A representative of the Arizona Humane Society explained to Bored Panda that how we, the owners, act and behave can have a significant impact on our pets and their behavior.

“A few studies have found that pets can mirror their owner’s moods and can be sensitive to human’s feelings of stress and anxiety,” the AHS representative detailed that our furry little friends pick up on your body language, tone of voice, and other cues that can indicate our agitation.

However, the pet expert told Bored Panda that we shouldn’t be worried too much about ‘infecting’ animals with our anxiety or feelings of stress. “Pet owners do not need to worry about this particularly, as pets are more of a social support for us just like we are social support for them.”

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we like without feeling responsible for our pets. The AHS rep said that we’re still in charge of our pets’ physical and mental healthcare that’s necessary for them to live long and happy lives, full of affection (and, hopefully, soul-piercing stares full of love).

“Giving our pets the physical and mental care they require, along with lots of love and safety will ensure a lifetime of reciprocated love and affection between our four-legged friends and their human family.”

Earlier, I spoke about bonding between cats and their owners with Dr. Kristyn Vitale from the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University. 

"Our research has demonstrated that pet cats can form stable, affectional attachment bonds with their owners,” Dr. Vitale told Bored Panda.

“The majority of cats have the capacity to use their owner as a source of comfort and security, especially when faced with stressful or unfamiliar situations. Our research has also shown that cats can be very social toward their owners, especially when their owner pays attention to them," Dr. Vitale said.

However, there’s still plenty about cat-human bonds that’s still unclear. “Kittens aged 3-8 months and adult cats display secure bonds with their owners. However we don't yet know how long it usually takes for cats to forms bonds with their owners," the expert on animal bonding gave us an example.

"We do know that at least in kittens, these bonds do not easily change. When we followed up with kittens, 81% of them displayed the same attachment type as they had previously (either secure or insecure). If a kitten was secure the first testing session, they were likely to be secure upon follow-up. Although we don't know how long these bonds take to form, they seem to be relatively stable once established.”

According to Dr. Vitale, we can maintain the secure bonds that form with our pets by being receptive to them, especially during situations that are very stressful. “In humans, we know that attachment bonds can be impacted by how the caretaker handles negative experiences. So if you know that a stressful event is going to occur, such as if you are moving or taking the cat to the veterinarian, it is particularly important to remain calm and provide positive attention to your cat. This can help the cat continue to see you as a source of comfort and security."

What’s the bond like between you and your pets, dear Pandas? Do they gaze into your soul with eyes full of love or do they just let you know that they’re hungry? Do you have any gorgeous photos of your pets to share with us and the other Readers? Drop us a line or share a photo in the comment section at the bottom.