My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship
Cats form close emotional relationships with humans, yet little is known about this. This study characterized different types of relationship that cats might establish with their owners. Data were analyzed from 3994 responses to a questionnaire developed using expressions of social support and attac...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-05-01
|
Series: | Animals |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1601 |
id |
doaj-c59666ac28fe4528b4c7fab7f7b2aca8 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-c59666ac28fe4528b4c7fab7f7b2aca82021-06-01T01:34:01ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-05-01111601160110.3390/ani11061601My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and RelationshipMauro Ines0Claire Ricci-Bonot1Daniel S. Mills2Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UKAnimal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UKAnimal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 7TS, UKCats form close emotional relationships with humans, yet little is known about this. This study characterized different types of relationship that cats might establish with their owners. Data were analyzed from 3994 responses to a questionnaire developed using expressions of social support and attachment in relation to everyday cat–owner interactions. Principal component analysis reduced the items to four factors: the “owner’s emotional investment in the cat”, “cat’s acceptance of others”, “cat’s need for owner proximity” and “cat’s aloofness”. Cluster identified three groups of owners with two of these each sub-divided into two. The “open relationship bond” was characterized by a lightly emotionally invested owner and an avoidant cat. The “remote association” and “casual relationship” were characterized by an emotionally remote owner but differed in the cat’s acceptance of others. The “co-dependent” and “friendship” relationship were characterized by an emotionally invested owner but differed in the cat’s acceptance of others and need to maintain owner proximity. In conclusion, as with any complex social relationship, the type of cat–owner bond that develops is the product of the dynamic that exists between both the individuals involved, along with certain personality features, of which, the wider sociability of the cat and owner expectations may be particularly important.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1601affectional bondattachmentcathuman–animal interactionownerrelationship |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Mauro Ines Claire Ricci-Bonot Daniel S. Mills |
spellingShingle |
Mauro Ines Claire Ricci-Bonot Daniel S. Mills My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship Animals affectional bond attachment cat human–animal interaction owner relationship |
author_facet |
Mauro Ines Claire Ricci-Bonot Daniel S. Mills |
author_sort |
Mauro Ines |
title |
My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship |
title_short |
My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship |
title_full |
My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship |
title_fullStr |
My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship |
title_full_unstemmed |
My Cat and Me—A Study of Cat Owner Perceptions of Their Bond and Relationship |
title_sort |
my cat and me—a study of cat owner perceptions of their bond and relationship |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Animals |
issn |
2076-2615 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
Cats form close emotional relationships with humans, yet little is known about this. This study characterized different types of relationship that cats might establish with their owners. Data were analyzed from 3994 responses to a questionnaire developed using expressions of social support and attachment in relation to everyday cat–owner interactions. Principal component analysis reduced the items to four factors: the “owner’s emotional investment in the cat”, “cat’s acceptance of others”, “cat’s need for owner proximity” and “cat’s aloofness”. Cluster identified three groups of owners with two of these each sub-divided into two. The “open relationship bond” was characterized by a lightly emotionally invested owner and an avoidant cat. The “remote association” and “casual relationship” were characterized by an emotionally remote owner but differed in the cat’s acceptance of others. The “co-dependent” and “friendship” relationship were characterized by an emotionally invested owner but differed in the cat’s acceptance of others and need to maintain owner proximity. In conclusion, as with any complex social relationship, the type of cat–owner bond that develops is the product of the dynamic that exists between both the individuals involved, along with certain personality features, of which, the wider sociability of the cat and owner expectations may be particularly important. |
topic |
affectional bond attachment cat human–animal interaction owner relationship |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1601 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT mauroines mycatandmeastudyofcatownerperceptionsoftheirbondandrelationship AT clairericcibonot mycatandmeastudyofcatownerperceptionsoftheirbondandrelationship AT danielsmills mycatandmeastudyofcatownerperceptionsoftheirbondandrelationship |
_version_ |
1721412155976187904 |