There’s a long-standing stereotype about cats and dogs. Dogs are seen as loyal and loving companions, while cats are often labeled as selfish and indifferent.
Overall, animal cognition research suggests that cats do form emotional bonds with humans.
They appear to experience separation anxiety, are highly attuned to their owner's voice, and seek comfort from their owners when startled.
However, a new study from Japan has added complexity to our understanding of the cat-human relationship. Using methods previously applied to dogs, researchers discovered that, unlike dogs, cats don’t reject their owner’s "enemies."
In the experiment, a cat watched as its owner sought help from two strangers. One stranger offered assistance, while the other remained indifferent.
Afterward, the two strangers attempted to lure the cat with food. The scientists observed which stranger the cat approached first.
WHY DO WE LOVE CATS ? | Exploring the Emotional Bond Between Humans and Cats
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When dogs were tested in similar experiments, they exhibited a clear bias—they avoided accepting food from the person who refused to help their owner. Cats, on the other hand, showed no such preference. To them, food was just food.
Some may interpret this as evidence that cats are selfish. While this might align with popular perceptions of cats, it reflects anthropomorphic bias. We often judge cat behavior from a human perspective, overlooking that cats are creatures with their own unique ways of thinking.
To truly understand cats, we must set aside human-centric assumptions and view them on their own terms. For cats, the concept of selfishness doesn’t apply—they simply don’t comprehend the dynamics of human social interactions.
Although cats can pick up on certain human social cues (such as responding to gestures and some emotions), their focus on our social relationships is likely much less than that of dogs.
Cats were domesticated relatively recently and haven't fully adapted to human society. While dogs descend from highly social animals, cats' ancestors were solitary hunters.
Domestication may have enhanced dogs’ social skills, but for cats, whose ancestors lacked social awareness, the process likely had different outcomes. Therefore, drawing conclusions about their behavior requires caution.
Even though cats dominate their social networks in their own way, our understanding of their thought processes remains limited.
Regardless of what research reveals, we should avoid interpreting feline behavior through a human lens. Instead, we should strive to see the world as cats do.
