PREVIOUS : Attachment & Animals, #3

 

 

ATTACHMENT is a biological imperative. About 68-75% of the human population has the same attachment style developed in childhood, although it can change over time, because of  a catastrophic event, thru healthy experiences, with therapy,…. About 40% are Secure & 60% have developed various flavors of Insecure attachment.

Cats have been a part of our lives for most of human history, playing an important role in various cultures (China, India, Europe…). The Near Eastern Wildcat was bred by Mesopotamian farmers 3,000 BC, & cats were first domesticated in Egypt around 4.000 years ago. There they were revered as the goddess Bastet, mummified as accompaniment in human graves. When a pet cat died, the owner shaved their eyebrows for a month, & killing a cat was potentially punishable by death.
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Research indicate that cats have a greater flexibility & depth of social relationships than was previously believed. A study from Oregon State U. showed that domestic cat have the same ability to form attachment bonds with human caretakers as babies & dogs.  House pets have attachment styles with others of their own species, as well as with other species, including people!

Two studies published in Current Biology by Kristyn Vitale looked at cat attachment styles & found evidence that says a lot about their relationship to their human caregivers. As with people, cats also form strong connections in infancy. Because they’re usually separated from their mothers at just a few weeks old, they become attached to the humans who raise them.

Kittens with a secure style greeted their owners warmly, rubbed against the person or allowed physical contact, before going to explore the room or play with a toy. They walked back & forth toward their human without a sense of urgency – relaxed, acting ‘cat-normal”without avoid their caretaker, just being “in the moment” .

The 1 yr old cats were exposed to various stressful events, then examples of common cat behavior, were measured, namely – their vocal reactions. The secure cats vocalized just as much as the ambivalent ones had from the insecure group! The frequency of meows was not exactly the same, but both types “talked”, while the avoidant & disorganized cats did not..

Insecure-ambivalent attachment style sat in their owner’s lap & demanded constant attention, while those that were insecure-avoidant hid or ran away from physical contact for several minutes before coming out to approach their human friend.«

Insecurely attached kittens were divided into groups, with 84%  Anxious-Ambivalent, 12% Avoidant, & 4% displayed disorganized attachment (fearful). A portion were enrolled in a 6-week training & socialization course with their caretakers, to see if that would affected their attachment behaviors. Researchers found that 81% of the kittens who participated had the same attachment style as they did before the course.

CAT ANXIETY
Cats can develop Separation Anxiety Syndrome, with many of the same signs as dogs, a distressing condition that can be a result of excessive attachment. SIGNS of anxiety :
⛔︎ Destroying things, more common in males
⛔︎ Excessive grooming,  more common in females
⛔︎ Excessive vocalization. Some also carry a favorite toy in their mouths while yowling or crying  

⛔︎ Defecating or Urinating outside the litter box.  In one study, 3/4 of those cats did so exclusively on the pet parent’s bed
⛔︎ Hyper-attachment to their caregiver, seeking constant contact when they are together (MORE ….causes & solutions)

HELP : Treatments for animal anxiety disorders
❥ Behavior Modification, Counter-conditioning, Rewards
❥ Create and Maintain a Consistent Routine
❥ Ignore Attention-Seeking Behaviors
❥ Manage the Environment, w/ Enrichment Activities
❥ Pharmaceuticals, EXP: pheromone products,

The best way to promote attachment security in cats is to encourage gentle, appropriate human-animal interaction from an early age, such as physical touch, & a predictable routine.

NOTE : Women are Emotionally Attached to Their Feline Pets.
Brain scans show that when we look at cats, the amygdala lights up, the part that processes emotionally important information. A study showed the most activity in seen in amygdala’s neurons, as a strong-positive response to pictures of cats more than when looking at buildings or people.”

SO — cats, naturally play with our emotions! Although they have individual temperance & attachment styles – like us – they provide amusement, attention & warmth. Once we’ve formed that bond, it feels heavenly, & nothing can take that away.
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