Warning: what you're about to read may be distressing for some cat owners...

Cats have a reputation for being solitary creatures that don't enjoy socializing with other animals and sometimes, even their owners!

It's no secret that it's difficult to get inside the head of any animal, (if only they could talk!) however, animal behavior specialists will say that it is possible to get a general idea of a cat's mood based upon behavior, but will this reveal if your cat actually dislikes you?
 
To some, the idea alone is completely preposterous while for others, they may be genuinely worried that their feline friend doesn't want to be their friend at all! Now, animal behavior specialists believe that it is possible for cats to dislike their owners.
 
Voice recognition with indifference
A study published in the Animal Cognition Journal in July 2013 found that cats can in fact recognize their owner's voice. On top of that, cats showed an ability to differentiate their owner's voice from that of a stranger. You may think that surely your cat loves you if it can recognize your voice, right? Unfortunately, the vast majority of cats actually ignore the call of their owners because they simply are indifferent to their owner's very existence! The study followed 20 domesticated house cats for eight months. During this time, the researchers found that roughly 70% of the cats in the study acknowledged the sound of their owner's voice. However, just 10% responded to their owner's call. Even then, the only recognition owners got was a meow or tail wag.
 
Rubbing and grooming
For those who believe their cat loves them because it rubs up against them and loves to cuddle, it might be time to rethink that. Cats who rub up against their owner are not seeking affection or showing love, but rather, are staking their claim in the house. When your cat rubs up against you, it is telling everyone else in the room that it owns you.
 
And what about cuddling? Researchers at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom have found that petting can actually lead to stress in some cats. The study found that a cat living in a home with other cats was more likely to remain calm because the stress of petting and cuddling was spread out over all pets in the home, allowing it to avoid many interactions. On top of that, have you ever noticed your cat grooming itself after cuddling with you? That is your cat cleaning its body and getting the "human smell" off its body.
 
Your cat hates you
Daniel Mills, a professor of veterinary behavior medicine in the United Kingdom, has found that many cats simply do not like their owners. Mills found that most cats have an anxious avoidance style of attachment. Whereas dogs and children have "love" for their owners/parents and feel better when they're around, most cats do not feel that same attachment.
 
Many cats couldn't care less if their owners are in the room or not. In fact, cats with anxious avoidance feel more stress when you are around than they do when they are alone in the home. The presence of an owner does not help promote emotional stability or provide a soothing presence in their life.

We're not entirely convinced by these findings - because we know some cats that are incredibly loving and seem to find a lot of happiness in human company. Or they're very good actors...

What do you think?

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