Evolution and domestication

Cats are often, perhaps mistakenly, labelled as aloof or unaffectionate. This may be because people are comparing them with ‘man’s best friend’, but in fact, felines communicate and behave totally differently to canines, which is an unfair comparison. Additionally, dogs were domesticated much earlier than cats and provided ancient humans with protection and a warning signal of approaching intruders (1). Cats on the other hand provide little utility other than companionship or perhaps pest control on farms. Cats are solitary animals that protect their own territories, leading them to be more attached to places than to people.

Attachment

Attachment is a term often used to describe the relationship between an infant and their carer but it has also been used with respect to the dog-owner relationship. Research conducted into attachment between cats and their owners is somewhat inconclusive. One study (2) found that domestic cats do not show signs of secure attachment to their owners. This is often seen when domestic cats choose to leave their owner’s home and either not return or return months later having presumably been enjoying the company of other humans.

Scenting

Cats possess scent glands around their cheeks, chin, the top of their head, and the base of their tail, which produce pheromones. When they rub their face or tail against humans, other animals, or household items, they leave behind these identifiable pheromones. (3) Cats will rub themselves to claim their territory, which includes people. If your cat comes to you when you get home and rub its scent on you, this is a good sign they feel affectionate towards you and consider you to be ‘theirs’.

Blinking

Cats will use their eyes in different ways depending on whom they are looking at. For a familiar person whom they are fond of, cats tend to engage in a slow blink sequence, that is a series of half-blinks followed by the closing of their eyes. Research has shown that cats will use this sequence to communicate a positive emotional state with their humans (4). This same study found that cats perceive human slow blinking in a positive way, meaning if you slow blink at your cat it may help to improve the human-animal bond.

Greeting

A cat who considers you to be part of his social group will greet you in a similar way to how he would greet other cats. A tail that is upright or in a question mark shape is likely to indicate familiarity, affection, and trust (5). Tail wrapping is also considered to be a sign of friendship between cats and they may wrap their tail around your leg to simulate this.

Conclusion

Cats are not affectionate in the same way as dogs and due to their more recent domestication, a lot of humans don’t have the same understanding of feline body language as that of canines. Cats enjoy frequent short interactions rather than prolonged petting like dogs. It is also important to consider the individual animal as differences will obviously be found between individuals based on their personality, genetics, and personal history. If you’d like to learn more about how to care for your cat, you can sign up for Novabright’s cat care course here .