Presentation Details
| Attachment security and novel object exploration in domestic cats Delaney H Frank1, Allison P McGrath2, Cheryl Stiers2, Saethra Darling1, Monique A.R.Udell1. 1Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.2Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Topeka, Kansas, USA |
Abstract
Attachment theory predicts that when a caregiver functions as a secure base, both stress regulation and exploration are supported. Although prior work suggests some cats show secure-base effects with their caregivers, the behavioral consequences of feline attachment remain underexplored. This study examined whether a cat’s attachment classification to a human caregiver predicted their level of engagement with a novel object in an unfamiliar environment. Colony-housed cats (M = 13.98 years, SD = 1.30) and their human caregivers (N = 20) participated in a Secure Base Test to determine each cat’s attachment style. Cats’ responses toward a novel object (a realistic looking stuffed cat) in the presence of the caretaker were coded from a standardized ethogram. Secure cats (n = 13) were significantly more likely than insecure cats (n = 7) to make close physical contact with the novel object during a 2-minute period (Fisher’s exact test, p = .007). These findings suggest that attachment security may facilitate exploratory contact with unfamiliar stimuli in domestic cats, consistent with a secure-base effects reported in other species.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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