Research overview: cat personality and the owner relationship

The quality of the cat-human relationship depends on both the cat's and the owner's characteristics, and this overview surveys research linking feline personality to relationship outcomes. It covers how owner personality and caregiving style interact with cat temperament, how owner-reported attachment relates to cat behaviour, and how mismatches contribute to behaviour problems and relinquishment. It discusses the bidirectional nature of the bond and the influence of the household environment. The topic situates feline personality within a dyadic framework, showing that compatibility, not just the cat's traits in isolation, shapes welfare and the durability of the human-cat partnership, with implications for adoption counselling.