CATS AND THEIR OWNERS

Even the most ardent Cat person would probably concede that Cats like to have their own space sometimes.In case you have ever wondered if your Cat misses you when you go out,researchers have discovered that the answer is no.A study has found that whilst their owners would like to think their Cats pine for them when they are away,Cats really are as independent as they seem,a study by animal behavior experts found.Using a test that normally focuses on Dogs or young children,researchers observed the relationship between twenty Cats and their owners-placing the Cats in an unfamiliar environment with their owner,with a stranger and alone.The Lincoln university study then assessed various charecteristics of attachment,including the amount of contact sought by the Cat and signs of distress caused by the owners absence.Although the Cats were more vocal when the owner rather than the stranger left them,we saw no evidence to suggest that the bond between a Cat and its owner is one of secure attachment.The vocalisation might bea sign of frustration or learned responce,since no other signs of attachment were reliable seen.Similar studies on dogs have shown they have a far stronger attachment to their owners.The sumerisation was it is clear that Cats are more autonmous when it comes to coping with unusual situations.The research links Cats behaviour to the nature of the species as a solitary hunter.They said "Cats have been domesticated for a relatively short time in comparison to dogs". Genetic analysis has previously shown that the ancester of the modern house Cat came into contact with humans only around nine thousand years ago.