Ask anyone who owns both a feline and a canine buddy, and they will readily confess that at one point they felt that their dog loves or ‘adores’ more compared to the more docile cat. There’s no use refuting that our barking buddies can be somewhat boisterous, outgoing, animated or even exuberant. So, in direct comparison to the soft-pawed furry companions, it is easy to assume that our cats love us less than our dogs. So much that you might even be tempted to think that your cat does not enjoy your presence. But is this the truth? Well, let’s see.
Of Cats and Separation Anxiety
According to leading animal behavior researchers and analysts, cats will rarely display the same kind of behavioral attachment and separation anxiety that is synonymous to man’s most faithful buddy. There are several psychological and evolutionary reasons for this.
Solitary Hunters
Well, for starters, cats are predominantly solitary hunters. Save for the African lions; most wild cats will rarely hunt in groups, pride or packs. They will stalk, pursue, chase and pounce on their prey without necessarily relying on external aid. Dogs, on the other side of the spectrum, rely on collaborative hunting to survive. Which explains why wolves, wild dogs, foxes and the African jackal all hunt in packs and not individually. In this light of this alone, it is easy to see why your barking buddy would seem more ‘attached’ to the special bond between both of you that your feline friend. In other words, cats are naturally more or less independent of human existence.
Domesticated Earlier
Secondly, dogs were historically domesticated earlier than cats. That implies that they have been around human homesteads and our household settings longer than cats. And over the centuries, they have apparently gotten used to human mannerisms, behavior, and expectations. Think of it this way; your old high school pal would feel more attached, close, and at ease around you than a recent graduate college colleague. Right? And it doesn’t take much to see it’s because they have known you for longer, and consequently better.
In Closing
Cats, as well as dogs, do form affectionate and social bonds with their owners. It is only that cats don’t display a strong and evident social bond. But that doesn’t mean that it is not there. So, regardless of what you read online, don’t ever doubt your furry friend’s love for you!
