Can cats have a strong bond with humans?

Question

How strong?

Can you give any examples?

Is it as strong as a bond with a dog?

How do you develop this bond with a new young kitten?

Thanks

Answer 1

Yes they can.  When I left for college, my cat actually got depressed.  Every time I came home to visit she would jump into my overnight bag.  Now she's lives with me and each time she sees the cat carrier or my parents visit, she hides because she's afraid I'll leave her again.

Answer 2

sure? why not.

Answer 3

I have had my oldest (17) for 3 years now. I got him when my aunt died. He was close to my aunt, loved her a lot, but he loves me now without a doubt. If I spend the night out someplace (weekend trips) he completely flips out. Goes into a mighty depression while I am gone, then smothers me when I come home. I have to spend at least 3 hours holding and hugging the cat before he will calm down in the slightest.

My baby will let me wash him, hold him on his back, give him meds, take him strange places, pretty much anything I want, because he trusts me without reserve. My kitten is getting the same way.

Tips:

Hold your cat a lot, give them lots of affection while you do it. I pick mine up at random, give them kisses, carry them around and then set them near where I am going to be or where I think they will be happy, like favorite spots (back of the couch, on the bed).

Since mine are indoor cats, I will carry them outside to sniff and explore. Anytime they might be scarred I pick them up and shelter them, tuck their head under my chin, etc so that they can hide from the scarries. Eventually they learn that I will keep them safe and they turn to me for protection.

Lots of love and affection will help the cats want to come when called.

If you acknowledge your cat whenever they come into the room they will learn to come say Hello. My baby comes in, announces himself and then comes and makes himself at home on me, whatever I was working, etc.

Time, patience and love and you will have a friend more loyal than a dog.

Oh yeah, rub faces with your kitty, and make certain to put your face below theirs once in a while. They really like it when you do that, shows submission and trust. Watch it though, my old one usually licks when I do that.....

Answer 4

yes they can have a strong bond i think more than dogs sometimes

i have this cat she is so lovable she wakes my husband up for work before the alarm goes off,she also knows when he is coming home she waits by the door,she gives him kisses on his face she is really lovablee also when we go to bed she lays in between my husband and i so she could sleep next to him and she always meows at him when he talks to her it is funny cause i never seen a cat like that before.

she also knows when he is sad she comes to him and purrs and nudges him to see what is wrong.

Answer 5

oh yes of course! my cats Twister and Patches love us so much and have a great bond here. They say though that the bond between a cat is always stronger with one person and just one person.

yes it is as strong, different but strong. Cats love to be loved and love attention just like any animal. they love anything you do to love you. my cat Twister rubs and loves everything. loves the wall the fan the door and of course us.

with a new kitten just give it all the love you can. give it time to grow and in time you can play with it and pet it and give it treats and brush it. soon enough you two will be tighter then a knot. but you have to remember that cats need their personal space just like anybody. when it doesnt want to be petted just leave it alone, she/he just needs some quiet time.

Answer 6

It's impossible to say how strong a bond is with an human, since they cannot tell us.  There are stories of cats and dogs travelling hundreds (sometime thousands) of miles to be reunited with their owners.  It doesn't matter whether it's a dog or cat, the bond is what is there, and how the human relates to the pet.  You bond with animals by loving it, caring for it and teaching it right from wrong - just as you would a human baby.  Give it love, play with it, give it medical care (including spay or neutering).  You will do things that will seem mean (like shots or the altering) - but you do it to make them healthier and live longer lives.  Keep the cat indoors, that will keep him/her safer.

It's the love your have for your pet that creates the basic for the bonding.

Answer 7

Definitely!  I do think every cat is different though.  Spending lots of time playing with the kitten and cuddling it is a good start to bonding.  Bonding takes time--it could take days or years for you and your kitten to bond.  Time can only tell.

I had a cat for 19 years.  She was the best cat.  We were very close.  So close that she knew I was terrified of spiders.  I would scream and she would just stroll in, look at me, eat the spider, and then leave.  My saviour!!  Lol.  

When she was dying of old age I stayed very close.  When she was on her last few hours I never left her side.  Our bond was strong and I was there when she took her last breath and I know she was grateful to have me there.  

You can bond with your kitten.  But every bond is different and it takes time.  

Answer 8

well my kitten pretty much has the same bond with that my puppy does.

she does everything the pup does, like following me around, playing, she sleeps on my laps and beside me in bed.

shes basically my second puppy.

with my kitten it just sort of happened. she was the only pet we had at the time so she got constant attention and grew to love both me and my hubby.

Answer 9

absolutely! my cat follows me around the house and sleeps on my bed. if i talk on the phone she gets very jealous and tries to push the phone out of my hands!

Answer 10

of course. just feed it and care for it, it will bond.

the bond is the same as with dogs, but dogs are more loyal. a dog will wake you if the house is on fire, a cat will run next door and beg for food.

Answer 11

No, cats do not have the ability to bond with people. They can have multiple owners, but their main concern is always survival. Dogs however have actual gone through depression when leaving their owner.

Answer 12

Yes, cats can have a strong bond with an owner. It's unusual for that bond to be as strong as a dog would have, but it is possible. I had a tabby cat who tried to protect me and went on walks with me, just like a dog. He was so smart, great cat. I didn't do anything different with him than I do with my other cats, who are @ssholes by the way.

Answer 13

Of course.  I am VERY close with all three of my cats all in different ways.  For example I lived alone with my 9 year old male for many years and all we had was each other well now he doesn't pay any attention to my husband of 5 years, my 2 year old was found as a "dumped" kitten at only 3 weeks old.  I took it in and took 2 weeks off of work to be with this poor baby.  He now at 2 never leaves my side, sucks on my finger like a binky when he's tired or sick, he sleeps with me in the spoon position and if I roll over he gets up and rolls with me, I take baths he's on the floor etc.

I almost feel as if he is a child to me, all of my cats are my children and this bond is so strong my husband gets jealous

Answer 14

sure they can i have two cats and i feel they love me dearly. saphira my 8month old greets me when i get home and if i dont say hello and stroke her she goes mardy with me. when a cat rubs it face on your face this is them showing love and complete trust in you. a good way to bond with a new kitten is to look into there face but not directly in their eyes as this is threatning to them. when you are looking in to their face close your eyes slowly and look away this means that you like them and dont want to hurt them also yawn around them as this means you are content and it ok for them to be. honestly it works when i got my 14week old kittn benton 6weeks ago be was scared of everybody now after doing this with him and feeding him sometimes from my hand he loves nothing more then a cuddle,

good luck

Answer 15

A cat's bond can be as strong as a dog's. Since you are the kitten's only parent you become it's mother. Cuddle it in your arms, talk sweetly to it, baby it as much as you can, take it to bed with you every night. This should build a strong bond.    

Answer 16

I babysat a cat for a few weeks, and would stop by every other day to give her food and affection. The first few days she didn't much pay attention to my presence, but after about a week, she got pretty desperate for human attention. At that point, we were pretty inseparable while I was in the house. She purred like mad the whole time I was there.

The connection with a cat is different than that of a dog, however. With dogs, they're quite happy feeling like part of the pack, and when you're the dominant being in the house, they're just fine with that. As long as they feel like they can look up to you, they're happy and basically worship you.

Cats are more like humans, and like to be treated equally. They get more annoyed than dogs do, when we overdo things or try to force them to do things - just like we do. In this respect, I like cats, since they're not so blindly trusting as dogs, and when you win their affection, you have really won their affection.

Answer 17

All animals, despite what most will say, can develope a strong bond with anyone. Cats adn dogs alike

I feel the bond I have with my cat "Cow" is very strong.

She was born and raised in an abandoned barn, with very little human contact. She managed to break her tail whewn she was about 2 months old, and it was around that same time I found her.

She's been living with me ever since inside and she is still extremely shy around humans, yet everytime i come home, she runs right to me and meows for my attention.

She's not like that with anyone else.

if that's not a strong bond, then I don't know what is.

When dealing with kittens, it's a lot easier. They will take a liking ot anything that will play and help it hone it's natural skills and desire to hunt. I use shoelaces and let my kitten pounce on them for fun and give her treats every now and then.

Building a bond with an animal is like building a bond with a friend: Patience and Kindness go a long way.

Answer 18

indeed they can, i got a cat for my birthday about three years ago but it was about 1 year old (blk persian) well when i got it it never came around me it only went by my brother, now whenever my brother leaves she sits by the door and meows and she sleeps in his bed and fallows him everywhere.

Answer 19

Yes, depending on  the cat and person.

I have a cat who " talks" to me. Three of my five cats sleep with me - on top of me when they can. I raised them from kittens (two are still young) and just loved them.

I had a cat who insisted on sleeping under my chin. He learned that when he was a small baby and slept with  me, and I feared my husband would roll over on him, so I tucked him under my chin for safety. He never outgrew it, even when he becamse a big fat roly poly cat.

Just give the kitten a lot of love and attention and it will bond to you.

Answer 20

Most people would say no but I would say yes. I had a cat that used to follow me around and sit on my shoulder. She also used to do what I said but only if I asked as a favour not a command.

Cat's are more no nonsense than dogs. Bit of a weird example but if you die a dog will starve before it eats you but a cat will eat. It can be seen as disloyal but it's not really.

Unlike a dog you can't really make a bond with a cat, it just happens. One good thing to do is imitate their behavour (works for people too) and squint your eyes (doesn't work for people)

Answer 21

Yes they can,I've had my cat for a little over 17 years,since she was born. I've never had a dog so I don't know about that one,I've always owned cats. I think that kind of bond can only come with time.