Abstract: Participants (N = 717) characterized their relationships with their dog and four human partners: closest kin, romantic partner, best friend, and child, using the Network of Relationships Inventory. The results showed that owners reported greater satisfaction with their dogs than with any human partner except their child. They received more Support from dogs than from any human partner except their child and experienced fewer Negative Interactions with their dogs compared to any human partner, except their best friend. Overall, the relationship with the dog provided high Companionship, opportunities for Nurturance, and minimal Negative Interactions. This may stem from the fact that the dog-human relationship features a more asymmetric power dynamic than human relationships – i.e., owners have full control over the dog’s life
Turcsán, B., Ujfalussy, D.J., Kerepesi, A. et al. Similarities and differences between dog–human and human–human relationships. Sci Rep 15, 11871 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95515-8
I moved overseas and sent my cat to stay with a friend while I was getting settled. After about six weeks, I finally had a stable apartment and everything, so I went to pick her up. She was asleep when I got there, but woke up as soon as she smelled me, climbed up to my shoulders (not a thing she typically does), and frantically kneaded and meowed at me until I detached her so we could leave after hanging out with the friend for an hour or so. It was heartbreaking and I haven’t left her since
Sweet baby, you won’t post a picture. You won’t do it
Haha, that’s actually all I ever want to do!
If I’m away for more than like 2 days, my cat will not come to the door, will wait for me to find him, yell at me, then ignore me for 5 minutes, then he does all the loves. Spiteful little bastard
Give a stretch and a good ol cat hug