Attachment theory, developed in the 1950s, suggests that early in life, people predominantly form one of four styles of attachment: secure and three types of insecure called ambivalent, avoidant or disorganized. Secure attachers are comforted by a caretaker’s presence. Ambivalent attachment tends to be clingy and overdependent while avoidant seem disinterested.

Disorganized attachers show a mix of contradictory behaviors, seeking attention and then resisting it. While this attachment theory was originally designed to map out human personalities, scientist have discovered that it also matches how cats bond with humans.

Why scientists are suddenly baffled that cats can bond with their owners remains a mystery because if they had just owned a cat, they would know. That just proves that humans aren’t the smartest creatures on the planet and that cats probably are.

To learn more about how cats bond with people, click here.