Domestic cats are theorized to have been alongside humans for over 12,000 years. One of the most recent discoveries found a cat remains in the same tomb as a human in Cyprus. One of the major theories behind why cats are domesticated revolves around pest control.
Approximately 12,000 years ago, the first agricultural societies began to emerge alongside hunter-gatherer societies. Thus, cats entered settlements, finding plenty of mice around community storehouses and began to settle. In short, domestic cats have been with and enjoyed humans for a very long time. But do we truly know if cats like us?
It is estimated that there are over 200 million domestic cats in households across Europe today, which means there are three times more cats than dogs. Unlike dogs, which are often seen as friendlier and more affectionate animals, cats are viewed somewhat negatively. Often, we do not know what a cat is thinking and whether it enjoys our company or not.
If you have ever been near a cat, it can be said that they show affection, whether it’s rubbing against your legs or curling up on you when you sit down. This could be a form of affection and love towards you. But it’s very hard to tell, as researchers still don’t know much about cats.
When comparing felines to canines, we see that cats are often solitary animals, even though they can be with others. Dogs, on the other hand, are mostly perceived to travel in packs, as they rely on the entire pack to hunt for food together. Domesticated dogs rely on their owners to feed them. Cats, on the other hand, don’t necessarily rely on anyone else, as they can go out and hunt independently if needed.
So, it seems evident from our own experiences that animals have some sort of emotional aspect to them. Of course, each animal is different and may express their emotions differently. Fear, anger, happiness, sadness can be observed in animals. Love, on the other hand, is much more complicated to measure.
Observing feline behavior is the closest we can get to a clear answer. Most observations and research would lead us to believe that cats don’t love us as much as dogs can love us. The main reason for this is that cats, as mentioned earlier, are independent animals. They don’t rely entirely on humans to provide them with food and shelter to survive. But observing the counterpoint, cats don’t always run away, even though they may seem autonomous.
Cats do not exhibit signs of anxiety or worry when their owner is not in the room/house with them. Cats seem to be quite content in their situations, unlike dogs, who may whine and become anxious when their owners are not around. It appears that cats see us as they see other cats and treat us as such. This doesn’t necessarily mean anything negative, however. Much more research needs to be done on the actions of cats and what they mean for us to better understand how they feel.
We have not proven that cats love us. But, on the other hand, we have not proven that they don’t love us either. We simply don’t know the answer. We know, based on research, that cats are friendly, emotional, and affectionate around us and our families. We know that cats make amazing pets and even if we can’t prove that there is “love” there, a cat is always willing to snuggle up to you. Cats also make great emotional support animals. If you are interested in getting a cat as an emotional support animal, read more from our pages just to see how they work wonders.
100 REASONS WHY WE LOVE CATS
Cats are the best. No one does it quite like these furry guys. They have so much sass, personality, and panache packed into their fluffy little bodies. They’re easy to love. Since we dedicate so much of our lives to caring for felines, sometimes it’s hard to convey how much they mean to us. So, instead of writing it word for word, we thought we’d write down a few (a hundred) reasons why we love cats.
1. They look pretty darn cute when they make biscuits.
2. The early morning wake-up meow is the best way to start the day.
3. Cats are made for spooning.
4. They love fashion… ahem, it’s called “catwalk” for a reason.
5. They come in meowny shapes and sizes.
6. Cats love rom-coms.
7. They have their own unique purr-sonalities.
8. Cats love avocado (who doesn’t?).
9. They enjoy the most random toys (shoelaces, plastic bags… you name it).
10. Cats are great listeners.
11. They’ll never leave you alone because they don’t understand personal space.
12. The way they chew.
13. They’ll help you redecorate.
14. Cats are musically inclined.
15. Felines = pest control without an appointment.
16. The invisibility mode.
17. They’ll always come running when the can opener cracks open.
18. Unlike dogs, cats are very good at reading the room.
19. Cats are practically acrobats.
20. They make great public officials (Mayor Stubbs the cat).
21. Cat hair everywhere… I don’t mind.
22. Sleep, sleep, and more sleep.
23. Cats make Usain Bolt seem slow.
24. Empty boxes. That’s all.
25. Little scratchy tongues.
26. They can mimic a crying child with your emotions.
27. Cats become more talkative as they age.
28. The way they chirp at birds.
29. Toe beans. Seriously, how cute are those tiny paws, though?
30. They’re way too smart for your salon tricks.
31. They love drinking water from the tap, even if they get soaked in the process.
32. Sometimes they let you care for their tummies.
33. Cats make great adventure buddies.
34. Catnip crazies!
35. They can live for over 20 years. So, there’s a good chance you’ll get to throw them a quinceañera.
36. Even their angry faces are pretty cute.
37. The way they relentlessly tease dogs.
38. They can disguise themselves as loaves of bread.
39. Somehow they manage to sleep for 18 hours in origami-like positions.
40. Cats have been running things since the time of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs.
41. This purrrr, however.
42. They’re like humans. They get allergies too. (achoo!)
43. Cats like Kenny G. They love soft music too.
44. They’re unapologetic about where they take their pets.
45. They make great dinner dates.
46. Cats know how to code.
47. They can sniff out a good time (with their extra organ.)
48. They love a fresh seafood dinner.
49. Wide-eyed one second and squinty-eyed the next.
50. Three moods: eating, sleeping, zoomies.
51. Because… Grumpy Cat! (RIP)
52. Cats can be… but, in a good way.
53. Because all they need is a string ball.
54. Cats hate group texts.
55. These late-night nose boops.
56. Because no name is off-limits (ahem Princess Monstertruck).
57. Cats make great foster pets… seriously, fostering is amazing.
58. Cats take you for a walk.
59. People who love cats are easily the best.
60. If you give a cat a bone… nothing will happen.
61. Cats have racked up 84 million mentions on Instagram.
62. Cats make great detectives. They’re very stealthy.
63. They absolutely love pineapple pizza.
64. Cat in the hat… enough said.
65. Because they drive some people crazy.
66. Cat memes are everything.
67. Cats are great at setting boundaries. (Doesn’t mean they’ll obey them though.)
68. Once Chuck Norris told a cat joke and it laughed.
69. They’ve mastered the “too cool for school” vibe.
70. They could single-handedly bring back the fauxhawk.
71. If you can successfully trim their nails, you can conquer anything.
72. Cats have made rodeo chic.
73. Cats will never judge your solo dance parties. (Okay, maybe a little bit.)
74. Nobody embodies the spirit of Mondays better.
75. Parkour!
76. “Vicious” head butts.
77. Because cat clothes are a must.
78. Cats hear literally everything… they have 32 muscles in their ears.
79. Cats the musical!
80. Meows.
81. They’ve got ups.
82. Cats don’t need night vision goggles. They can see great in the dark.
83. Great sprinters on short distances… long distance, not so much!
84. They hold world records. Shout out to our girl Grumpy Cat.
85. Because cats will never ask you for a ride to the airport.
86. Cats don’t have bad hair days.
87. Catwalk fashion exists… and it’s fabulous!
88. There are such things as cat cafes and that’s just the best.
89. Cats are always down for a late-night snack.
90. Celebrikitties > Celebrities.
91. Without cats, there wouldn’t be things like CatCon or Catsbury Park.
92. They’re great at yoga.
93. Cats love fast cars. Especially Ferraris.
94. Because their ideal afternoon involves a windowsill and some sunshine.
95. Cats have been to space.
96. Not fans of laser pointers.
97. They enjoy getting flowers (to eat).
98. Cats love long lists.
99. Cat Stevens.
100. Without cats, there wouldn’t be the world’s best catnip.
In essence, our affection for cats stems from their inherent feline nature. Studies indicate that individuals who harbor fondness for animals, particularly cats, exhibit qualities of compassion and vitality.