CAT ATTACHMENT STYLE IMPACTS BEHAVIOUR AND HORMONE LEVELS, STUDY FINDS

New research published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science reveals that, like dogs and even human babies, cats can form different types of emotional attachments to their owners, and these attachments significantly impact their behaviour and well-being. The study shows that a cat’s attachment style – whether secure, anxious, or avoidant – affects how they behave around their owners, their likelihood of exhibiting problem behaviours, and even fluctuations in their oxytocin levels, a hormone linked to social bonding.

Cats are among the most popular pets worldwide, with their numbers increasing rapidly in many areas. A strong bond between a cat and its owner is beneficial for both, promoting their physical and mental health. Unfortunately, many cats are surrendered to shelters due to behavioural problems, with aggression toward humans being a major contributing factor. As a result, researchers are focused on finding ways to encourage healthy behaviours in cats and foster more harmonious relationships between cats and their human companions.

Recent research has revealed that cats are more socially intelligent than previously believed. They are capable of understanding human emotions and cues and can even recognize their owners’ voices. This suggests that the way owners interact with their cats may have a significant impact on the cat’s behaviour. Some studies have found connections between owner characteristics – such as personality and how they engage with their pets – and behavioural issues in both cats and dogs. For example, stressful interactions can lead to increased aggression in cats. As a result, the research team behind this study aimed to explore the relationship between how cats and owners interact, how cats form attachments to their owners, and the role of a hormone called oxytocin.

Oxytocin may play a key role in forming emotional bonds between pets and their owners, contributing to the mental and physical benefits of these relationships. Research on dogs and their owners has shown a positive feedback loop, where friendly interactions, such as gazing, gentle touch, and petting, trigger oxytocin release in both dogs and their owners. This, in turn, fosters more positive interactions and further oxytocin release. However, little is known about how oxytocin is released during interactions between cats and their owners.

“I have been working in the field of cat behaviour and welfare for some time, and one of my research interests is how the human – cat relationship influences cat behaviour and the development of problematic behaviours,” said study author Lingna Zhang from South China Agricultural University.

“Recent research has shown that the attachment between cats and their owners is similar to that of dogs and their owners or children and their parents. In both human and dog relationships, attachment style influences behavioural health, but this has not yet been studied in cats. This motivated me to explore the relationship between cat attachment styles, cat – owner interactions, and problematic behaviours in cats. We also included oxytocin, as it plays a key role in bonding and social interactions.”

For their study, the researchers recruited 30 pet cats from Guangzhou, China, through social media. The cats, both male and female, represented various breeds and were between one and three years old. To participate, the cats had to be at least one year old and have lived with their current owners for at least four months, ensuring they had enough time to establish a stable attachment.

The research team began by using the secure base test to evaluate the cats’ attachment style. During the test, the cat and its owner spent two minutes together in an unfamiliar room, followed by a two-minute period in which the owner left the room, and then another two-minute period when the owner returned. High-resolution cameras recorded the cats’ behaviour throughout the test. The researchers observed whether the cats sought comfort from their owners upon reunion, how they explored the room, and whether they showed signs of avoidance. Based on these behaviours, the cats were categorized as having a secure, anxious, or avoidant attachment style.

After the secure base test, the study shifted to a more natural setting in the owners’ homes. In a familiar room where the cat typically spends time with its owner, the owners were asked to interact with their cats as they normally would for 15 minutes, while being recorded by a camera. During these home sessions, the research team focused on a variety of behaviours, such as whether the cat moved toward the owner, whether the cat lingered nearby without direct contact, and whether the owner initiated interactions by holding or restraining the cat. The interactions were carefully documented so that specific behaviours could later be analyzed for both duration and frequency.

In addition to observing behaviour, the researchers collected saliva samples from each cat twice – once 30 minutes before the home interaction and again five minutes after the session ended. These samples were analyzed to measure oxytocin levels, a hormone linked to social bonding and stress reduction.

Zhang and her team found clear distinctions among the cats based on their attachment styles. Approximately one-third of the cats were securely attached, another third displayed an anxious attachment style, and the remaining cats had an avoidant style. Securely attached cats were more likely to initiate interactions with their owners and made fewer attempts to escape when physical contact was initiated. In contrast, anxious cats sought close proximity to their owners but could become overwhelmed if held, while avoidant cats spent more time distancing themselves or avoiding contact altogether.

The researchers also found that oxytocin levels in the cats’ saliva mirrored these behavioural differences. Securely attached cats started with lower baseline oxytocin levels but showed a significant increase after interacting with their owners. Anxious cats had higher baseline oxytocin levels but exhibited a decrease following interaction. Avoidant cats showed no significant change in oxytocin levels.

The study also revealed connections between the cats’ social behaviours during free interactions and their overall well-being. Securely attached cats not only engaged more positively with their owners but also displayed fewer problematic behaviours, such as destructive actions or aggression toward strangers. Moreover, the amount of time a cat spent near its owner was positively correlated with an increase in oxytocin levels during the interaction.

In other words, the more a cat chose to stay close to its owner, the more likely it was to experience a rise in the hormone that fosters relaxation and bonding. On the other hand, interactions involving forced contact from the owner or escape attempts by the cat were linked to lower levels of positive social behaviour and heightened fear responses when encountering unfamiliar people.

The researchers acknowledged some limitations in their study. While the secure base test was adapted for cats, it is not as widely validated for cats as it is for dogs and humans, so the findings regarding attachment styles should be interpreted with caution. The study’s small sample size of 30 cats also limits the generalizability of the results. Additionally, most of the participants were young cat owners without children, which may restrict how applicable the findings are to all cat owners.

Future research could examine these relationships in larger and more diverse groups of cats and owners. Further validation of the secure base test in cats would also be valuable. It would be interesting to explore how specific owner characteristics influence a cat’s attachment style and interaction patterns. Additionally, more studies are needed to determine which behaviors during cat-owner interactions are most effective at triggering oxytocin release and why baseline oxytocin levels vary between attachment styles.

“We aim to study how human-cat interaction patterns affect attachment styles and oxytocin release in more controlled environments. We also hope to explore the potential of fostering secure attachment and behavioral health in cats through proper human-cat interaction and the use of nasal oxytocin,” Zhang explained.