We all know that pet care extends far beyond just feeding and grooming. Understanding your pet's quirks and personality traits can help you keep him or her safe, happy, and healthy. Does your cat sometimes seem enigmatic when you're trying to understand her personality? Does he seem more human than cat some days? Read up on this fascinating research about cat personalities to learn more about your feline companion.
The Feline Five Personality Traits
Cats, like humans, have "personality traits" that combine uniquely in each feline. Researchers in Australia found that the five most common feline personality traits are similar to those in humans— so you may be on to something when you feel like your cat is person-like.
The five personality traits the researchers identified are:
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Skittishness: The researchers used the word "skittishness" to describe a personality trait similar to neuroticism in humans. Scoring high in skittishness may mean that your cat has a tendency to frighten easily and wants his or her environment to stay relatively constant.
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Outgoingness: Is your cat an introvert or an extrovert? Outgoing cats tend to love interactive play, while felines who were poorly socialized as kittens may come off as aloof.
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Dominance: Does your cat play well with others? A dominant cat may not want to share his or her home or humans with other cats, and could even show signs of aggression with other felines.
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Spontaneity: Spontaneous cats are more likely to be impulsive and hard to predict. Researchers found that scoring low in spontaneity could indicate that your cat is in fact well adjusted to his or her surroundings.
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Friendliness: Finally, researchers scored cats on their friendliness. Indoor cats tend to be friendlier than outdoor cats, unsurprisingly. Friendliness and dominance scores also tend to be inversely related; the friendlier the cat, the lower the dominance score.
If you have any questions about taking care of your feline companion, contact us today.
