Cats are interesting in the ways that they need us. We know that there are clingy cats out there. And for every clingy cat, there will be a classic scaredy cat who is shy and standoffish. Cats are individuals by nature, but it seems that many people—especially noncat people—will often view cats as aloof. It’s been thought by many for years that cats are antisocial beings that prefer to be alone. Now, of course, cats do not want to be disturbed when they are deep in a cat nap. But are cats actually antisocial? Here we will dive into the common misconception that cats are antisocial—and you might be pleasantly surprised to discover just how social cats can be!
One study suggests cats’ sociability is influenced by their humans
Cats are interesting in that they can influence our actions geared toward their wants, but they also possess the ability to mimic our actions. Think of it like this: if you are the type of person who is adventurous and would love for your cat to travel with you, then it’s likely you’ll want your cat to be adventurous like you. This is why we see so many cats learning to hike, camp, travel, etc. Now, for those of us who prefer to be homebodies, our cats could become shy due to limited exposure to the outside world. But we don’t mind one bit, because we quickly become our cat’s favorite person and they are always by our side.
A study published in Science Direct has proven that the sociability of cats is unique and can be determined based on life experiences.
“Despite the popularity of the domestic cat, surprisingly little is known about cat social behavior or factors influencing the human-cat relationship (Vitale Shreve and Udell, 2015). The lack of research in this field may be due in part to a common misconception that cats are not a social species (Spotte, 2014). Although many think of cats as solitary, domestic cats are facultatively social and can live either socially or solitarily, depending on their environment and upbringing (Leyhausen, 1988; Bradshaw and Cameron-Beaumont, 2000; Turner, 2014). Domestic cats display a wide array of social behaviors with conspecifics and interact non-randomly with “preferred associates” (Wolfe, 2001; Curtis et al., 2003; Crowell-Davis et al., 2004) and with humans (Edwards et al., 2007; Vitale Shreve and Udell, 2015).”
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House cats can be aloof when living alone, but feral cats are proof of cats’ sociability
Domesticated cats’ sociability can be influenced by different factors, but it’s a well-known fact that feral cats live in colonies. While these cats are fearful of humans, feral cats will almost always live in colonies. The size of the colony will often directly depend on the food resources available. While there is no hierarchy among these street cats, it is clear to them when they encounter a cat from another colony, which is why feral cat fights occur regularly. Intact cats are often much more aggressive, and feral cats’ lives are centered around survival. Feral cats will display bonding behaviors with other cats in their colony, such as allogrooming. When cats groom other cats, this is a clear indication that they care for each other. This social bonding activity is valid proof of feral cat sociability, and it is something we often see our cats display in multicat homes. It is true that there are some cats that do better in single-cat homes. Life experiences with other cats are often what will lead a cat to develop hatred towards other cats. (More on that topic here.)
Cats can become very lonely when left unattended for too long and too often
Cat owners have the luxury of leaving their homes for several hours without having to worry about their cats having made a stinky mess all over their house. With that being said, leaving your cat home alone for long periods of time on a regular basis is not ideal for their mental health should they be an only cat. Cats are social and sentient beings that can easily become depressed when there is no one for them to interact with. We know that cats are micromanagers of their human servants, so even when you are there and not in the same room as them, they have comfort knowing that they can hear your voice and feel your presence in the home.
Cats will often display naughty cat behaviors when left alone for hours on end. When boredom strikes, anxiety can also kick in. Many cats will come running to greet us at the door upon our arrival if we’ve been gone for an extended period. Cats truly do miss their owners when they are away, and this is why many cats will wait by the door or post up on windowsills anxiously awaiting their beloved human’s return. Why do they do this? Because they are social and crave interaction with you!
Did you learn anything new about our feline friends? We hope so! Now that you’ve learned all about how social cats are, check out this next article on Cattitude Daily about why cats visit other houses. Hint: their social nature might be one of the main reasons!
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