Typically, you don’t associate the word psychopath with your pet. But, pet psychologists have found a surprising connection between psychopathic behavior and cats. They say felines display common traits of a human psychopath. So, whether you agree with these pet psychologists, the six traits researchers say prove that your cat could be a psychopath.
A behavioral study uncovered psychopathic traits in felines.
A study at the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University suggests that cats have some psychopathic behaviors. They say the behaviors vary in degrees from one feline to another. Their results came from a questionnaire they gave to 549 feline owners who they asked to answer specific questions describing their kitties. The questionnaire measured psychopathy in cats. The owners shared examples of their pet’s behavior in the context of these five areas.
- Boldness
- Disinhibition
- Meanness (aggressiveness)
- Unfriendliness towards other pets
- Unfriendliness toward humans
Feline owners shared examples of how their cats showed these behaviors. For example, one cat owner said their cat torments their prey instead of killing it immediately. As a result, some of the questions they asked on the questionnaire included whether their pet did these things:
Tormented its prey instead of killing it Dominated the neighborhood Chased owners or other humans Picked fights with humans and other pets Acted undeterred when punished for bad behavior Ignored scoldings Made loud yowls and meows for no reason
Researchers found that cats have psychopathy traits that probably helped their wild ancestors find food, mates, and shelter. Pinpointing these undesirable behaviors could help kitty owners better understand their pets.
Pet Psychology Reveals 6 Psychopathic Traits That Cats Display
Do you see these behaviors in your kitty?
1. Aggressiveness (meanness)
Human psychopaths lack empathy. They have no trouble hurting others, often displaying cold-heartedness when pursuing their goals. Cats often show similar behavior in their attitudes towards their owners or other animals. Meanness and disobedience are why some new owners return a kitty to a shelter. Cats may display malice through:
- Hissing
- Scratching
- Biting
- Grabbing your legs
- Spitting
- Growling
If your kitty is acting like this, it’s wise to steer clear of them until they calm down. After a cool-down period, they will usually return to more loving behavior.
2. Disobedience
Felines can be naughty. Your cat may jump on your kitchen table, eat your food and be indifferent to your demands for them to stop. Whether or not they do these things on purpose is hard to know. But kitties are smart, and they can refuse to obey. One woman told the story about her cat pooping on her Bible when she left the cat alone for long periods.
Of all the places the cat chose to do their business, pooping on the Bible seemed a great way to get her attention. It did. Some people say cats disobey when they’re bored. This observation may be accurate, but if researchers are correct, cats are psychopaths with little regard for their owners or their owner’s property.
3. Uninhibited
Human psychopaths can’t control their urges or emotions as other people can. They act on impulse. Many of their actions are socially unacceptable. Cats like to be alone and can be manipulative with little …
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