Can cats fall in love with each other?

The topic of love between animals has been debated by philosophers for centuries. It can be challenging to define what it looks like to fall in love even among humans, let alone CATS!

Cats and dogs are capable of experiencing emotions and feelings.

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Scientific research suggests that dogs have emotional maturity comparable to a 2 – 2.5-year-old child.

Cats can feel certain emotions, but their experience of what we call ‘to fall in love’ is different from how we define it.

To understand the concept of love in cats, we need to consider their early evolution, domestication, and the human-cat bond.

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THE ROLE OF DOMESTICATION

Scientists believe that humans domesticated wild cats around 9 500 years ago.

This coincided with the development of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent.

Unlike dogs, cats didn’t provide significant benefits to humans at the time of domestication.

The reason for their domestication relates to agriculture and the presence of rodents attracted to crops.

Wild cats started hanging around human settlements because the crops attracted their prey.

This led to a mutually beneficial relationship between humans and cats.

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In ancient Egypt, cats were cared for and held in high regard.

Scientists speculate that the Egyptians may have selectively bred cats to develop more affectionate traits.

Domestication led to cats adapting to being around humans and potentially developing emotional connections.

Cats’ solitary nature didn’t require them to have strong emotional bonds with others.

The presence of rodents in human settlements likely contributed to cats remaining in close proximity to people.

These historical events have influenced the emotional capacity of cats.

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WHAT BONDING CATS LOOK LIKE

Cats can form social attachments with their owners, indicating their capacity for emotional bonding.

It is reasonable to believe that cats can also form similar attachments with other cats.

Bonded cats engage in various activities together, such as grooming, sleeping, and playing.

Cats display a range of emotions in their interactions, including anger and affection.

These behaviors and social bonds observed in cats are distinct from the behavior of wild cats.

The presence of social bonds between cats can be interpreted as a form of love.

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This article was compiled with the help of Artificial Intelligence