Understanding Feline Social Behavior: Are Cats Truly Asocial?
Understanding Feline Social Behavior: Are Cats Truly Asocial?
There’s a long-standing misconception about cats and their social behavior. Many people believe that cats are asocial—preferring to live solitary, detached lives. But is that really true?
Let’s start with the definition. According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, “asocial” means avoiding social interaction, inconsiderate, or hostile to others.
When you look at the definition, that doesn’t describe cats at all.
Cats Are Not Asocial — They’re Selectively Social
If we look at feral cat colonies, we see clear evidence of social organization. These colonies are made up of cats that communicate, cooperate, and even share responsibilities. Within their groups, cats groom one another, care for kittens, and maintain structured social hierarchies.
Even our household cats exhibit social tendencies. They form bonds not only with people but also with other cats and, in many homes, with other animal species. Their social behavior might not always resemble that of dogs or humans, but it’s deeply meaningful and complex in its own right.
What Research Tells Us
Cats are often misunderstood as solitary creatures because they are independent “thinkers” and skilled solitary hunters. However, research shows that by both definition and observation, cats are indeed a social species.
During a lecture by Dr. Sharon Crowell-Davis, DVM, DACVB, she discussed remarkable parallels between matriarchal elephant herds and matrilineal feral cat colonies. Just as female elephants help care for the young in their group, female cats within feral colonies often act as “nurse mothers,” caring for kittens that aren’t their own. Some even assist another mother cat during birth—a behavior known as queening assistance.
These cooperative acts strengthen social bonds within the colony and reflect an intricate level of social intelligence.
Male Cats in Feral Colonies
Male cats are also part of this social structure. Depending on the colony and environment, males may live along the periphery of the group, sometimes serving protective roles or maintaining a loose connection to the core members. This information can vary from different resources.
Dispelling the “Aloof Cat” Myth
For years, we’ve been taught that cats are aloof, standoffish, and purely independent. However, modern research and observation paint a very different picture. Cats can be affectionate, loyal, and deeply social—just in ways that are more subtle than we often expect.
Just like people, not every cat thrives in a group. Some cats prefer solitude, especially if they’ve had limited socialization or have lived in stressful environments where they lacked control. In those cases, being an only cat may actually be what’s healthiest for them.
The Unique Dual Nature of Cats
Cats occupy a fascinating position in nature. They are both ambush predators and prey. This duality shapes much of their behavior. When their “prey response” is triggered, cats may act wary or defensive. But this isn’t unique to them—many fearful dogs display similar responses.
The Need for More Research
Surprisingly, there’s still very little research on the social behavior of domestic cats living in homes. Most of what we know comes from observing feral or farm cats. Yet even within our homes, we can observe moments of feline sociability every day.
For example, some cats are known as “social eaters” or “affection eaters”. They prefer to eat only when another cat, a trusted human, or another animal is nearby. This simple act shows how important companionship can be to them.
In Closing
Most cats are social beings who form meaningful relationships with their preferred companions—be they feline, human, or even another species. Like us, some are introverts, others are extroverts, and most fall somewhere in between.
For those who wish to dive deeper into this fascinating subject, an excellent resource:
Dennis C. Turner and Patrick Bateson, The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behaviour (2013)
