Domestic cats do not show signs of secure attachment to their owners

Potter and Mills applied a modified Ainsworth Strange Situation Test to pet cats to test whether they treat owners as an attachment figure providing security. Measuring behaviours during separations and reunions with the owner versus a stranger, the authors found that cats vocalized more when left alone but did not show the hallmark secure-base effect, exploring or playing more in the owner's presence than the stranger's. They concluded that the increased vocalization reflected separation distress or simply a response to an unfamiliar environment rather than a secure attachment bond comparable to that seen in dogs or children. The paper offered an influential, more skeptical counterpoint in the debate over feline attachment, and is frequently cited alongside later work reporting secure attachment, illustrating how test design and interpretation shape conclusions.