The stereotype that has existed for years – dogs are social, while cats are charming and independent – appears to be true.
A new study shows that cats are more independent than dogs and do not need the emotional support of their owners.
While dogs seek reassurance and comfort from their owners, the experiment found that cats are no more likely to seek closeness or comfort from their owner than from a stranger.
Experts say that, while dogs depend on us, almost becoming "fur babies," cats are completely self-sufficient.
Dr. Péter Pongrácz from Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary, who led the study, said:
“Cats can coexist with us, but they are not dependent on the help or security we can provide them. While dogs can be like our children and depend on us, this is not true for cats. They are predators that can find their own food, so they do not need to be fed by us, and cats that are left without an owner often become feral and live independently.”
The study involved cats placed in six different situations: sometimes with their owner alone, sometimes with a stranger alone, and sometimes with both of them nearby. The results showed that the cats did not prefer the owner over the stranger, did not stay closer to him, and did not greet him more often when he entered the room.
The experiments were conducted with 15 "therapy" cats, who visit schools and nursing homes, as regular cats are stressed when placed away from home in a laboratory. The researchers concluded that there were no signs of "cat-owner emotional bonding."
Dr. Pongrácz said:
“Dogs show a strong dependence on human support when faced with a problem, while cats do not. Dogs get stressed when left alone, but this is not true for cats. Cats have stayed with us for thousands of years mainly because of food sources – such as mice in houses and farms – not because of emotional need.”
The study, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, used the well-known “Strange Situation Test”, which has yielded clear results in dogs. The results showed that cats can play and show warmth towards strangers, just as much as they do towards their owners.
Dr. Pongrácz concluded:
"Cats and humans can have a friendship, and it's beneficial for house cats to be social with humans. But they don't depend on us in the way dogs do." /GazetaExpress/
edition
t7 live
