A Study Finds That Your Cat Thinks of You as a Parent

Contrary to popular belief, cats can actually form bonds with their owners just like other pets do. A study found that cats have social-cognitive abilities and, similar to babies, your cat can see you as their parent and create a sense of attachment.

To satisfy the curiosity of all cat lovers, Bright Side will now explain why your cat thinks of you as a parent.

They are social animals.

Most cats have social needs. They can befriend other animals and cooperate with them. They can even feel a loss. Cats also try to socialize and create bonds with humans. In fact, some experts say that cats think we are cats as well. Bigger than them, but still cats. They see you as family.

They feel attached to you.

Your cat seeks proximity with you. They try to be involved in what you are doing and create a sense of attachment. Once they create an attachment style with you, it tends to become stable over time. This behavior toward their owner is still present during the cat’s adulthood, meaning that your cat sees you as its primary caretaker.

They may feel stressed when you’re not around.

According to this test, if you are in a room with your cat and leave it for just 2 minutes, they will start to feel more stressed and insecure. Cats that feel insecure are more likely to run around and hide. Their levels of stress will be reduced once you come back and reunite with them.

You are their safe place.

Cats have the capacity to distinguish security and insecurity toward humans. According to the study, a high percentage of cats feel instantly more secure when they are with their owners. The majority of cats choose their owners as their first source of security, just like kids do with their parents.

They actually care about you.

Although it may not be that obvious, your cat really cares about you. There are different ways in which it can show you love. For example: by purring, blinking at you, head butting, showing their belly, and even by grooming you. When cats are grooming their owners they feel very relaxed and want to show that they trust you with their lives, like they would do for a parent.

Now you know that your cat sees you as a parent. Do you treat your cat as if it were your own child?