I will be honest, I kind of like being treated like a little human, even though I’m a cat with a cat’s mind and a cat’s instinct. I feel like I’m talking to people in their language. And my human understands cat language so there is rarely any confusion between the two of us.
The only problem is that many people actually believe that cats have emotions and reactions that are really exclusively human. Yes, some cat behavior mimics human feelings, but it comes from somewhere else. And when people try to solve cat problems from a human perspective, it doesn’t always go well.
What the Research Reveals
Some researchers in the Netherlands conducted a study in 2023 to see how anthropomorphism affects a person’s perception of cats. 1800 Dutch cat owners completed the study, most of whom consider their cats a family member (52%), a child (27%), or a best friend (6%) . Only fourteen percent thought of them as a pet.
All participants were presented with seven pictures of cats. Four had very clear facial expressions, while three had neutral expressions. Here’s where it gets interesting: people who believe their cats have complex social emotions — things like jealousy or shame — are less accurate at predicting the meaning behind the cat’s expressions in those picture! Those who saw their cats as children came up with the most invalid responses.
Cats Are Families From Different Species
It is important to consider your cat as a member of the family. And there is nothing wrong with taking care of them as you take care of a child. But it’s equally important to relate to us kittens on our own level, and not like we’re little people. Always remember, as cats, we are better than humans, and we have our own motivations, likes, and dislikes that may be very different from human motivations and preferences.
Think of it this way: what if you became very close to someone from another culture? Someone whose native language and habits have little in common with yours. But you still want them. In fact, you like them enough that you want to learn more about their culture and language so you can understand them better. That’s how your cat is. In fact, it should be easier with your cat, because our needs and desires are simpler than humans of any kind!
Cat Language 101
Although I could fill a small book with the language of cats, here are some basics to help you:
- Cats live by their survival instinct, and much of our negative behavior comes from feeling threatened. We are worried about our territory and our resources are running out. When people say we are jealous, of another pet or person, we are really afraid of having our resources taken away. It is deeper than an emotional human reaction. And it needs to be resolved from this point.
- Cats do not think in terms of revenge or punishment. What people see as these qualities is actually stress, sometimes extreme stress. Again, this has to do with our feeling that our safety is threatened. Most inappropriate elimination stems from either pain or stress, and should be dealt with at that level.
- Cats are not “avoidable.” We love being a part of your life. But being held back (i.e. hugged or held) triggers our flight mode, so we can struggle out of your grip. Always remember, cats are both predator and prey. No one wants to feel vulnerable when it comes to their safety.
- Cats need a lot of personal space. If we’re in the same room, with our backs to you, we ignore you. Quite the opposite. We consider this quality time.
- For most cats, the path to our hearts is paved with food. For those of us who aren’t motivated by food, playtime will usually do it. If no one wins with us, you probably aren’t paying enough attention to realize we’re sending subtle cues to know where you stand with us. Watch our ear set and body language and the way we relate to the place around you.
Hope these help!
Do you treat your cat like a little person? Or have you and your cat established your own way of communicating? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Here are more posts about cat language you might want to check out:
