Scientists have found that regular contact with cats – petting, cuddling together – increases oxytocin levels in both humans and the animals themselves. This “love hormone” reduces stress and creates a special bond between a person and their furry pet, UNN reports, citing Live Science.
Details
Scientific data proves that there is a special bond between humans and cats, fueled by brain chemistry. Oxytocin, often called the “love hormone,” plays a key role in this. It is a neurochemical element whose level rises sharply when, for example, a mother holds a baby in her arms or when loved ones hug, etc. Oxytocin is crucial for forming social bonds, trust, and regulating stress in animals and humans.
One 2005 experiment showed that the hormone made volunteers “significantly more willing to trust others in financial games.” In addition, oxytocin has a calming effect: it suppresses the stress hormone cortisol and activates the parasympathetic nervous system – the “rest and digest system,” helping the body relax.
It has long been known that friendly interactions stimulate the release of oxytocin in dogs and their owners, creating a kind of mutual bond. But little was known about how it affects cats until recently. Cats express affection less obviously. But their owners often feel “the same warm feelings of companionship and stress relief as dog owners” – and science is increasingly confirming this. For example, researchers from Japan reported in 2021 that “short sessions of petting with their cats increased oxytocin levels in many owners.”
In this study, women interacted with their cats for several minutes while scientists recorded changes in hormone levels. The results showed that “friendly contact (petting a cat, talking in a gentle tone) was associated with increased oxytocin levels in people's saliva compared to a resting period without a cat.”
Many note that petting a purring cat is calming, and research confirms that it's not just about soft fur. The act of petting itself and even the sound of purring can trigger the release of oxytocin in our brains.
As one 2002 study showed, this oxytocin surge helps lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which, in turn, can lower blood pressure and even pain. Read also: Rules for transporting animals on trains updated: what you need to know
When oxytocin is released between cats and humans
Studies show specific moments that stimulate the release of this hormone in relationships between humans and cats. Gentle physical contact turned out to be the main trigger for animals.
In February 2025, scientists found that when owners pet, hug, or cradle their cats, oxytocin levels increase in both humans and animals – provided that such interaction is not forced on the animal.
During the study, hormone levels in cats were observed during 15 minutes of play and cuddling at home with their owners. In strongly attached cats that initiated contact themselves – for example, by sitting on laps or nudging – a noticeable surge in oxytocin was recorded. The more time they spent with their owners, the stronger this effect was.
And how do less affectionate pets react?
The same study recorded different behavioral patterns in cats with anxious or detached attachment styles. Avoidant cats (those that kept their distance) did not show significant changes in hormone levels. In contrast, anxious cats (constantly looking for their owner but quickly becoming depressed by touch) initially had high oxytocin levels.
It was found that in cats that avoid hugs, as well as in anxious cats, oxytocin levels decrease after forced hugs. However, when contact occurs with consideration for the animal's comfort, the bonding hormone is actively produced. If the cat feels cornered, this process becomes unstable. The key to establishing a bond with a cat is understanding how it communicates.
The difference between cats and dogs
Unlike dogs, cats do not rely on prolonged eye contact to show trust. They use more restrained signals. The most striking of these is slow blinking, a kind of “cat smile” that signifies safety and trust.
Purring also helps strengthen the bond with humans. The low-frequency purring of a cat is associated not only with the animal's own healing but also with a calming effect on humans. Listening to this sound can lower heart rate and blood pressure – oxytocin mediates these effects.
Daily interaction with a cat, accompanied by small releases of oxytocin, can be a natural defense against anxiety and depression, and sometimes a source of comfort comparable to human support.
Are cats really less loving than dogs?
Studies usually record stronger oxytocin responses during human-dog interaction. In a well-known 2016 experiment, scientists measured oxytocin levels in pets and their owners before and after ten minutes of play. In dogs, it increased by an average of 57%, while in cats, it increased by approximately 12%.
In humans, this hormone increases during meaningful social contacts. Studies show that communication with a close person causes a stronger oxytocin response than contact with strangers. So, a dog's joyful greeting is similar to a surge of emotions when meeting a child or a partner.
Dogs, as pack animals domesticated for constant human contact, are seemingly programmed to seek eye contact, affection, and approval – behaviors that stimulate oxytocin release in both. Cats, on the other hand, evolved from more solitary hunters who did not need expressive social gestures for survival. Therefore, they do not always openly demonstrate behaviors fueled by this hormone. Instead, cats reserve it for moments when they feel completely safe.
A cat's trust is not given automatically – it must be earned. But when it appears, it is reinforced by the same chemical that unites parents, partners, and friends.
So, the next time your pet slowly blinks from the couch or settles on your lap, purring in your arms, know that oxytocin levels are rising in both your brains. This invisible process strengthens trust and relieves the tension of everyday life.
Animals rescued in Kyiv from a house destroyed by Russia: photos01.08.25, 16:39 • [views_6208]
• 5498 переглядiв
• 16203 переглядiв
• 4120 переглядiв
• 2818 переглядiв
• 92408 переглядiв
• 3184 переглядiв