Do Cats Value Blood Relations Like Humans Do?
Do cats place importance on blood relationships like humans, seeing their parents and siblings as lifelong family? When they are young, cats do tend to stay closely bonded with their family members. However, as they grow older and become independent, their relationships often change.
Let's explore together what "family" means through the eyes of a cat!
The Importance of Siblings for Kittens Before Independence
Siblings are crucial companions before independence: for newborn kittens, the role their brothers and sisters play is extremely important! At around 2 to 3 weeks of age, they begin to play and wrestle together, biting and nipping at one another. Through these interactions, kittens learn how to control their own strength and acquire an understanding of the social rules within the feline world. This period is a valuable learning experience for them.
However, don't assume that kittens think in the same way humans do, like "you are my brother" or "you are my sister." Cats don't have a clear concept of sibling relationships. At most, they simply view one another as fellow learners and playmates.
How Cats Recognize Their Family Through Scent
It is said that cats identify each other primarily through their sense of smell. Mother cats lick their kittens not only to clean them but also to transfer their own scent. This way, the kittens carry their mother's smell, helping them recognize "You are my child."
The same applies to siblings. Because they live together, they share similar scents, which makes it easier for them to accept one another as family. However, this shared scent can fade over time. When the common scent disappears, even cats with a strong blood relationship might be perceived as strangers.
Therefore, for cats, the people or animals that share the same scent are truly considered family.
Cooperative Cat Parenting
Although cats are mostly independent creatures, occasionally two related female cats—such as a mother and her daughter—can share parenting duties. For example, one cat might take on nursing and feeding responsibilities, while the other watches over the kittens.
This cooperation does not mean the cats consciously understand their mother-daughter relationship or feel a special family bond; rather, it happens simply because they get along well. If living together becomes stressful, even related cats will choose to go their separate ways.
The Reality of Separation Among Siblings
Once separated, memories fade: siblings who grew up together in the same litter, no matter how close they were, as soon as they start living apart, the memory of each other's scent gradually diminishes. Even if they reunite years later, they might not recognize each other at all. Some cats may even hiss or display threatening behavior toward their own siblings, as if the other is a complete stranger.
This concept might be hard for humans to comprehend, but for cats, this is simply reality.
Family Members Competing for Territory: Understanding Cats' Strong Territorial Instincts
Cats have an extremely strong sense of territory. Even family members—whether parents or siblings—can be seen as intruders if they step into a cat's domain. This territorial behavior means that a cat may react defensively or aggressively whenever its personal space is invaded, regardless of how close the other individual is.
This tendency is especially pronounced among male cats. Once they reach adulthood, male cats often engage in fights to defend or claim territory. These confrontations can occur even between biological brothers, as the drive to protect and dominate their space overrides familial bonds.
Understanding Cat Relationships: Family Is More Than Blood
For cats, whether or not they consider another as "family" is not determined by blood ties, but rather by the comfort they find in each other's company. This means that even if you raise a pair of sibling cats together, it does not guarantee they will remain close for life. If their personalities clash, they might actually live their entire lives apart, completely indifferent to one another.
Therefore, when you plan to adopt a cat family group—whether parent and kittens or siblings—remember to give them space. Allow them the freedom to choose how they relate to each other. This respect for their individual preferences is truly the best way to nurture harmonious relationships among cats.
