What makes dogs so special? Science says love

[turbinetree]

Published 2 hours ago on February 20, 2020
By Agence France-Presse

The idea that animals can experience love was once anathema to the psychologists who studied them, seen as a case of putting sentimentality before scientific rigor.

But a new book argues that, when it comes to dogs, the word is necessary to understanding what has made the relationship between humans and our best friends one of the most significant interspecies partnerships in history.

Clive Wynne, founder the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, makes the case in “Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You.”

The animal psychologist, 59, began studying dogs in the early 2000s, and, like his peers, believed that to ascribe complex emotions to them was to commit the sin of anthropomorphism — until he was swayed by a body evidence that was growing too big to ignore.

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/02/what-makes-dogs-so-special-science-says-love/

[Walleye]

1. Yes. With dogs it's love. With cats it's more like a business arrangement.

Sort of a roommate, only you pay rent and do the chores. Cat does his part by chasing mice and purring.

[FoxNewsSucks]

3. Cats love us too,

they just are more subtle about it, and just don't show it as blatantly. My dog is outgoing. She's friendly to almost everyone. I had a black cat who I got when he was barely 6 weeks old. He and the dog tolerated each other, and I could tell that the cat loved me also.

He ran to the door meowing to greet me when I got home, sometimes beating the dog. Although, that's probably because the dog would be back in the bedroom sleeping while I was gone and he tended to nap in the living room so he was closer to the door and had a head start. Kitty was right there to greet visitors with the dog and both would hang around with the company.

He died last November when he was 17 1/2. I miss him so much more than I thought I would and I came to realize that it was because he did love me and in some ways did a better job of keeping me company than the dog. I work at home often. As soon as my dog realizes I'm gonna be sitting at the desk for a while, she is content to go take her naps somewhere between my office and the door (gotta make sure she gets to go along on any trips!). But the cat would stay in my office with me. I had to put a shoe box on my desk to keep him from walking all over. He ended up spending the days sitting or sleeping in that box.

It may take longer for cats than for dogs, but they do become more than just your roommate.

[Walleye]

4. It's true. My cat really does love me. I think

He hides under the covers from other people. He came to me from outside and took up residence on my second floor back deck. I took him in for good when he was bit by a feral cat and had to go to the vet. He is very empathetic and really rose to the occasion to comfort me during chemo. I hope he has a long healthy life. I like dogs too, but cats are my spirit animals.

[Walleye]

5. Oh, and he loves to play catch

With his toy mice. Stretching out leaping off his his feet like a wide receiver. It’s fun.

[Happy Hoosier]

9. Disagree stringly about cats....

The cats in my household have developed strong emotional bonds with individual people.

[bamagal62]

2. Not all cats.

I have a Burmese kitten. She’s the most dog-like cat I’ve ever had. She follows me everywhere, hates to be alone, fetches, and is very loving. She and our dog are best friends. I’ve never seen anything like it.

[chowder66]

6. I have a cat who adores me and adore him just as much.

He comforts me when I'm sad or sick. He talks to me all of the time (he has several different tones).
He pets me several times a day and gives me kisses, sometimes aggressively with a huge huffing purr.
He must talk to anyone who calls by pulling at the phone and meowing into it.
He cradles my head or sits on my pillow cheek to cheek if I'm reading a book prior to lights out.
He pulls on my jaw to turn my head towards him to give me a kiss.
When I got him the first few nights he would check to see if I was alive by pulling on my head and grabbing my jaw to turn my head.
His owner had passed away and wasn't found for 3 days so that is why he checked on me when he came into my life.

When it's time for bed, I say "Bedtime!" and he goes into the bedroom sits by my pillow and then proceeds to meow until I open the blanket up for him to crawl under and snuggle up to me. He has to have his paws on me while he sleeps. I could go on and on and on about all of his weird and wonderful traits.

This is one of many cats I have had over my lifetime and all but one was very loving and affectionate.

He is very, very special and very loved.

[JudyM]

12. He sounds wonderful!

What breed is he? Or what does he look like?

[chowder66]

13. He's a black domestic with medium length hair.

He's got unusual eyes. I've never seen anything like them. They are a golden brown with specks everywhere. They strike everyone who sees them.

He is wonderful. He and I took to each other the first time we met. He was standoffish to everyone else. Poor little guy had been through a lot. He's probably about 17 years old and I wish I could have had him from the beginning. I feel very lucky.

[JudyM]

14. How long has he been with you?

[chowder66]

15. Going on 3 years this coming April.

The boss of a friend suddenly died and had two cats. No one would take them and my previous cat had died in February of 2017.
I took both of them, unfortunately the other one who was very, very sweet had cancer and passed away a year in. No one knew anything about the cats age, health, etc.

[JudyM]

16. Sounds like he's more than a sweet cat -

like he genuinely appreciates you. You’re both lucky!

[chowder66]

17. He is. He's truly the most unique cat I've ever known

and that's saying a lot because I've had other incredibly interesting cats whom I miss to this day. They are all precious.

His name is KuKui btw. His previous owner named him that and I think it suits him perfectly. Unique!

[JudyM]

18. .

❤️

[smirkymonkey]

7. The important thing is that we love them.

That is what really makes us happy. The love we feel for them.

[Baclava]

8. With cats their meow mimics a baby's cry response in the human brain, they hijacked us

[Walleye]

10. All true. My post was sort of tongue-in-cheek.

I have always had a cat or two in my house, and feel lost and lonely without them. They take care of the little noises in the night. Most of my cats have just come to the back door and worked their way into the household.

[edhopper]

11. Great NOVA Show on PBS this last week

Try and catch it.
We did not domesticate cats, they domesticated us.