Felines can establish as strong friendships with people as dogs, scientists say
Is the love between cats and people less intense than that established with a dog? The lack of studies, and ignorance, explain why this phrase has been repeated as a mantra. But scientists have finally resolved the doubt with a study: like dogs, cats are also our best friends. And not only that. They also reveal that more than half of those who have these animals share secrets with them that they do not tell anyone else and eight out of ten play and caress their kittens every day. In this article, the conclusions of this research carried out in Spain on the links between cats and humans are explained, it is explained why they are also our best friends and why adopting them increases the chances that love ties will grow with them.
How many times have you heard that the bond between cats and people is less intense than that established with a dog? Ignorance and the lack of extensive studies on the subject explain many of these claims. But what is the truth in it?
How do we love our cats?
The researchers divide the relationship that cat owners establish with their animals into three dimensions : interaction, emotional bond and the perceived cost of living with them.
Nine out of ten people pet and talk to their cat every day
While the interaction assesses how they relate to the feline (if they caress them more or less, how much time a day they play with them or if they buy them gifts), the so-called emotional bond analyses how important their cat is to the person from a point of view affectively, that is, if it helps you get through difficult times or how bad you feel when you are separated from your furry friend. Finally, scientists have also wanted to know what they call the perceived cost, the impact of living with the animal, not only economically, but also in terms of quality of life. In this sense, the researchers wanted to know to what extent it feels that caring for the cat sometimes forces you to change plans or stop doing activities, such as traveling.
What’s the score? Scientists have found that the love felt by feline owners for their pets, as well as the emotional bond that unites them, is very strong. Nine out of ten people recognize that they pet and talk to their cat frequently, in addition to that eight out of ten play with it every day and enjoy the fact that the cat has its own personality.
Cats are our best friends too
Cats can be our best friends, and they love us. The data extracted from the study corroborate this. And it is that 83% of the people with feline asked say that their pet is a source of constant company and almost seven out of ten say that their cat is always there when they need it and that it helps them overcome difficult moments. But not only that. Six out of ten humans who live with felines admit to saying things to their cat that they would not say to anyone else.
And what cost is perceived in return for the fact of taking care of the felines as they deserve? For 72%, taking care of them “is an easy task”, while 62% have never considered that living with a cat is a problem.
65% describe that they live the relationship with their kitten very intensely from an emotional point of view. And the most interesting thing, it does it while still admiring the personality and independent character of its feline. Cat owners who have an intense emotional relationship with their animal almost double those who admit that they do not have such a strong relationship with their felines. And the most interesting thing is that they do so while still admiring their personality and independent character.
What are those who live with cats like?
Women tend to develop very close relationships with their cats. Similarly, according to the study, couples without children also seem to build a more intense relationship with their feline, compared to those who spend a large part of their time caring for their children.
And a piece of information to defend adoption once again. Cats that have been bought in stores or obtained as a gift are more likely to have a less intense affective relationship with their humans. A result that reinforces the often repeated idea that a feline is a living being, whose acquisition must be preceded by a deep reflection on the part of its future owners.
