Friendship With Cats: What Does Science Say?

The fundamental step in becoming friends with cats is to adopt a feline according to its personality, which is more like that of the owner.

Some cats have a reputation for being moody and not getting along with humans. While those who live with cats know they can be very affectionate,  scientists have studied how best to make friends with our purring friends.

Friendship with cats according to science

In recent years, many scientific studies on animal behavior have been done. They were created from experiments to measure your intelligence, your ability to solve problems, and even  statistics about how best to interact with them.

From these latest studies, we want to highlight those who are oriented towards befriending cats. We’ve compiled a series of scientific conclusions  about how best to approach a cat or how to make life easier at home.

As is often the case with this type of conclusion, some advice can already be imagined. However, in some of them  scientists arrived at unexpected and surprising answers.

1. let them take the initiative

Two Swiss studies came to the same conclusion:  if you want to befriend cats, let them decide to approach and touch you. So if you pet a cat before he gives you permission, you will start that relationship on the wrong foot.

One of the studies was done with 50 different cats:  the animal approached sooner and tended to run less if the human sat down and waited for the cat to have the initiative to approach. The other study showed that the cat stayed longer and played with that person more when the  presentation was done that way.

1. If the presentation is not going well, give space

Cats have a very broad body language with which they convey a lot. However,  few people pay attention to the signals that cats give to show they are uncomfortable or irritable : wagging their tails or flattening their ears, for example.

It was found that if a cat is respected in showing these signs, and it is allowed to run away or we stop touching it, it  is more likely that it will come back soon and next time it will take longer to have that same reaction.

Cats are loving but independent animals. Too much physical contact usually overwhelms them: but if they find that we stop touching them when they ask,  they become more likely to want those caresses they previously rejected.

1. play with him

A 2017 study of domestic and adopted cats showed that  cats prefer playing with humans over food. Also, cats preferred to play with humans if there was a toy involved, although the type of toy depended on each cat’s preferences.

Cats are predators and social animals: playing is part of their natural instincts. If you play with your cat and give him the opportunity to chase and hunt for small toys, your relationship with him will be strengthened  and his behavior in general will improve.

1. Adopt a cat according to your personality

As for adoptions, several statistical studies were done: one that interviewed adult cat adopters found that  people attribute different personalities to cats according to the color of their fur, when, in fact, the feline’s physical appearance has no influence on the way you are.

Another study investigated the lives of adult cat adopters: satisfaction with the behavior and relationship with the animal was  considerably better in cases where the human knew the cat’s personality before adopting it.

Within shelters and protective associations, it is clear: for an  adoption to  be a success, the personality of both the animal and the human must be taken into account. If you have doubts, the best option is to receive the cat for a while to get to know him better. As with people, to make friends with cats, you need to pay attention to their personality.

1. don’t let him go for a walk

Furthermore, a study carried out in Italy showed that  cats that do not have access to the outside, and that live at home all day, are more affectionate and docile  with humans than those that can go for an all-night walk. or during the day.

One of the causes is attributed to the fact that the  cats that went out preferred to be active during the night and sleep during the day, rather than interacting with the family. On the other hand, the cats that stayed at home slept through the night and played with the family during the day.

In recent decades, many different studies on the behavior of animals have been done. These are just a few examples that help us make friends with cats and understand them better:  play with your cat, let him decide when to start and end play, and, above all, adopt your cat in accordance with your personality  and not according to  your physical appearance.