Among the many myths that circulate about cats, perhaps the best known is the one that attributes great independence to them. This means that unscrupulous people have no remorse when abandoning them to their fate on any street, assuming that they will be able to survive without human support. But it is not true. Cats are pets, that is, dependent on us. That is why, as we will see in this article on our site, cats miss their owners and their home.
Do cats recognize their owners?
Cats are animals of remarkable intelligence that, like dogs, have evolved together with the human species. Thus, although they maintain some, shall we say, wild characteristics that fascinate us, they have also developed a domestic side from which they bond with their human family. Cats relate to us using all their senses and, with all this, they compose an image and make their memories.
In addition, they are animals very attached to their routines and it is easy for them to get stressed by changes that seem insignificant to us. Therefore, cats recognize perfectly both their family and their environment Cats will miss their owners and, in general, their home, if there is a separation. For this reason, too, they are animals that do not do well with moving or being away from their owners when they go on vacation, for example. If this is your case and, therefore, you want to know if cats miss their owners to organize your vacations without disturbing their well-being, don't miss the article on What to do with your cat if you go on vacation.
Do cats miss their owners?
Cats miss their owners and home to such an extent that they even let themselves die when they are abandoned, as you well know in the animal protection associations that collect them in these cases. Not all, but a considerable percentage of these animals suffer so much from neglect that they are overwhelmed by stress. They stop drinking, eating and end up getting sick and dying.
If we understand the importance that routines have for this species and we have had the opportunity to see a cat's reaction to a change in its environment, such as the arrival of a conspecific at home, it is It is easy to understand the stress caused by losing all your references to both place and attachment figures, since cats, although not in the same way as dogs as they are not herd animals, do they establish an important link with their reference human. In a family, this is normally the one who dedicates the most time to it, feeds it, plays with it, etc. The cat, for its part, will mainly dedicate its rubbing and purring to it. Other cats run to the door as soon as their caretaker arrives home and greet him, too, with meows of greeting.
So, in general, cats choose their owners, or like a person more, depending on the bond they establish.
How long does it take for a cat to forget its owner?
Cats remember their former owners throughout their lives Thanks to the established bond and the cognitive capacity they show, they are able to fix the memory of the person with whom they live and keep it for years. That is why cats come to miss people if they are separated and abandonment can affect them so much. Fortunately, although they never forget their old family, many are able to accept being part of another and be happy again.
That's right, although cats don't forget, we can notice that with age they lose cognitive faculties. It is the same process that can also inevitably affect humans when associated with aging. In these cases, it is possible that we notice them out of place, that their rest and activity patterns are altered, they lose appetite, stop cleaning, etc. In any case, even if we suspect that the changes are due to age, we must go to the vet to rule out that they are due to some treatable physical illness.
Do cats adjust to a new home?
As we have said, cats miss their owners and remember them throughout their lives, but it is possible to adopt an adult cat, even a very old one, and one that adapts to a new home. To do this, we have to offer it what is known as an enriched environment, in which it can carry out activities typical of the species such as playing, climbing, scratching, perching on high places from which to monitor its territory and, of course, sleeping and resting., better if it is sunbathing. One or two litter boxes, clean and fresh water always available and good quality food, in addition to deworming, vaccinations and pertinent veterinary check-ups, are the keys to ensuring a good life for them.
Afterward, it's just about being patient, not forcing contact, and giving him space to adjust to his new home and establish a new feline-human bond with us. At first, if we see him stressed, we can use calming pheromones to try to calm him down. Offering him food as a reward can help him associate us with positive elements. In the animal protection associations and in the kennels it is possible to choose from a large number of cats the one that we think best adapts to our living conditions.
Don't miss the following article on How long does it take for a cat to adapt to its new home to get a slight idea of what this process is like for this animal.
