Are cats as independent as people say? The myth of the cat that needs nobody
Less than their reputation suggests. Cats are more self-sufficient than dogs in many ways, but they form real bonds with their people: a study from Oregon State University, published in 2019 in Current Biology, found that most cats are securely attached to their carers, in a similar proportion to babies and dogs.
Where the reputation comes from
The reputation for independence has a real basis. Unlike the dog, which descends from a social animal that hunts in packs, the ancestor of the domestic cat, the African wildcat, is a solitary hunter that catches small prey on its own. A cat does not need to be taken for walks, uses the litter tray by itself, grooms itself and copes better than a dog with a few hours on its own. It also shows affection more discreetly and on its own terms: it does not usually obey, it does not always come when called and it decides when it wants to be stroked. For a long time all of this was read as coldness or detachment. And the old saying that a dog thinks you are its master while a cat thinks it is yours did the rest. The reality, when it has been studied properly, is far more interesting.
The attachment study
In 2019, Kristyn Vitale, Alexandra Behnke and Monique Udell of Oregon State University published a study in the journal Current Biology that put that idea to the test. They used an adapted version of a classic test for studying attachment in babies and dogs: the cat spent two minutes with its carer in an unfamiliar room, then two minutes alone, and was then reunited with them. Securely attached cats calmed down when their person came back, went up to them and then returned to exploring. Insecurely attached cats showed more stress, clung to their person excessively or avoided them.
The results: like babies and dogs
In the group of kittens aged three to eight months, around 64 per cent showed secure attachment to their carer. In a group of 38 adult cats, the proportion was very similar, about 66 per cent. These figures are very close to those found in human babies, around 65 per cent, and in dogs. The authors concluded that the capacity to form attachment bonds with people is not unique to dogs, and that cats see their carers as a source of security. The study involved a limited number of cats, but its results match what people who live with cats see every day.
Do they prefer food or you?
Another study by the same group, published in 2017 in Behavioural Processes, offered pet and shelter cats, after a few hours without stimulation, a choice between four things: food, a toy, an interesting scent or interaction with a person. The option preferred by half the cats was social interaction with the person, ahead even of food, although there was a lot of individual variation. It is a finding that contradicts the image of the cat that only loves you for its dinner. Some cats are very sociable and others more reserved, but very few are indifferent to their people.
Independent is not the same as solitary
Domestic cats are not as solitary as their wild ancestor. When there is enough food, as in urban colonies, they form stable groups, often of related females that raise their kittens together, groom one another and share resting places. Something similar happens with people: many cats follow their carers from room to room, sleep with them, greet them with a raised tail when they come home and rub against their legs. What they do not do is demand constant attention as some dogs do. Their way of relating is subtler, and that explains much of the misunderstanding.
How long can a cat be left alone?
The fact that a cat copes with being alone better than a dog does not mean it can spend days on its own. A healthy adult cat can easily be left for the length of a working day, as long as it has water, food, a clean litter tray and surroundings with things to do. But weekends away or holidays need someone to come to the house at least once a day, to check that it is eating, drinking and using the litter tray, clean the tray and spend some time with it. A cat left alone for two or three days could have an emergency, such as a urinary blockage, without anyone noticing, or stop eating, which is dangerous in cats.
Cats that struggle with being alone
Some cats have a hard time when their people go out. Separation-related problems have been described in cats too: persistent miaowing when left alone, urinating or defecating outside the litter tray, often on their person’s bed or clothes, overgrooming, or not eating while nobody is home. It is more common in cats that live alone in a flat with little stimulation, or in cats that were weaned too early. More play before you leave, food puzzle toys, windows with a view and, in some cases, a well-chosen second cat all help. If the problem is serious, it is worth seeing a vet who specialises in behaviour.
What an “independent” cat needs
A cat needs far more than food and a litter tray. It needs play every day, because it is a hunter, and if it does not hunt it gets bored, puts on weight and sometimes becomes destructive or aggressive. It needs scratching posts, high places and hiding spots. It needs stable routines, because change stresses it. And it needs its people: some time being stroked on its own terms, someone who notices when something is wrong and someone who plays with it. Adopting a cat in the belief that it looks after itself is the root of many behaviour problems. Adopting one knowing that it is a discreet companion that pays close attention to you is the start of a good relationship.
Cats are more self-sufficient than dogs, but they are not indifferent: in the study by Vitale and colleagues (Current Biology, 2019), around 64 per cent of kittens and 66 per cent of adult cats showed secure attachment to their carer, just like babies and dogs. They can be left alone for a few hours, not days, and they need play, routine and company.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.