Helping Guide Bengal Cat Owners

Why Do Cats Get Attached to One Person?

Have you noticed that your cat favors you among other people in the house or maybe someone else? It made us wonder what makes cats get attached to one person instead so we answered the question for you.

Know more about your cat as we explore why cats get attached to one person, how to spot a clingy cat, and if they prefer certain personality traits in people.

Cats prefer to bond individually with the person who provides food, affection, and takes care of them, a parent-like figure in their eyes.

Why Do Cats Have a Favorite Person?

Many owners observe that their household cat seems to always approach one person over the others. When it comes to choosing a favorite, cats will bond more with the person who pays attention to their needs and wants, just like how you would when choosing your favorite person.

If you’re the favorite human, your cat likely sees you as its mother cat because you provide the food, the perfect back scratches, and the most exciting playtimes. When a contender arises and starts doing all these things for your cat, it may switch loyalty to the person so watch out!

Read: Do Cats See Humans as Cats? An Exploration of Feline Cognition

Why Is My Cat Suddenly Attached to Me So Much?

As sweet as it is, your cat’s sudden and excessive attachment can mean a few things. Your cat could be feeling…

  • Anxious and fearful. Cats who weren’t socialized properly, experienced trauma, and have separation anxiety can be feeling anxious and fearful due to a change brought to their daily life. This new experience isn’t something they’re comfortable with and so when you’re around, your cat seeks comfort in your presence.
  • Lonely. As independent as felines are, they can get lonely especially if it’s your first and only cat. So if you notice that it suddenly wants to be by your side and to be stroked, don’t hold back from giving love! Be mindful of overstimulating your cat as it might scratch or bite to tell you to stop.
  • Pain and discomfort from a health issue. Cats get attached all of a sudden when they’re going through a bodily experience that they don’t understand. Although some cats would be aloof when sick, they also attempt to be closer to their owner. They could also meow more, eat less, lose weight, and groom excessively.
  • Affectionate. Perhaps your cat found it more beneficial to be more affectionate with you because by doing so, you give more attention and food. Some cats are naturally and overly attached to their owners depending on the breed and personality.

Read: Why Do Cats Age So Fast? Explaining the Rapid Aging of Cats

How Can You Tell If a Cat Has Imprinted on You?

Imprinting only occurs during the early period of a kitten’s birth. If you have been there since the minute your cat has come into the world, then know that you have an impact on your feline’s later behavior in life.

Signs your cat has imprinted on you:

  • Your cat follows you around, like an unattached tail.
  • Your cat loves to groom you, licking you once in a while as if to clean your “fur”.
  • It rubs its body all over you, particularly with its cheek, to mark you.
  • It makes a range of unique sounds to greet and communicate with you. It can be chirping and unique meows that it doesn’t do with others in the house.
  • Your cat sleeps next to you and gives you “gifts” like small animals it has hunted or random items.
  • It shows its belly to you willingly, a vulnerable part of the body.
  • Your cat kneads you like how it would have with its mother to stimulate milk flow.

Read: Why Do Cats Fight at Night?

Do Cats Have Attachment Styles?

If you’ve owned multiple cats before, then you most likely know that cats do have attachment styles, and a study conducted by Oregon State University researchers has found that there are two types: securely attached and insecurely attached.

Cats with insecure attachment styles are segregated into two subcategories: ambivalent and avoidant. Ambivalent insecure felines are anxiously bonded and clingy. Avoidant insecure cats prefer to avoid their owners’ touch, be by themselves, and possibly mean as well.

Cats with a secure attachment style are observed to be confident when exploring a new place and seek comfort from their owners’ presence.

Have you found which attachment style your cat has developed?

Read: Why Are Cats Not Always Landing on Their Feet?

Is My Cat Being Clingy?

Clingy cats will follow you everywhere, meow a lot to get your attention, insist to be close to you in whatever you do, and rub themselves all over you. Some owners prefer a clingy cat and some want a more avoidant one.

If your cat has become overly attached, try to find out why the change of behavior. It could be changes within your house, in its routine, or a health problem. If your cat has always been clingy and you don’t mind it, all will go well as long as you provide and love your cat as much as you are loved.

What Can I Do to Be the Cat’s Favorite Person?

To be the cat’s favorite, you have to be willing to put the work into it and be consistent. Here’s what you can do to be the cat’s next favorite person:

  • Engage the cat with toys. Playtime is a fun time for cats, and when you initiate it, they will associate the good time they have had with your presence.
  • Give the treats. When the cat lays down next to you or rubs itself on your clothes, give it the treat to encourage more of this behavior.
  • Stroke and pet it in the right spots but not too much. Pet the cat under the chin, neck, and head. See how it reacts. If your goal is for the to purr, you have to find the perfect spots.
  • Meow back! Although cats don’t understand what we’re telling them, an attempt to call it to come to you with a meow is a good start.

What Kind of People Do Cats Prefer?

Cats vary by personality just like the owners. They will pick up and mirror certain personality traits that their owners have. A quiet person is likely to have a quiet cat and a temperamental person is likely to have a feline of similar nature.

Adult cats that have lived with previous owners may have already developed their preferences for certain people. If your cat is standoffish and you love to cuddle, you may find it a challenge to bond. Similarly, a clingy and needy cat will annoy you if that’s not the type of behavior you want to deal with.

Read: Do Cats Drink Less Water in the Winter?

Conclusion:

Cats don’t trust people in a day. It takes them a while to choose so cats get attached to one person based on what they are given in this relationship. A person who feeds, plays, and bonds with the cat will be the favorite person among the others in the house.

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