Cats share a stronger bond with their owners than dogs, finds study that analyzed their attachment patterns
A recent study has found out that cats, which are generally considered to be aloof and not very affectionate towards their owners, are the ones who forge a stronger bond with their humans than dogs.
According to researchers from Oregon State University, their study showed that cats held a long-time bond with their human owners, and showed distinct attachment styles like babies and dogs.
Researchers, for the study, conducted an experiment previously used to measure levels of attachment among dogs and primates and then compared and contrasted their findings with the tests conducted on human babies.
The experiment involved 70 kittens between the ages of three and eight months. They were placed in a room with their caregivers for two minutes before being left alone for two minutes. The researchers then observed their behavior when they were reunited with their caregivers.
The kittens' behavior was then categorized into four distinct attachment styles: secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized. Reports state that similar experiments conducted on human babies found that 65 percent of babies demonstrated secure attachment to their caregivers.
When researchers compared their data from the experiment with kittens, they found striking similarities, according to Science Alert.
The conclusive data showed that more than 60 percent of the kittens demonstrated a secure attachment style, suggesting that they became distressed when their caregiver left the room. They also showed a healthy balance of attachment and exploration after their caregivers returned to the room.
The study also showed that feline participants demonstrated a slightly higher secure attachment rate than was noted in a 2018 experiment involving 59 companion dogs.
However, nearly 30 percent of the kittens displayed an insecure attachment style, meaning they continued to be stressed despite being reunited with their caregivers.
"Like dogs, cats display social flexibility in regard to their attachments with humans. The majority of cats are securely attached to their owner and use them as a source of security in a novel environment," the study stated.