interactions with each would produce wildly different results. For example two love to be picked up, one can take it or leave it and two hate being ‘handled.’ Two prefer to interact with me, one with my wife, two are roughly equal in their approaches. While I can identify common traits in cat personalities, they are also enormously ideosyncratic…sort of like people.
My wife’s cat treats her like she’s his servant. It always makes me laugh.
I am not surprised about the difference in male and female interactions: my husband and I breed and show pedigreed cats. He does at least half , and probably more than half, of all their care but almost to a cat they resolutely prefer my company. I have been puzzled by this for a long time. He complains about it frequently.
I have really enjoyed reading everyones comments. Further I and delighted about any study focusing on cat-human bonds. The govenment really needs to realize that cats are more than just something that needs to be fed. they are
companions and they can be service animals as well. My gray shorthair is just that. She will wake me up when I need to be or if I’m sick or she needs her potty cleaned. She is totally bonded to me. She comes when asked. She sits right over my shoulder when I am on the computer or watching a movie. She talks all the time. Verbally and non verbally. Runs from anything other than me. She helps my depression and my osteoporosis a great deal. She knows when I need a pain pill and will put off asking for her needs until I feel better. She is just amazing. I call her my little nurse.
I HAVE AROUND 40 CATS. MY HUSBAND AND I TAKE IN STRAYS, OF ALL KINDS, CHICKENS, TURKEYS, GEESE, DOGS, DUCKS, ETC, THAT PEOPLE DON’T WANT AFTER THE ANIMAL GROWS UP. WE FIND THAT, LIKE PEOPLE, EACH ANIMAL HAS IT’S OWN PACE OF ACCEPTANCE OF IT’S NEW HOME. HOWEVER, TO A ONE, HERE,THEY ARE ALL FRIENDLY, LOVING, AND GENTLE. THEY FOLLOW US AROUND THE FARM AS WE CLEAN AND FEED. SOME COME INSIDE, SOME PREFER TO STAY OUT. ONE IS MISSING AN EYE, AND VERY TIMID, AND PREFERS INSIDE. ANOTHER LARGE GREY CAT VISITS BACK AND FORTH, WHILE ONE THAT IS CHRONICALLY ILL WITH FELINE RHINOVIRUS, (YES HE WAS VACCINATED, AS ALL OUR ANIMALS ARE). ALL THE CATS TOLERATE HIS ILLNESS, BRING HIM TIDBITS, LET HIM SNUGGLE WITH THEM WHEN HE GETS THE CHILLS. WE LOVE OUR LIFE AND PETS!!
I trained Porsche to touch his paw to his feed bowl in order to be fed. I then taught him to alternate front paws. I then introduced a second bowl and held the handful of dry food between them saying “show me.” I can report now that his response over 60 feedings is quite random: left paw, left bowl – 14; left paw, right bowl – 16; right paw, right bowl – 17; right paw, left bowl – 13.
My wife and I have been home for 2-3 dozen cats over 30 years. Relationships have varied much by each cat’s personality and experiences but I have observed habits, new learning, and moods apparently related to both inner and outer circumstances. Mutual trust ranks high! The felines have us well trained.
I would want to have 5 cats.
I’ve had many cats and currently have one 13-year old (altered) male black domestic short hair named Zippurr. He’s incredible loving and allows our grandchildren to carry him all over. They learned from infancy that they must be very gentle with him and not force him. He does something none of my other cats ever did — something he developed. I have difficult going up stairs so often do so bending over and using my hands. He stands on the step at my face level and waits for me to kiss his head and rub his face. Then he goes up a step. This continues all the way to the top, where he rolls over and then goes into our bedroom, jumps up on the bed and spends the night next to my husband. I however, am the warm-blooded furniture everywhere else.