OSU lab featured in The Washington Post dispels rumors of cats being antisocial creatures

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After speaking to Oregon researchers, The Washington Post reached a conclusion that — to dog people — may sound like pro-cat propaganda: “Cats aren’t jerks. They’re just misunderstood.”

The national newspaper spoke to animal behaviorists across the country to determine whether there was any truth to the rumors about felines being antisocial creatures. It discovered history is partially to blame for the negative reputation, because dogs used to assist humans with hunting, while cats’ ancestors were solo hunters.

Although the animals have since evolved into household pets, the idea that cats are standoffish still persists. But Monique Udell, director of Oregon State University’s human-animal interaction lab, told The Washington Post that cats are more open to social interaction than many people think.

According to Udell, both felines and canines have a “facultative” social structure, in which they determine what a normal social dynamic is based on what they see around them.

She explained a cat’s personality can be connected to their resources, with cats performing better in large groups if they don’t have to compete over things like food, space or litter boxes. How humans perceive cats also has a major influence on how they grow up.

“If we believe that they don't need a lot of social interaction and we treat them that way, then they fully have the potential to become relatively socially aloof,” Udell said. “If they're given the right space, environment [or] the right kinds of social experiences early in life, they also have the potential to be highly social — and many cats are.”

OSU’s human-animal interaction lab mostly monitors exchanges between pets and their owners, but it occasionally observes animals as they interact with strangers. Behaviorists will watch how the animals act in an unfamiliar setting, and how people respond when their pets seem uncomfortable in a new space.

Udell said researchers haven’t noticed a striking difference between the behaviors of male and female cats, and the difference between young and senior cats can mostly be attributed to the different stages in their development. The lab is now working to see whether cats respond to adults differently than they respond to children.

OSU’s findings can be found in various research publications.

“Occasionally, we give presentations in the community about things on this topic, like, ‘How do you develop stronger bonds with your cat? What kinds of life experiences help them fill their cognitive or behavioral potential? What can we do to enrich their lives more?’” she said.