Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they must eat meat to survive. But they are also what some scientists have called a non-obligate social species. Group living is not obligatory for their survival. Yes, they have come to be able to tolerate, and sometimes even appreciate, the company of other cats, and also people. But “Do they need us?” Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic head Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, asks rhetorically.
“Not really,” she answers. Their DNA is so primed for them to live a solitary life that a cat can be born into a domestic situation and her offspring could still survive feral, the doctor notes. “If you put a dog alone in the wild, it will probably starve to death,” she says.
That’s because dogs descended from group predators. They have highly honed communication skills they use to work together for their food. “Even street dogs will tend to go around with a buddy, although they can trip over a trash can on their own,” Dr. Borns-Weil says. Not so, cats. They’re solitary predators. And they’re good at it. When people think about stray dogs, they imagine them finding some food left by a dumpster. But cats hunt — efficiently. It’s why in areas where cats are let out, the population of birds, rodents, and other prey dwindle significantly.
So should cats be completely alone?
It’s fortunate for us that cats have evolved to be able to tolerate and sometimes enjoy being with other cats, along with the company of people. “It came about when they started coming around human dwellings where there was grain storage,” Dr. Borns-Weil says. “Where there was grain, there were rodents.” That helped them learn to share with each other. It’s why today, feral cat colonies can survive when people put out a “feeding station” that they all have to eat from.
Cats’ sociability depends in part on their experience as kittens. If a cat has positive interactions with people and cats while young (under 8 weeks of age), she is much more likely to enjoy being social.
In fact, the doctor points out, “In feral colonies, the females form bonds that allow them to help rear each other’s kittens, and also provide protection against male feline infanticide. Males will sometimes kill another male’s offspring so they can mate with the female and have their own offspring.”
Even cats without early life social experience can learn to enjoy the company of other cats, Dr. Borns-Weil comments. They can also learn to enjoy the company of people — which is why even the most aloof cat will come around for stroking and other forms of bonding. Building a relationship with a shy, fearful, or unsocialized cat just takes time, and patience.
It’s important to engage your pet with social activities like stroking and grooming and also with play activities, but it should happen only when your feline feels like it. If you try to force a cat to engage with you or prevent him from having his “me” time, you will not change his nature. In fact, your efforts will only backfire, resulting either in increased aggression or increased efforts to stay secluded.
