I have two cats and a dog. The dog, whose name is Max, loves any kind of attention. The cats, on the other hand, are more mellow and prefer to be left alone. Max likes to lay with my family and follows us everywhere. The cats like to lay with me, but they also like to wander on their own. They seem to show us gratitude and affection, but is it really ‘love’? Can pets really feel love? I will be covering this topic, and what the evidence seems to suggest. I will be writing about the brains of pets, attachments they form, empathy, brain chemicals, and cats vs dogs in relation to ‘feeling’ love.

Firstly, pet brains. A pet like a cat may have a smaller brain compared to us humans, but that doesn’t always make them dumb. According to the article “Can Pets Love?” from the website Psychology Today, published in February of 2014 by Berit Brogaard, cats have a brain that is 1% of their bodies, compared to our 2%, but they share about a 90% similarity with human brains. Meaning that they may be capable of emotion. Dogs have been scanned by MRIs and neuroscientists, and have seen increased activity in the part of the brain that perceives emotion. Neuroscientists have also observed that pets seem to enjoy attention from their owners more than food.

Next, attachments of pets. Pets get really attached to their owners, especially dogs, which are known for their loyalty. A particular case of attachment is the case of  Greyfriars Bobby. According to the website Historic UK, from the article ‘The Story of Greyfriars Bobby’, published by Ben Johnson in 2013, in 1850 John Grey, a gardener and night watchman for the Police Force, got a dog named Greyfriars Bobby. They would patrol the streets of Scotland together for years until John was diagnosed with tuberculosis. When he died of the disease and was buried in the Greyfriars Kirkyard, Bobby would lay at the grave and refused to leave his late owner. Dogs have also been known to get anxious when their owners leave. The article ‘Dogs become attached to their owners in much the same way as infants to their caregivers’, written by Anthony Rivas in June 2013 from the website Medical daily, states that there is a bond called the “secure base-effect” which makes a dog feel comfortable in the presence of an owner and may cause separation anxiety if the dog is left alone for too long.

Thirdly, chemicals received and released in pets. When people pet an animal, the chemical oxytocin is released for both the person and the animal. According to the article ‘Sorry cat haters, science isn’t on your side’, from the website Popular Science, written by Rafi Lester in October of 2014, when cats excrete waste, a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii is released. This parasite enters the brain of prey, like mice, to make them less afraid of their predators. It is known as a “mind-controlling parasite”. People can get it when coming in close proximity of cat waste, especially from litter boxes.

Next is empathy. Have you ever seen someone in distress and a dog comes and licks their face? This is because dogs can understand distress or discomfort. This is even the case with animals too. In the article ‘Can animals Love?’ from the website Psychology Today,  published in February of 2014 by Berit Brogaard, there is a story about two dogs; Tika and Kobuk. Tika and Kobuk had birthed and raised 8 litters of puppies, but Kobuk was considered a bully. He would steal Tika’s food, push her, and steal human attention from her. Kobuk stopped this behavior when Tika developed cancer in her hind leg. He let Tika sleep on the bed, while he slept on the floor. He wouldn’t leave her side and even saved her when she went into shock. Tika eventually had to get her leg amputated, but Kobuk would help her walk when she was having trouble. Kobuk continued this behavior throughout her recovery, and then he was back to being a bully.

Lastly, cats versus dogs in feeling love. It is often believed that ‘you don’t own the cat, the cat owns you’ in some cases, this is true. But even though a cat doesn’t show it as a dog would, they still like you. They prefer to be on their own, yes, but they also enjoy the company of an owner. According to the article ‘Understanding Cat Behavior’ from the website Purina written by Dr. Joanne Righetti, cats like to rub up against their owners, conveying ‘possession’. When a cat rubs up against someone, they transfer scent glands, which warns other animals that you are their owner. Most owners see this as a way of showing affection, and it is. It is also a way that a cat shows it wants attention. On the contrary, dogs show affection by licks. Licks also are a form of comfort for dogs.

The evidence is clear; pets love humans back! Their brains are so similar to ours that they must. So when my dog licks me or leans on me, it’s him showing affection. And when my cats approach me with their tails held high, meowing, they are saying, “Pet me!” Even though my cats may infect me with a parasite that controls my mind, they certainly love me too. Like I said with the Tika and Kobuk story, animals also have attachments to each other and show empathy. Dogs and cats may show affection in different ways, but it is affection nonetheless. So if you ever feel like your pet doesn’t like you, it is not true.