Why Do We Love Cats? The Science and Psychology Behind Our Feline Affection

Cats are one of the most popular pets in the world, with over 600 million of them living in households across the globe. But what makes us love these furry creatures so much? Is it their cute faces, their playful personalities, their soothing purrs, or something else? In this article, we will explore some of the reasons why we love cats, from both a scientific and a psychological perspective.

What Do You Love About Cats?

There are many things to love about cats, depending on your personal preferences and experiences. Some of the common reasons why people love cats are:

Cats are independent and low-maintenance. Unlike dogs, cats don't need constant attention, walks, or training. They can take care of themselves for the most part, as long as they have food, water, litter, and a safe place to sleep. This makes them ideal for busy or introverted people who value their own space and time.
Cats are affectionate and loyal. Contrary to the stereotype that cats are aloof and indifferent, many cats are actually very loving and devoted to their owners. They may not show it in the same way as dogs, but they have their own ways of expressing their feelings, such as rubbing against you, kneading you, licking you, or sleeping on your lap. Cats can also form strong bonds with other cats and animals in the household.
Cats are entertaining and amusing. Cats have a lot of personality and charisma, which makes them fun to watch and interact with. They can be silly, curious, adventurous, mischievous, or lazy, depending on their mood and environment. They can also make you laugh with their antics, such as chasing a laser pointer, playing with a cardboard box, or getting stuck in a funny position.
Cats are beautiful and graceful. Cats have a natural elegance and charm that appeals to many people. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns, which makes them unique and diverse. They also have soft fur, expressive eyes, and adorable features, such as whiskers, ears, and paws.

Reasons Why We Love Cats: The Science

Aside from our personal preferences and experiences, there are also some scientific explanations for why we love cats. Some of the factors that influence our attraction to cats are:

Oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that is released in our brains when we feel love, trust, or bonding with someone or something. It is also known as the "love hormone" or the "cuddle hormone". Studies have shown that when we pet or cuddle a cat, our oxytocin levels increase significantly, which makes us feel happy and relaxed.
Dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in reward and motivation. It is also known as the "pleasure chemical" or the "happy chemical". Studies have shown that when we see or hear something that we like or want, such as a cat's face or meow, our dopamine levels increase slightly, which makes us feel excited and interested.
Mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are brain cells that fire when we perform an action or observe someone else performing the same action. They are also involved in empathy and imitation. Studies have shown that when we see a cat's facial expressions or body language, our mirror neurons activate and help us understand what the cat is feeling or thinking.

Reasons Why We Love Cats: The Psychology

In addition to the scientific explanations, there are also some psychological reasons why we love cats. Some of the factors that affect our perception of cats are:

Anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is the tendency to attribute human characteristics or emotions to non-human entities, such as animals or objects. We often anthropomorphize cats by giving them names, personalities, voices, or clothes. This makes us feel more connected and attached to them.
Baby schema. Baby schema is a set of features that make infants appear cute and appealing to adults, such as large eyes, round face, small nose, and chubby cheeks. These features trigger an instinctive response in us to protect and care for them. Cats share some of these features with human babies, which makes us find them cute and irresistible.
Reciprocity. Reciprocity is the principle that we tend to like and trust those who like and trust us back. We often feel that cats reciprocate our love and attention by showing us affection, gratitude, or loyalty. This makes us feel valued and appreciated by them.

How Cats Love Us

While we may love cats for various reasons, how do cats love us back? Do they even love us at all? The answer is yes, cats do love us, but in their own way. Cats are not as expressive or demonstrative as dogs, but they have subtle and nuanced ways of showing their love. Some of the signs that your cat loves you are:

They purr when they are with you. Purring is a sign of contentment and relaxation in cats. It means that they are happy and comfortable in your presence.
They blink slowly at you. Slow blinking is a sign of trust and affection in cats. It means that they are letting their guard down and showing you their vulnerability.
They headbutt or nuzzle you. Headbutting or nuzzling is a sign of marking and bonding in cats. It means that they are rubbing their scent on you and claiming you as their own.
They groom you or lick you. Grooming or licking is a sign of care and respect in cats. It means that they are cleaning you or sharing their saliva with you, which is a sign of friendship and intimacy.
They bring you gifts or prey. Bringing gifts or prey is a sign of generosity and sharing in cats. It means that they are hunting for you or offering you their catch, which is a sign of love and appreciation.

Do I Love Cats Quiz

If you are not sure whether you love cats or not, you can take this simple quiz to find out. Answer the following questions with yes or no:

Do you enjoy watching cat videos or photos online?
Do you smile or laugh when you see a cat doing something funny or cute?
Do you feel calm or relaxed when you hear a cat purring?
Do you like to pet or cuddle a cat when you have the chance?
Do you have a cat or want to have a cat as a pet?

If you answered yes to most or all of these questions, congratulations, you love cats! If you answered no to most or all of these questions, don't worry, you can still learn to love cats by spending more time with them and understanding them better.

What Do We Sound Like to Cats?

Cats have a different sense of hearing than humans. They can hear higher-pitched sounds that we can't, such as mice squeaking or birds chirping. They can also hear lower-pitched sounds that we can't, such as the rumbling of an earthquake or the growling of a predator. However, they can't hear some of the mid-range sounds that we can, such as human speech.

This means that when we talk to cats, they may not understand what we are saying, but they can pick up on our tone, volume, and emotion. For example, if we speak softly and gently to them, they may perceive it as soothing and friendly. If we speak loudly and harshly to them, they may perceive it as threatening and scary.

Cats also have their own language that they use to communicate with each other and with us. They use different sounds, such as meows, chirps, hisses, growls, trills, and purrs, to convey different messages, such as greetings, requests, warnings, expressions, and emotions. They also use body language, such as ear position, tail movement, eye contact, and posture, to reinforce their vocal signals.

What Do We Smell Like to Cats?

Cats have a much stronger sense of smell than humans. They have about 200 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to our 5 million. They also have a special organ called the vomeronasal organ (VNO) in their mouths that allows them to detect pheromones and other chemical signals that we can't.

This means that cats can smell us very well and recognize us by our scent. They can tell if we are familiar or unfamiliar, friendly or hostile, healthy or sick, happy or sad, male or female, young or old, etc. They can also smell our emotions, such as fear, anger, stress, or love.

Cats also use their sense of smell to mark their territory and communicate with other cats. They rub their faces on objects or people to leave their scent and claim them as their own. They also spray urine or scratch surfaces to leave visual and olfactory cues for other cats to avoid or respect their space.

What Do We Look Like to Cats?

Cats have a different sense of vision than humans. They can see better in the dark than we can, thanks to their large pupils, reflective retinas, and tapetum lucidum (a layer of tissue behind the retina that reflects light). They can also see more colors than we can, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, which helps them detect prey and predators that are invisible to us.

However, cats can't see as well in the daylight as we can, because their eyes are more sensitive to light and can get easily blinded by the sun. They also can't see as much detail or depth as we can, because they have fewer cones (the cells that detect color and sharpness) and more rods (the cells that detect movement and contrast) in their eyes.

This means that when cats look at us, they may not see us as clearly or accurately as we see them. They may see us as blurry or distorted shapes, especially if we are far away or moving fast. They may also see us differently depending on the lighting and the angle of our faces. For example, if we look at them from above, they may see us as larger and more dominant. If we look at them from below, they may see us as smaller and more submissive.

Conclusion

We love cats for many reasons, both personal and scientific. Cats love us back in their own way, using their senses of hearing, smell, and vision. By understanding how cats perceive us and communicate with us, we can improve our relationship with them and enjoy their company even more.