Your cat looks at you like a child looks at its mother: not by chance it is kneading on your thighs

Have you ever wondered how your cat thinks of you? Well, contrary to common misconceptions, cats form bonds with their owners in a similar way to dogs. So, they can become attached to humans like a toddler to its mother. What exactly we mean by this will be revealed below.

In general, people believe that cats are quite independent creatures and are not particularly prone to attachment. However, this is a mistaken assumption because cats are indeed affectionate types who form special bonds with their owners. Here is how the affection of a cat looks like.

The affection of a cat: They Attach in a Similar Way as a Child to Its Mother

The general opinion is that it’s impossible to establish a deep, close, and intimate connection with a cat as with a dog. However, this is not true at all. The only difference is that they express their love in a completely different way than dogs. In fact, researchers at Oregon State University concluded that cats relate to humans in a similar way to how a child relates to its mother.

Less Prone to Separation Anxiety

Interestingly, they are much less prone to separation anxiety. A study published in the journal Current Biology investigated whether cats, similar to dogs and infants, actually experience separation anxiety. The results showed that cats were much less likely to perceive separation as anxiety. However, it was evident that they did not cope well with it, and they were always happy when the owner returned. This shows that attachment can be discussed in their case, but it is much less associated with resulting anxiety.

So, How Do Cats Attach?

Cats have the peculiarity that, despite being able to fend for themselves, they often choose the company of humans. In such cases, it can be said that they show attachment types indicating that they cling to their owner due to care. This is true to some extent, as they are indeed dependent on their owner for sustenance. However, unlike dogs and infants, they could clearly manage on their own, yet they choose humans willingly. The fact that they look at their owner similarly to how a child looks at its mother is perfectly illustrated by the frequent kneading on your thigh or chest. This is because kittens stimulate their mother’s milk production in this way.

So, we can perhaps phrase it as follows: cats do indeed form a bond with their owner, much like a child to its mother, only they do it out of their independent will.