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| Do you talk to your cat about relationship and work issues? |
Humans and cats have cohabitated for thousands of years. Cat owners’ relationships with their feline friends are complex and diverse. This quiz will help you assess your relationship with your cat or cats.
For each statement, choose the response that best describes your relationship with your cat or cats. Record your answers. Then, refer to the answer key below, and add the numbers that correspond to each response to calculate your score.
1. You speak to your cat using baby talk.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
2. You have young children at home.
a. True
b. False
3. You have children, but they have left the nest.
a. True
b. False
4. Your cat has a baby-like nickname.
a. True
b. False
5. You tell your cat about work issues.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
6. You tell your cat about your relationships.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
7. You talk to your cat about life in general.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
8. You take photos of your cat and frame them or place them in a photo album.
a. True
b. False
9. You have:
a. No close friends
b. A few close friends
c. Many friends
d. Almost too many friends
10. You hold your cat like a baby.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
11. You consider your cat to be your baby.
a. True
b. False
12 You consider your cat to be your friend rather than your child.
a. True
b. False
13. Your cat provides you with emotional support.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
14. Your cat provides you with social support.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
15. You carry a picture of your cat in your wallet.
a. True
b. False
16. Your cat calms you and makes you feel at peace.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
17. In the past, people have given you emotional or social support similar to the support your cat provides.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
18. You dress up your cat for special occasions or throw parties for your cat.
a. Never
b. Sometimes
c. Often
d. Always
19. You are planning to have a child soon.
a) True
b) False
20. When you give your cat treats or catnip, you use baby talk or feel as though you’re giving the treats to your baby.
a. True
b. False
Scoring
Add the number of points next to the response you chose for each of the statements above to calculate your score.
1. a) 3; b) 2; c) 1; d) 0
2. a) 3; b) 0
3. a) 0; b) 3
4. a) 0; b) 3
5. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
6. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
7. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
8. a) 0; b) 3
9. a) 3; b) 2; c) 1; d) 0
10. a) 3; b) 2; c) 1; d) 0
11. a) 0; b) 3
12. a) 3; b) 0
13. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
14. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
15. a) 0; b) 3
16. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
17. a) 0; b) 1; c) 2; d) 3
18. a) 3; b) 2; c) 1; d) 0
19. a) 0; b) 3
20. a) 0; b) 3
If you scored:
0-20 points —You view your cat as a furry son or daughter and love to show photos of your cat to friends and neighbors. Your cat mainly fulfills the role of a child in your life.
20-40 points — The role your cat plays in your life falls somewhere between that of a child and that of a friend. Your cat provides some emotional and social support, but you also love to shower your cat with affection and occasionally cradle your cat in your arms like a baby.
40-60 points — Your relationship with your cat is best described as a friendship. Your cat is a trusted confidant — a friend who is always there when you need to talk or to snuggle up on the sofa after a stressful day.
Remember, only you can define your relationship with your cat best. What's most important is that you love and take care of your feline friends. Of course, we cat owners know that our cats love us.
Brad Kollus is a freelance writer specializing in the human-feline bond. He lives on the East Coast with his wife Elizabeth, son Dylan and their four cats.