Do cats love their owners?
Cats are generally thought to be completely independent animals and do not feel the same unconditional love we feel for them. This fact certainly makes cat caregivers very uncomfortable, as they are sure that their cats love them and prove it with the slightest gesture.
- But is that true? If you’re wondering if you’re in the right place.
- Because in this Animal Expert article we want to explain how cats like it and what information is just a rumor.
The claim that cats feel love has many nuances to consider, because while we have no doubt of the immense affection that our pets have on us, we need to know how we perceive the world from how our pets. the animal perceives it. What is clear is that cats create very strong bonds.
But what is attachment? This concept was first defined by psychologist John Bowlby, and is understood as an emotional bond of high intensity and lasting (but variable over time), which develops through a reciprocal interaction between two individuals and in which it contributes to safety, comfort and sustenance.
Emotionally, attachment is born when the individual realizes that he has a protective figure, who will be there unconditionally, as the mother of his child, whether a human, canine or feline relationship, among many other species. So it’s no wonder your cat takes refuge in you when you’re sad, scared, or finally, looking for your emotional support.
For more information, see this other Animal Expert article: Do cats have feelings?
Recently, a study was conducted at the University of Oregon to see if this phenomenon is true or whether, on the contrary, it is just an “idealization” of those who love their kittens very much. However, it has been empirically proven that domestic cats form bonds with their owners and are similar to those raised by a child with their parents.
It is not uncommon for there to be this link between cats and owners because, if we look at it coldly, attachment is actually a survival mechanism to which we have different species to hold on emotionally to what makes us survival. That is, if a cat did not care about its puppies and did not feel unsure if its mother disappeared (and therefore did not call her), she could hardly live without the food, protection and learning that she provides them unconditionally. .
However, while in nature there is a process of detachment (when the puppies are ready to reach a level of maturity, the mother begins to move away from them and forces them to become independent), when you adopt a cat, it does not happen. The caregiver becomes this protective figure without which he could not survive, which is part of the reason cats miss their owners. In these circumstances, as your cat has a guardian associated with something good, every time you see it, it creates in it a great feeling of confidence and tranquility. On the contrary, and as has been proven in the experiment, if you disappear to one side and leave it in a completely unknown space, you will feel terribly insecure and stressed, because you will have lost your safe base.
In addition, behind this behavior, there is a hormone responsible for the disease of cats and humans. We speak neither more nor less of oxytocin, a substance secreted by the pituitary gland responsible for creating and maintaining relationships of friendship and attachment.
This “love hormone” is responsible for many mammals making us feel good when we are in company and interacting with others of our own species or different species. It is therefore a key element of affiliation with others, as it stimulates and reinforces social behaviors, such as mutual seduction, games, etc.
For more information, you can read this other Animal Expert article: How to Know If My Cat Trusts Me
You probably love your cat, but you may have wondered more than once if this love is reciprocal, because cats do not express their affection in the same way as us, and all have their own character, which can make it difficult to understand them. . There is no doubt that if you are the one who gives food and safety to your cat, he must love you, and a lot! Let’s see what the main signs of your cat loving you:
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