Scientific proof your dogs love you..and cats..well, they are cats...

a reply to: blend57

Cool, and for the cats, I'd say it depends in the cat! I KNOW some who love people, and prefer some over others. Others just don't seem to care. I have seen cats clearly missing a family member who was away, as well. Perhaps not as intense as dogs, or in the same way, but they care. Try telling the most spoiled one here otherwise, and he might sit on you and demand an apology!

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

I think some do show affection towards their owners, You're right. I think maybe the studies done was speaking in general terms, they don't secrete the love hormone oxytocin like dogs do. But..there was a small % of cats that did. Not as high of levels as dogs do, but still, it did occur. So, I think they were saying on average cats are less likely to love their owners as much as dogs.

And you also have to take into consideration the owners as well. How you show your affection towards your animals and what the animal grows up with or deems as normal. I would think the nature/nurture scenario will still come into play for our pets just as it does for our children.

a reply to: CranialSponge

The quote was made in reference to Franklin D Roosevelt. During the 1945 Yalta Conference Winston Churchill, FDR, and Joseph Stalin met in order to talk about Europe's Post War reorganization. During a break in the meeting Roosevelt left the room. It was at this point that Joseph Stalin turned to Churchill and made a comment about FDR being a pig. It was at this point that Churchill responded by saying, " I like pigs, dogs look up at us, cats look down on us, pigs treat us as equals."

a reply to: Nyiah

My dad is like that as well. Animals just love him and they seek him out. Might be his American Indian half coming through..lol I don't know, but for whatever reason, he is an "animal whisperer". And they all show him tons of affection and listen to what he says.

a reply to: peppycat

Cats are very subtle in their show of love. An eye blink..I would have trouble recognizing that as someone saying "I love you". Now take the dogs way of saying it. Knocking you down and licking your face all over...you can't miss that one

I just read though that cats may actually be mind controlling you. Their litter box is full of Toxoplasma gondii, which is a mind controlling parasite that can infect you when you are cleaning it out.

Infected humans can be subject to some equally weird symptoms, which Kathleen Mcauliffe described in her extensive coverage for The Atlantic. Research showed that infected men tend to be more impulsive, suspicious, withdrawn, and prone to breaking rules, while infected women are more trusting, outgoing, and law-abiding (but also more prone to depression).

I'm just joking with ya. You really can't catch that stuff unless you have a weak immune system.. link to full article here.

a reply to: BO XIAN

Actually.. according to one of the articles I read, dogs do love humans way more than humans love. The % of oxytocin released by dogs was far greater than that released by humans..just pulling from memory, I have no specific percentages. So, you could be right..maybe our furry little friends could teach us a thing or two about love.

Thanks all,
blend57

a reply to: blend57 He he he😊... I must off gotten the cat mind control sickness a long time ago. My dad tried to warn me too... the way my peppy cat's daughter, Kelly slept clung to my head at night.

originally posted by: blend57
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

I think some do show affection towards their owners, You're right. I think maybe the studies done was speaking in general terms, they don't secrete the love hormone oxytocin like dogs do. But..there was a small % of cats that did. Not as high of levels as dogs do, but still, it did occur. So, I think they were saying on average cats are less likely to love their owners as much as dogs.

And you also have to take into consideration the owners as well. How you show your affection towards your animals and what the animal grows up with or deems as normal. I would think the nature/nurture scenario will still come into play for our pets just as it does for our children.

blend57

Oh, very likely! The cats we have now aren't typical, either. One is exceptionally smart, even for a cat. Always my preference! The dog we have.......well, she's sweet! Smart, I can't give her. Sweet, though, and loves me, even though I do very little for her. The kids take care of her, and she sleeps at my feet. Very loving! Dogs are different. I do love them, too. Every one we get seems to think I am either in need of attention, or, in one case, the guard, lol! Son's dog was a big chicken, and would lie close for his own protection. Older one we had, she s the protector! Ah, I miss that dog!!! Even among a breed that is known for loyalty and affection, she was a prize. You could read her emotions in her eyes.

And, yeah, dog and cat people tend to be different in how they express themselves. Cats are, as a rule, less dependent in some ways. Dogs are pack animals, and we tend to be their pack members. With the cats, it's less dependence, and more demands, lol!