Your Indifferent Cat Won t Choose Your Friend Over Your Enemy, Research Finds
ALI BOYLE, THE CONVERSATION
1 MARCH 2021
There s an old stereotype about the difference between cats and dogs. Dogs are loving and fiercely loyal, they say, while cats are aloof and indifferent. Most cat people probably disagree – I certainly find it hard to believe, with my cat purring away in my lap, that she doesn t care about me.
Overall, cat cognition research suggests cats do form emotional bonds with their humans. Cats seem to experience separation anxiety, are more responsive to their owners voices than to strangers and look for reassurance from their owners in scary situations. ....