You are not merely your cat’s best buddy – You’re Another Cat
Here are some conclusions from research on interpersonal relationships.
You share a home with your cat, but have you ever wondered what your feline roommate thinks of you in general? It appears that rather than seeing you as a person, your cat sees you as a fellow feline. What a fascinating assertion!
Doesn’t this give new meaning to the adage “your cat is a part of your family”? After all, if your cat views you as being equal, it is not unusual for you to view him similarly. Additionally, understanding your feline friend’s point of view can improve your bond while also enabling you to better understand his actions and desires.
Animal behavior study fascinates us, so we are always keen to learn more about the best ways to care for our furry friends who depend on us. Therefore, let’s examine what led experts to the opinion that your cat sees you as another cat.
A Brief History
Everyone is aware that dogs and cats differ substantially from one another while having numerous similarities. Because of these traits and the unique needs of these animals, caring for a dog is very different from caring for a cat.
When you think about some of the differences between dogs and cats, you could take into account factors like activity requirements, independence, and food requirements. But according to cat behaviorist and expert John Bradshaw, there is still one more difference between dogs and cats, and it has to do with how they view and understand people. Here is a quick summary of what he discovered about your pet.
The Study: Observation of Cats
Think about all you’ve learned on your own about your cat pal. How did you get so much knowledge? I assume you discovered a lot about your cat’s preferences by simply observing her.
We can learn so much from our pets as we get to know their distinct personalities and likes and dislikes. One must take the time to observe what makes cats happy as opposed to what frustrates or frightens them in order to comprehend how much they vary from one another. Given all of this, it is not unexpected that Bradshaw chose to observe cats in order to gain a better understanding of how they view the people who care for them.
As part of his investigation, Bradshaw spent countless hours carefully observing numerous cat packs. For instance, he would watch cats in both colonies that were free to roam and animal shelters. He set out to watch how the cats interacted with one another in order to comprehend the social structure of cats. He has also looked more closely at how cats’ behavior changes throughout the day.
You’re simply a large cat, that’s all
Bradshaw claims that your cat doesn’t view you the same way a dog would, probably because cats weren’t evolved to fulfill the same duties as dogs.
Despite the fact that scientists have found that a dog will perceive you as different from himself and will change his behavior as a result, cats frequently don’t exhibit similar features. When playing with another dog as opposed to a person, for instance, a dog will behave differently. But whether they are engaging with other cats or members of their own family, cats always stay true to who they are.
In other words, cats’ social behavior is unaffected by whether or not they interact with people. Therefore, your cat is behaving similarly to how he would act with other felines when he grooms you, cuddles up close to you, rubs against your legs, or wags his tail.
In addition, your cat will probably act in the same manner around you as he would around his mother if he feels safe and at ease and wants to show you that he cares. For instance, whereas adult cats occasionally rub against their owners, kittens mostly rub against their moms. In essence, after learning how to do so as kittens with their mother, adult cats continue to employ these behaviors to communicate with one another and their human family.
It’s also significant to mention that this research revealed that cats possess intelligence and may use communication to ask their owners for the items they want and require. Cats can pick up on the habits of every human in the house, so for instance, if you chose to wake up early in the morning and feed your cat but your husband choose to stay in bed, your cat would know to trouble you for some food. In order to use a range of vocalizations to get your attention, your cunning cat will also figure out how you react to various sounds. smart cats!
The study’s conclusion, according to several publications you may have read on the issue, is that your cat views you as a “cat” that is simply bigger and more foolish than it. Bradshaw, however, asserts in a National Geographic interview that this is inaccurate. According to Bradshaw, kittens will act in the same way around people as they do around other cats.
You can keep your pet happy if you have a better understanding of cat behavior
Bradshaw stated that owners might not always be aware of the level of stress their cats are experiencing. Like with us, stress can have an adverse effect on your cat’s physical and mental health.
For instance, if you have numerous cats and there are conflicts between them, this stress may lead to health problems that require veterinary attention as well as modifications to your home to help your cats get along or avoid one another.
As more is learned about the feline mind and how it functions, pet parents will be better able to recognize stress and manage it.
Your Particular Cat Relationship
Every cat is different, of course, but getting to know yours and observing his actions and behavioral traits will help you better understand him. And if he treats you the same way he would a cat, that’s a good sign!
So there you have it: your cat is not only smart, he also considers you a part of his family. If you refer to your pets as your furkids, you’ll be relieved to find that experts think your cats feel the same way as you do and consider you not only as a guardian but also as a lifelong friend.
