Cats Adore, Manipulate Women

[n2doc]

By Jennifer Viegas


The bond between cats and their owners turns out to be far more intense than imagined, especially for cat aficionado women and their affection reciprocating felines, suggests a new study.

Cats attach to humans, and particularly women, as social partners, and it's not just for the sake of obtaining food, according to the new research, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Behavioural Processes.

The study is the first to show in detail that the dynamics underlying cat-human relationships are nearly identical to human-only bonds, with cats sometimes even becoming a furry "child" in nurturing homes.

"Food is often used as a token of affection, and the ways that cats and humans relate to food are similar in nature to the interactions seen between the human caregiver and the pre-verbal infant," co-author Jon Day, a Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition researcher, told Discovery News. "Both cat and human infant are, at least in part, in control of when and what they are fed!"

more
http://news.discovery.com/animals/cats-humans-pets-relationships-110224.html

[TygrBright]

1. Talk about one from the "Duh!" file.... n/t

[Qanisqineq]

2. so true

my cats manipulate me. Especially my 18-year-old tomcat. He demands that I feed him canned cat food six times a day. At specific times. And if it isn't the flavor he wants, or doesn't have some water or treats added, he complains until I prepare it correctly. I am well trained.

I don't mind. He's a little old man and so damn cute and sweet. But having my head walked on at 6 am is not fun.

[tblue37]

13. Um, does your 18-year-old tomcat work part time as my 18-year-old

lady cat? 'Cause she does the same thing, only she no longer walks on my head to wake me for canned food. Instead she just smacks me repeatedly on the head or face to meet her constant canned food demands.

[Peregrine Took]

3. Guilty as charged.

My husband knows my weakness for kitties so if we ever see one walking around when we are out he always says "Oh,he lives in that house. I've seen him in the window many times!"
Hmmmmm.....

[Kali]

4. and did they give the DU lounge any credit or acknowledgment? hmm?

:rofl:

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

5. Never heard of a "Crazy Cat Man" before, have you?

it's "Crazy Cat Lady" for a reason. ;)

[customerserviceguy]

7. What I've always wondered

is why behavior that a woman despises about a man, she admires in a cat?

[mike_c]

6. I'm an exception to the rule....

My cats and I bond HARD. My (female) partner's cats like me better, LOL. But it definitely goes both ways-- I bond with cats as strongly as they appear to bond with me.

And yes, I am the neighborhood "crazy cat guy."

[montanto]

15. Not an exception I think.

I think that cats bond with people who take the time to understand them. They are like quiet thoughtful people: lots going on there, but little that is apparent. I think guys are less patient in building a relationship with cats than women are under those conditions. Dogs are different: full of unconditional love, whereas cats are more like people in that respect. They require a mutual understanding and respect that women are more likely to give than men. I'm a crazy cat man as well, and have strong relationships with my cats. They get along with my wife too: she loves them, they love her, but I'm still the alpha tiger in the house.

[NV Whino]

8. They needed a study for this?

[Celtic Raven]

9. Thought I'd share this

:evilgrin:

[Lisa0825]

10. Love it! :-) nt

[eridani]

11. Cats get crazy about theri people too

[tblue37]

12. Yesterday I was describing to friends some of the clever, cute, bizarre

tricks my cats use to make me do what they want. One said, "tblue37, you need to teach your cats who's boss!" I responded, "My cats already know who's boss--and it isn't me!"

[WatsonT]

14. I wonder if cat ownership will become more common as more and more women

opt out of having children. Stands to reason, if cats are serving as a surrogate child for women that this will occur.

Might be a good time to invest in Petco/Petsmart.

[era veteran]

16. Cats and I have always been tuned to each other.

We have 4 at the moment.