Do Siamese Cats Attach to One Person? (Bonding Cats)


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Stereotypical cats are usually seen as somewhat withdrawn, unattached to any human, living their life on their own. However, this stereotype is not always true. Some cats want to be on their own, but all cats are different, and breeds are different too. For instance, Siamese cats are social animals.  So, do Siamese cats attach to one person?

Siamese cats are loyal and social animals that typically attach to one person. Siamese cats will regularly seek out the person they have bonded with most but should not display any aggressive behavior towards others.

Fortunately, science has started looking into cats’ personalities and differences between breeds. As a result, researchers now understand how different breeds attach to humans, whether they attach to families, one person, or nobody at all. Keep reading to learn why Siamese cats attach to one person!

If you are wondering what the best products are for your cat, check out this article that will break down all my recommendations for you: Things To Buy For A Cat Right Now!

Do Siamese Cats Choose One Person?

Like humans, it is essential to remember that each cat, regardless of its breed, has its own personality. Breeds look different, and it is easy to assume that cats that look similar will similarly react to humans. Therefore, while a breed is an essential factor, other factors are important too.

Siamese cats may not be aggressive towards humans, or they may not be shy. However, Siamese cats tend to get disinterested in other people other than their owners.

Siamese cats usually attach to one person, and other than that person, they ignore everyone else because they do not care about other people. Moreover, Siamese cats will not be aggressive towards a stranger but will not be friendly towards them either.

Unlike a stereotypical cat, Siamese cats stay loyal and devoted to their owners, primarily if they have known them since they were young. Aside from this, Siamese cats respond well to adult women.

If you want to get an older cat that is no longer a kitten and perhaps was attached to another person before, it will take some time and struggle to get a cat to recognize you as their new best friend and to get connected to you. However, a Siamese cat may get attached to you as their new owner at some point.

To learn more about Siamese cats, check out this article explaining if Siamese cats are easy to train:  Click Here.

Siamese Cat

Why Do Cats Bond with Only One Person?

Perhaps one of the most significant differences between having a dog and a cat as pets is that cats are not keen on interacting with strangers. Cats tend to get attached to one person and one family they have spent a lot of time with.

However, no two cats are the same. Some tend to prefer only one household member or resist attempts to interact with only one person from a family.

  • Research shows that a kitten’s early months of life will be a big indicator of how a cat will interact with people.
  • Kittens that had positive experiences of interacting with many people in the first weeks and months after birth are more likely to be friendly to people in general, not only to their owners

There are some theories based on anecdotal information that a pet’s behavior may also depend on the gender and age of a person. For example, cats respond better to adult women rather than to men. However, that might be a result of how two genders tend to interact with cats.

Sometimes people wonder if stray cats get attached to one person.  To learn more about stray cats and if they bond with only one person:  Click Here.

Why Are Some Cats Shy?

If you are trying to build rapport with a Siamese cat, it can be helpful to understand why cats sometimes are shy and do not want to get attached to a person. This is because cats used to be wild animals, guarding their territory against other predators, and sometimes, from humans.

Also, cats are physically small; they can find a large human figure intimidating. It can make a cat act in an aggressive manner.

Sometimes aggression is not the only reason why a cat can prefer to stick to one person, and this reason is well known to humans too—they get shy around strangers.

Russian Blue and Bengal cats tend to get shy when they meet another person; thus, it decreases their probability of contact. Siamese cats are moderately shy, too, so that might be a reason they do not want to get attached to a new person.

Some breeds were found to be more accepting of strangers trying to communicate, and vice versa; some breeds tend to stick with just one person and get disinterested in other people. Siamese cats fall into the latter category – they usually feel simply disinterested in communicating with other people other than their owner.

Although they are the least aggressive, British Shorthair cats actually do not like to interact with other people and want to be on their own.

Are Siamese Cats Friendly to Strangers?

Siamese cats are sometimes put into a bigger group of breeds along with other Oriental breeds: Balinese, Oriental Longhair, Oriental Shorthair, Seychellois Longhair, Seychellois Shorthair. Their behavior is expected to be similar. However, we should not forget that each cat has their own unique personality, just like humans.

  • Oriental-type breeds (like Siamese) are usually more likely to interact with strangers; actually, out of all breeds that researchers explored, Siamese cats are one of the most likely to interact with other people.
  • The possibility of decreased contact with other people is rather low compared to other breed types and families. They are just slightly shyer than most cats.

Besides, Oriental-type breeds tend to be less aggressive to humans than most other breeds: both members of their household and strangers. Not to cats, though; Siamese can be aggressive towards other cats.

However, the authors of one research paper on breed behavior asked owners if they perceive their cats’ behavior as problematic, and owners of Siamese cats most usually described their cat’s behavior as troubling. It might be because Siamese cats are playful and can get mischievous. 

How to Interact with a Siamese Cat

If you are getting a new Siamese cat from Rescue, they are probably already attached to another person and will not recognize you as their friend at first. So how do you get a new pet on your side?

  • Get down to their level.
  • Initiate interaction carefully
  • Best to wait, when your cat initiates an interaction

One suggestion is to get down on their level. As mentioned before, women tend to get on the floor when interacting with cats, while men stay seated on the furniture. Cats respond better to women’s approach. You can try attracting them with food and toys, but, somewhat surprisingly, it is more likely that they will respond to you as a human and a person, not as a source of food or entertainment.

It is essential to understand how to initiate an interaction. Children tend to initiate an interaction easily just by chasing and grabbing a cat. While sometimes cats can tolerate this behavior from somebody they know and like, initially, they will not like that and will resist. Try to suggest interaction first and let a cat decide on their own if they want to communicate with you or not.

Do Siamese Cats Protect Their Owners?

Siamese cats are social, loyal, and even protective.  It would help if you watched your Siamese cat closely when you have company around to ensure your Siamese cat isn’t overprotective of you.

I don’t think you need to worry about your Siamese cat biting anyone coming over, but you should be watchful since we know that Siamese cats do attach closely to their favorite human.

Do Siamese Cats Need Another Cat?

Yes, Siamese cats should have another cat to bond with.  This second cat will help keep your Siamese cat at ease since they attach so closely to their friends.

If you aren’t going to spend the money on another Siamese cat, I recommend checking out the shelter for a Domestic Shorthair that gets along with your cat.  My cat is a Domestic Shorthair, and she is quite sweet. But, unfortunately, there are usually many of them waiting to be adopted.

Conclusion

Video: Siamese Cats 101

Siamese cats are energetic and playful, and they require a lot of human attention. However, the human attention they crave is mostly that one human they consider their best friend and owner.

Siamese cats will be loyal but also only one human that they see as a friend. Despite this fact, it is possible to become the best friend to your Siamese cat even if it had a previous owner and still feel attached to them.

If you liked this article, check out a few more:

  • Do Siamese Cats Hunt? (Do Siamese Cats Hunt Mice?):  Click Here.
  • 9 Best Siamese Cat Traits (Supreme Analysis):  Click Here.
  • Why Siamese Cats Appear Cross-Eyed: Its Great Info:  Click Here.

Here are some of my favorite cat products

In addition to checking out some other More Meows articles, I hope you’ll check out some of my favorite cat products as well.  These are affiliate links, so if you end up using them, I’ll get a commission at no extra cost to you.  These are the products I really do find most helpful.

Litter Box:  I started out with normal, traditional litter boxes for my cat.  Then, I tried this automatic litter box on Amazon (affiliate link), which helped reduce the litter upkeep.  Finally, I am now a believer in the Litter-Robot 3 Connect on Amazon (affiliate link).  This robotic litter box is not for everyone based on the price tag, but for me the benefits (very little upkeep, works efficiently, clean, mobile app) far outweighed the cost. 

My Cat’s Litter-Robot 3 Connect (with night light on) – See the link above the photo!

Cat Tree:  I have purchased a couple of this Amazon Basics Cat Tree on Amazon (affiliate link).  My cat spends a lot of time on and around this cat tree, which I position near my sofa.  She uses the scratching posts on this cat tree multiple times a day, which means she is not scratching the sofa instead.

Cat Water Fountain:  I love this cat water fountain on Amazon (affiliate link).  There are three main benefits to having a water fountain like this for your cat.  The first benefit is that it keeps water running so that your cat doesn’t need to drink still water.  The second benefit is that it filters the water.  The third benefit is that it will keep your cat hydrated!

Christopher Carlson

I have an Domestic Shorthair Tabby named Charlotte. She is full of energy when she isn't sleeping most of the day. I share what I learn about cats on this site.

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