Source (original paper)
Niemelä M, et al. (2023). Pet and owner personality and mental wellbeing associate with attachment to cats and dogs. iScience. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.108423
This article is open access and available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. You may share and reuse it if you give appropriate credit.

1. What did the research ask?

We may feel our pet is like family or a friend. But people differ in how they attach—some feel anxious when the pet is out of sight and want to keep them close; others love the pet but prefer more emotional distance. In psychology this is called "attachment style." This study looked at how owner personality and mental wellbeing, and the pet's personality or behavior, were linked to that attachment style. The main question was: Does the person–pet relationship vary with each one's personality and mental state?

2. How was the study done?

The study was done in Finland with 2,724 owners who had 2,545 dogs and 788 cats. Owners were assessed with the Big Five personality model and mental wellbeing. For the pet, the survey asked about sociability, fear, aggression, and problem behavior, and about the owner's attachment style (e.g. anxious vs avoidant). The researchers used structural equation modeling to see how personality, wellbeing, and attachment were connected, including indirect paths. Patterns were similar for dogs and cats.

3. What did they find?

Higher neuroticism and lower wellbeing were associated with more anxious attachment to the pet. Pets reported as less social or with more problem behavior were associated with more avoidant attachment in the owner. So the relationship was not one-sided—both owner and pet characteristics were linked to how the owner attached.

4. How to understand this

The study does not judge who is a "better" owner. It shows that the person–pet relationship is influenced by both sides' personality and emotional state. Anxious owners may check on the pet often and react strongly to small changes; that can be love but can also reinforce anxiety in the relationship. If the pet is seen as independent or difficult, the owner may respond with more emotional distance. Owner personality and mental state and the pet's behavior all contribute to the form of attachment.

5. Limitations

This was a cross-sectional survey. We cannot establish cause and effect. All information came from owner report, so it may differ from objective observation or clinical assessment.

6. What we can take away

The relationship with a pet is not just about "how much we love them." It is shaped by personality, emotional state, lifestyle, and the pet's traits. Some people have a very close bond; others a more independent one. What matters is finding a balance that feels stable for both. Reflecting on our own state and the pet's behavior can be a starting point for a healthier relationship. This study helps us see the person–pet relationship as an interaction system.

In a nutshell

Owner personality and mental wellbeing and the pet's personality and behavior are linked and shape the form of attachment. The person–pet relationship can be seen as an emotional structure built by both sides. So reflecting on the relationship with a pet is also connected to understanding ourselves.

Source (CC BY)
Niemelä M, et al. (2023). Pet and owner personality and mental wellbeing associate with attachment to cats and dogs. iScience. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.108423
© 2023 The Authors. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY).