So, do cats remember people?
Cats, unlike other domesticated animals such as dogs, don’t recognize their owners as superiors. In fact, they don’t even recognize their owners by sight.
Instead, they recognize their favorite humans by scent and sound. They also remember the person who fed them, played with them, and took care of them over the years.
Therefore, the rumor that felines don’t care about their owners isn’t true.
They can have a deep emotional connection with their humans. Moreover, they can remember their old owners due to both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.
However, that doesn’t mean a feline can’t bond with a new owner.
Felines, like most animals, if showered with love and affection can develop a strong, deep relationship with their owners.
In today’s article, I will discuss cats’ memory in great detail.
I will also explain how cats recognize their owners and answer your questions about their memory, so let’s dive in and learn more about these majestic creatures.
Do Cats Forget Their Owners?
Studies suggest that many animals don’t actually have a short-term memory.
For instance, one specific study in 2015 explored 25 species and determined that the average short-term memory span was about 27 seconds. (*)
Dogs, on the other hand, had longer short-term memory of about 2 minutes. So how do dogs and cats remember things?
Well, some animals, including felines, use associative memory to preserve important information. For instance, they remember places that provide food and shelter. (*)
These associative memories actually regulate their ongoing behavior.
In simpler words, if you’re the one giving food, shelter, and of course, love to your feline, they will remember you.
They may not remember certain moments, days, months, or years with you, but they will associate your presence with crucial things for their survival.
Do Cats Recognize Their Owners?
Many cat owners believe that cats don’t care about people, but that’s false. Well, it’s mostly false because they don’t care about people’s appearance.
However, they’re still capable of connecting with their favorite humans. As I already stated, they don’t care about your looks, so they won’t remember your face.
What they will remember is your smell, sound, and the times you gave them tuna as they have associative memory.
They’re also capable of differentiating their human family from strangers so that has to count for something, right?
Moreover, note that some cats can recognize their owners, but they won’t establish a deeper connection with their human families if they’re fiercely independent.
If this is the case with your cat, don’t take it personally as it’s not you. It’s your cat’s personality. Try to understand and give your cat some space.
Other cats quickly become part of the family and bond with one or more people. So, whether or not your feline connects with you depends on their personality.
Either way, they’re capable of recognizing you.
Did you know that cats can recognize their siblings too?
Do Cats Miss Their Owners?
Many cat owners wonder if their cats miss them when they’re at work, go away for a longer period, or even shortly at the grocery store.
Since memory and feeling of loss aren’t easy to understand in animals, researchers haven’t been able to determine if cats miss their owners.
Some studies have shown that felines don’t experience changes when their owners leave the room, while other studies have proven that cats get more vocal when their owners leave the room, as opposed to when strangers leave the room.
Signs that indicate a cat missed their owner include destroying pieces of furniture, using the carpet as their litter box, meowing, yowling, whining, hiding in small places, etc.
Most owners who notice these signs think their cats act with a vengeance because they were left on their own. However, it’s likely just the cats being stressed that they were left alone, as they’re known to be anxious animals.
Overall, cats can act happy to see their owners when they’ve been gone for a little while, but it’s doubtful that they think about their humans when they’re not at home, as they don’t usually pay too much attention to people.
Do Cats Remember Their Owners After 2 Weeks?
Felines remember their owners after 2 weeks.
In fact, they remember their owners after 3 weeks or even more, especially if you’re the one who has been taking care of them daily.
Felines remember people they depend on for their daily routine of playing, eating, etc. So, don’t worry about your cat forgetting about you if you go away for a while.
Cats have excellent memory capacities.
They tie their memories to their senses. Therefore, if you feed your feline friend at the same time every day, they won’t forget about you anytime soon. They will remember your smell and sound as well.
Moreover, just like people, cats remember special events such as the time you gave them their favorite treat or held them up to the window to see a bird.
They don’t remember every single moment with you, but a special event can leave a big impression on your cat’s life.
Some owners even claim that their cats have been able to remember kids who went away to college and came back every few months.
So, just because your kitten doesn’t look for you or acts super excited when you get back home, doesn’t mean they didn’t miss you.
Cats certainly notice when their owners aren’t around, but they’re independent and adaptable creatures, so they adapt to anyone’s absence very quickly.
Do Cats Remember Their Owners After 6 Months?
Felines remember their owners after 6 months or even 1-2 years if they were the ones feeding them daily.
The long-term memory of cats is directly associated with positive and negative times such as food, treats, pain, fear, or threat. So, it’s easy for cats to remember humans they like and dislike.
For instance, neglected or abused cats need some time to trust new people. Also, if they’ve suffered some type of abuse from a person, they will associate their memory with other people.
The same goes for positive experiences and events. Every time cats get affection or treats for doing something specific, they “note” this event into their memory as “good” and they will keep on using it to their benefit.
So, if you have interacted with your cat daily and taken good care of them, they will probably remember you after 6 months or even more.
Do Cats Remember Their Owners After 2 Years?
Cats have a selective memory.
They remember good and bad things including people for up to 10 years. So, if you have had a strong bond with your cat (cared for them daily), they will remember you after years.
In fact, you will probably stay in your cat’s memory forever.
Do Cats Remember Their Old Homes?
Although no one can prove for sure, cats most likely remember their old homes.
They have been known to go walk very long distances to find their way back to their old owners. So, it’s safe to assume that cats remember their previous homes as well as the people they’ve lived with.
Not only do they have great long-term memory but also a good sense of orientation.
Out in nature, wild cats mark their territory and luckily they’ve passed this practice onto their domestic cousins. In other words, cats can’t get lost that easily.
However, I don’t recommend testing your feline’s survival skills.
Moreover, if cats move with their human family and for some reason, return to their old home after a long time, they will probably go back to their old hiding and resting spots.
How Long Does it Take For a Cat to Adjust to a New Owner?
How long does it take for a feline to adjust to a new person depends on how much time and effort the owner can put into the relationship as well as the cat’s new situation and personality.
Moreover, the adjustment also depends on the type of relationship that the cat had with their previous owners.
For instance, if the cat was neglected or worse, abused by previous owners, they’re less likely to trust a new person right away.
In this case, the feline can also act anxious or even aggressive as a cat’s memory is excellent, so they often rely on their memories of their previous owner and act accordingly.
Does the Age of the Cat Play a Role in the Bonding Process?
Other factors that can affect the relationship of kittens with their new owners include age and other animals and people already living in the new household.
Note that older cats will probably have a harder time adjusting to new people and households than younger ones.
If you have other pets at home and you decide to adopt a new cat, make sure to introduce the new cat to the other companion animals gradually so they have time to adjust to each other.
Keep in mind that small kids and dogs can be scary for kittens, especially if the cat has been previously scared by other cats or small kids.
Overall, if the new owner is willing to put the time and effort into bonding with their cat and respecting their boundaries, they will develop a strong bond within weeks.
Do Older Cats Experience Memory Loss?
Just like older people, older felines lose brain cells as they get older. In other words, your cat’s long-term memory declines with age, unfortunately.
Therefore, it’s important to feed your feline foods rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and other important nutrients as they help slow the brain’s decline.
Studies say that about 50% of cats between the ages of 11 and 15 and 80% of cats between the ages of 16 and 20 suffer from cognitive dysfunction.
It’s a disease in felines that affects their brain differently from the manner dementia attacks people’s brains, but they share similar results as a cat’s brain resembles a human’s brain.
If you notice any signs of feline cognitive dysfunction in your kitten, ask your vet for advice.
Wrap Up
In a nutshell, felines remember their owners. However, it’s hard to say how long they remember their favorite humans.
Some studies have proven that cats can have special relationships with people who take care of them more than they do with total strangers.
Other studies even claim that cats will follow gestures when people point to food. (*)
All of these studies suggest that cats know their owners and care about their human families throughout their lifetime.
*image by Dimaberlin/depositphotos