Do Cats Really Have Staff?

 

The old joke is that cats don't have owners, they have staff.  It's good for a laugh or two but scientists are actually wondering whether or not cats actually bond with their owners.  Turns out, they are!  They don't actually consider us to be their staff after all!  
 

Researchers at Oregon State University recently did a study that tested "attachment styles" in 70 three- to eight-month-old kittens, using the same model they have used to test bonding in dogs and primates.  Kittens were with their owners for two minutes, then separated from them for two minutes.  When researchers brought them back together, they looked at how attached the kittens were to their owners by their behavior. 

Not unlike the results of some human studies, about 65% of them were happily and securely "attached" to their owners.  Looking at the behavior of the "insecure" kittens who didn't have solid bond with their owners - they ran and hid - the scientists were able to determine that cats do rely on their owners as a source of security and happiness.  CLICK HERE to read more on this study!