Research overview: physiology of the cat-human bond

The cat-human relationship has measurable physiological dimensions, and this overview surveys research probing them. It covers studies of behavioural and hormonal responses, including investigations of oxytocin and stress hormones during cat-human interaction, the calming or arousing effects of contact for both partners, and how relationship quality and the cat's temperament moderate these effects. It discusses methodological caution given mixed and limited findings compared with the larger dog literature. It connects physiology to the attachment and social-cognition work establishing the cat as a genuine social partner. The topic examines the bodily underpinnings of the bond and what they reveal about how cats and people affect one another.