Many people who seem to dislike cats often reason that, "Cats are too independent or aloof. Unlike dogs, that are always happy to see you and will generally spend time with you whenever YOU want them to, cats only spend time with you when THEY want."

When I hear these kinds of comments, my answer is, if you don't like cats, you must never have lived with one. I believe that anybody who lives with cats will surely come to love them. But are some cats more aloof then others, simply because they're outdoor cats? This is the question we will explore.

There are many reasons for the differences in the way cats act. But does being an outdoor cat have anything to do with it? I don't believe so. I've met many cats throughout my life–many were indoors and many were outdoors–and they all seemed just as affectionate.

All the ones I've owned have been indoor/outdoor cats, and they were all very affectionate with family members. Some were a little nervous toward visitors, but I don't believe that being partially outdoor cats had anything to do with it. In my opinion, friendliness comes from genes and socialization.

Research from the Anthrozoology Institute has shown that cats get their personalities from their fathers. If the cat had a friendly father and the cat owner employed good socialization practices during the critical period (two-seven weeks), then chances are the cat will be friendly, whether an indoor or outdoor cat. When comparing the management practices of cats in the USA and abroad, it's possible to see strong evidence for this theory.

In the United Kingdom, cats are mostly outdoors no matter what the neighborhood traffic is like; it's just the way people are brought up. The British believe it's much more humane to let cats outdoors to live their lives naturally (coming indoors for food) than to live indoors and be safe from traffic but be miserable because of missing out on the opportunity to hunt and explore the outdoors. With this said, outdoor cats in the UK seem to be just as affectionate as indoor cats in the USA. And the UK's indoor cats are friendly too.

There's one more thing I believe has an impact on the level of a cat's friendliness and affection with individuals–trust. The bond we develop with our cats has a lot to do with how they interact with us. Many women seem to recognize this when they explain that their cats are more attached to them than their husbands. I believe this difference is a trust issue. When a cat trusts us completely, a special bond develops.
I'm sure many people have even developed a relationship with their cats that goes into the realm of a spiritual bond, because the trust is so strong. This was the type of relationship I had with my last cat, Stringfellow. String and I were so close and trusting of each other that our bond went way beyond the surface; we were soul mates. Even now, after he's passed away, I still feel our special bond, and I know I'll never have that with another cat. And frankly, I don't want to. The bond String and I shared made our relationship special. And, if I decide to have another cat someday, our relationship will be special for some other reason. And yes, String was an indoor/outdoor cat, and he was the love of my life.

Monique has a Master of Science in Applied Animal Behavior and Animal Welfare from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and is a practicing animal behavior consultant. She's also a certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist and rides and shows horses, primarily in Dressage.

Editor's note: We don't condone letting cats roam outdoors, but we know it's a common practice. And it's even more so in England, where Monique studied. So, leaving the indoor/outdoor question aside, her story presents an interesting viewpoint of its affect on personality, which in her opinion is none.

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