Cats Release Oxytocin When Cuddling With Humans—But Only on Their Own Terms

For a while, science has known that oxytocin — the feel-good chemical involved in bonding — is released in both dogs and humans after a pet parent and their pup spend time together. It’s an adorable fact that has led cat-people everywhere to ask, What about us? It’s a fair question, and now, we have an answer. A new study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science explored attachment styles in cats and found that cats with secure attachment styles receive a boost in oxytocin when they spend time with their pet parents.

The study

Researchers studied 30 cats recruited via social media. All cats were one or older and had lived with their pet parents for at least four months.

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First, the team used a secure base test to determine the cats’ attachment styles. In this test, a version of which is used for humans, cats and their pet parents were observed for two minutes in a room together; the cat was then observed for two minutes after the pet parent left the room, and then for two minutes after the pet parent returned. Based on the cats’ behavior — such as exploring the room or seeking comfort from their pet parents upon their return — cats were categorized as having an anxious attachment style, an avoidant attachment style, or a secure attachment style. The different attachment styles were evenly represented; about 1/3rd of the cats fit into each of the categories.

Next, pets were observed interacting with their pet parents in their own homes for fifteen minutes. Researchers observed how the cat and human interacted. Thirty minutes before the session and five minutes after the session, they collected saliva samples from the cats which they used to measure oxytocin.

They found that the cats that were considered securely attached initiated more interactions with their pet parents and tried to escape interactions less. On the other hand, cats with an anxious attachment style constantly wanted to be near their pet parents, but they became overwhelmed when their pet parents tried to hold them. Cats with an avoidant style stayed away from their pet parent altogether.

Interestingly, the cats’ oxytocin levels aligned with these trends. Securely attached cats — the ones who initiate cuddles with their pet parents — had lower oxytocin levels to begin with, but showed an increase in oxytocin after interacting with their pet parent. Anxiously attached cats — those who stuck close to their parents, but had contact forced on them — displayed the inverse; their baseline levels were higher, but their oxytocin dropped after interacting with a human. For avoidant cats, there was no significant change in oxytocin levels.

It’s worth noting that the pet parents of cats who were securely attached attempted fewer forced interactions than the pet parents of anxiously attached pets. That means, it’s unconfirmed, but possible, that securely attached pets would hate a forced cuddle just as much as other cats — and likewise, it’s possible that cats become anxiously attached partly because of forced physical contact. Whatever the cause of a cat’s attachment style, it’s clear that autonomy goes a long way toward giving them comfort, as we know.

The amount of time a securely attached cat spent with their pet parent also correlated positively with exactly how much oxytocin was released. In other words, if you have a cat who likes to cuddle, every minute together counts toward their happiness — and your bond. On the other hand, if you have a cat who doesn’t seem to want physical touch, the best thing for your relationship is to let them do their own thing. Whatever your cat’s preferences, the simplest way to keep them content is to let them lead. But you already knew that.