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Your cat doesn’t love you: science
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown. Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact, cats show no sign of separation anxiety. Researchers at the University of Lincoln have concluded that cats, unlike dogs, do not need humans to feel protected. Before cat lovers start despairing about their aloof pets, however, animal behaviorists said they should take the finding as a compliment. If cats stay, it means they really want to be there. Daniel Mills, Professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at the University of Lincoln’s School of Life Sciences, said: “The domestic cat has recently passed the dog as the most popular companion animal in Europe. “Previous research has suggested that some cats show signs of separation anxiety when left alone by their owners, in the same way that dogs do, but the results of our study show that they are, in fact, much more independent than canine companions. “It seems that what we interpret as separation anxiety might actually be signs of frustration.” To find out if cats needed their owner to feel secure, the researchers observed how 20 cats reacted when they were placed in an unfamiliar environment together with their owner, with a stranger or on their own. The study monitored the amount of contact sought by the cat, the level of passive behavior, and signs of distress caused by the absence of the owner. “Although our cats were more vocal when the owner rather than the stranger left them with the other individual, we didn’t see any additional evidence to suggest that the bond between a cat and its owner is one of secure attachment,” Prof Mills said. “This vocalization might simply be a sign of frustration or learnt response, since no other signs of attachment were reliably seen. For dogs, their owners often represent a specific safe haven; however it is clear domestic cats are much more autonomous when it comes to coping with unusual situations.” Although the researchers say cats can still develop bonds with, and affection for their owners, the new study shows that they do not depend on them in the same way that dogs do. However cat expert Celia Haddon, author of Cats Behaving Badly and How To Read Your Cat’s Mind, said owners should not feel their pets do not love them. “This study shows cats do not need their humans to feel safe, they look after themselves. But in a way that’s a real compliment. Cats won’t live in an unhappy home, they’ll just walk out.” The research was published in the online journal PLOS One. J Young |
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Your cat doesn’t love you: science
On Sat, 05 Sep 2015 22:50:01 -0400, J wrote:
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science All of my cats hate anythng that is different than their normal lives. But there's no question that they feel more secure with me than without me. On the other hand, I'm not opening the door and letting them choose whether they want to stay or go. At least, not yet. Maybe after we've lived in the new home for a few more months. I'm sure most animals would choose a place where they know that they get fed. I do. |
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Your cat doesn’t love you: science
On 9/5/2015 11:12 PM, dgk wrote:
I'm sure most animals would choose a place where they know that they get fed. I do. (cross-posting and other blather snipped) Yeah, I choose to live where I get fed, too. Unfortunately, I have yet to have a cat that can cook. Jill |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
"J" wrote in message ... http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown. Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact, cats show no sign of separation anxiety. Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love? Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him* anyway.. Tweed |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
... "J" wrote in message ... http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown. Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact, cats show no sign of separation anxiety. Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love? Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him* anyway.. Tweed I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another, but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He acted normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that I scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying to be close to her. And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read together" for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love. Jay |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 14:56:23 -0400, "JJ" wrote:
"Christina Websell" wrote in message ... "J" wrote in message ... http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown. Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact, cats show no sign of separation anxiety. Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love? Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him* anyway.. Tweed I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another, but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He acted normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that I scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying to be close to her. And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read together" for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love. Jay They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their kittens. |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
"Christopher A. Lee" wrote in message ... On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 14:56:23 -0400, "JJ" wrote: "Christina Websell" wrote in message ... "J" wrote in message ... http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown. Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact, cats show no sign of separation anxiety. Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love? Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him* anyway.. Tweed I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another, but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He acted normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that I scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying to be close to her. And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read together" for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love. Jay They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their kittens. Storming Mormon alert. |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 21:20:57 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote: "Christopher A. Lee" wrote in message .. . On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 14:56:23 -0400, "JJ" wrote: "Christina Websell" wrote in message ... "J" wrote in message ... http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science Rudyard Kipling was right. Cats really do walk by themselves, and do not need their owners to feel secure and safe, a study has shown. Although absent owners might worry that their pet is pining, in fact, cats show no sign of separation anxiety. Let's just say that Boyfriend prefers me to stay at home with him and is delighted when I come home, whether I've been out for a couple of hours on a shopping trip or away for the day like last week. Whether this means he *loves* me, I don't know. I do know he is very attached to me and no-one else. No matter how many weeks he's been fed by other people e.g. when I've been in hospital, once I am home he becomes afraid of them again. He sees Claire at least twice a week, she was here 3 times a day looking after me last year but he wants to go out the minute she visits. Luckily she is not offended, she's Tigger's meowmie. I don't know if animals experience love for humans in the human sense of it. I do know that Boyfie only wants *me* to be with him. Is that love? Maybe he is just used to me and feels safe with me. I love *him* anyway.. Tweed I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another, but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He acted normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that I scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying to be close to her. And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read together" for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love. Jay They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their kittens. Storming Mormon alert. Eh? |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
On Wed, 9 Sep 2015 21:20:57 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote: They love us the way cats love - eg all my female cats have held my hand down with a watw and licked it the way they do with their kittens. Storming Mormon alert. Too many people think animal love should be like human love, but THAT is just stupid, as the animals aren't sex-obsesssed. |
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Your cat doesn't love you: science
On 9/9/2015 2:56 PM, JJ wrote:
"Christina Websell" wrote in message ... "J" wrote in message ... http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...ve-you-science I read the article. They may not "love" us as we humans love one another, but last week my wife was away for a week, visiting our daughter. He acted normally. Ate normally, slept his usual 16 hours a day and demanded that I scratch his head as he always does. But when she came back he immediately started following her around the house for 2 days, No fear, just trying to be close to her. And in the evening, when I read in bed, he always comes around to poke at the book, and then lies down in the crook of my arm and we "read together" for a while. Is that love? I think that's the way cats do love. Jay (crossposting snipped) I take exception to this statement from the article: "Before cat lovers start despairing about their aloof pets," (snippage) I've only been owned by two cats. Neither of which could be described as "aloof". I've always heard that word associated with cats but it doesn't make sense to me. Nothing could be further from my experience. Cats that jump up in my lap aren't "aloof". Cats that talk to me and want to play aren't aloof. Cats that sleep curled up next to me certainly aren't aloof. What the heck is with this reputation of cats being aloof and standoffish? I'm pretty sure Persia loved me. I'm pretty sure Buffy loves me. Like you, Jay, Persia did and now Buffy does jump into bed with me and settle down with a book before bed. We "read together". Love? Well guess what, she doesn't have to be there but she chooses to. Yep, I think that's the cat version of loving human. Buffy is a bed-hog! Jill |
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