Unlocking friendships: The immediate post-adoption human-cat relationship and the relevance of cat personality

Abstract

Cat personality may influence adoption choices and future guardian-cat relationship. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between cat personality and guardian-reported undesirable behaviors after adoption. A questionnaire was sent to guardians of recently adopted cats approaching their doubts, details on cats’ physical characteristics, behavioral events, and cat personality, as assessed by the Qualitative Behavior Assessment. Most of the 133 respondents adopted female cats (60.1%), at most 6 months-old (63.9%). Many guardians reported doubts about initial cat care (75.9%), and 34.6% did not have other cats at home. Half of the guardians were unsure how to introduce the new cat to their other animals (50.4%). Common events included meowing and scratching or biting an adult human (39.1% each). Five cat personality dimensions were identified, with correlations to behavioral events: “agreeableness” with hiding (P < 0.005), not allowing touch (P < 0.005), scratching or biting a child (P = 0.049), and skittishness (P < 0.005); “introversion” with meowing (P = 0.034); “soliciting” with inappropriate urination (P = 0.008); and “aggressiveness” with skittishness (P = 0.013). Households where a resident disliked the adopted cat were correlated with the cat’s young age (P = 0.014). The number of cats in the household was associated with vet visits (P = 0.049), inappropriate urination (P = 0.038), skittishness (P = 0.001), and not allowing touch (P = 0.013). Some post-adoption behavioral events are more common in certain cat personality dimensions and household characteristics. Considering these variables may increase successful cat adoptions.