How to Read “Dogs attach to people, cats attach to homes”
Inu wa hito ni tsuki neko wa ie ni tsuku
Meaning of “Dogs attach to people, cats attach to homes”
This proverb shows the different habits of two animals. Dogs are loyal to their human owners and form attachments to people. Cats, on the other hand, form attachments to the house or place where they live.
Think about moving to a new home. A dog will adapt to any new environment as long as its owner is there. Being near its owner makes the dog happiest.
But a cat shows strong attachment to its familiar home, yard, and territory. Even when taken to a new place, a cat may try to return to its old home.
This expression isn’t just about animal behavior. People also use it to describe human relationships. Some people follow a specific person even when organizations or environments change.
Others feel more attached to places or environments than to people. Pet owners today can still relate to this observation. It’s often quoted when discussing the differences between dog people and cat people.
Origin and Etymology
The exact origin of this proverb is unclear. It likely emerged from Japanese people observing these two animals throughout their long history of living together.
Dogs have lived with humans for tens of thousands of years. They served as hunting partners and guard dogs, building deep bonds with people.
For dogs, who naturally live in packs, the owner is the pack leader. Following that person is instinctive.
Cats began living with humans when agricultural societies started. They were valued for catching mice and rats that damaged grain stores.
But cats originally hunted alone. They have an instinct to value their territory.
Documents from the Edo period mention the different natures of dogs and cats. This shows the observation was widely known by that time.
People noticed that dogs quickly adapt to new places with their owners. Cats, however, sometimes try to return to their old homes after moving. This experience led to the proverb becoming established.
It represents the wisdom of ancestors who captured instinctive animal behavior patterns in simple words.
Interesting Facts
Animal behavior science confirms that cats do attach to homes. Cats mark their territory with scent and recognize that space as their domain.
When moving, cats may take several weeks to adjust to a new home. They need time to recognize the new space as their territory.
Dogs, as pack members, recognize their owner as part of the group. Wherever the owner is becomes the dog’s place.
During the Edo period, people had a custom when moving with cats. They would put miso paste on the cat’s paws.
While the cat licked off the miso, it would get used to the new house. This prevented the cat from returning to the old home. This wisdom came from observing that “cats attach to homes.”
Usage Examples
- Our dog adjusted right away after the family moved, but our cat wandered around the old house for a week. It’s really true that dogs attach to people, cats attach to homes.
- He followed his boss even when changing companies. They say dogs attach to people, cats attach to homes, and he’s definitely the dog type.
Universal Wisdom
This proverb teaches us that living creatures have different objects of attachment. These attachments are natural and rooted in instinct and nature.
Through familiar animals like dogs and cats, our ancestors understood a truth. Loyalty doesn’t always point in the same direction.
The same applies to human society. Some people place deep trust and loyalty in specific individuals. They don’t mind if the environment changes as long as that person is there.
Others feel attached to familiar places, environments, or entire communities. They find value in being in those places. Neither approach is better. They’re simply different natures.
This proverb has been passed down because people understood the importance of “accepting differences.” Just as you can’t make a dog act like a cat, people have their own natures too.
Some are loyal to organizational leaders. Others feel attached to the organization itself or the work content. Within families, some children bond with specific people. Others value the overall atmosphere of the home.
This wisdom teaches us the importance of understanding and respecting others’ natures. Instead of rejecting people who attach differently than we do, we can build richer relationships by accepting those differences.
When AI Hears This
Both dogs and cats are driven by loss aversion. What’s fascinating is that what they recognize as “something they can’t afford to lose” is completely opposite.
Behavioral economics shows that people feel the pain of losing something more than twice as strongly as the joy of gaining it.
Dogs have a history of hunting in packs. Their social network of companions was the foundation of survival. So even when the environment changes through moving, their reference point is maintained as long as the owner is there.
For a dog, losing the owner is a fatal loss.
Cats, on the other hand, evolved as solitary hunters. Places with prey, safe hiding spots, and territorial maps directly connect to survival. The physical environment itself becomes the reference point.
Even if the owner changes in the same house, the cat’s sense of loss is relatively small. But moving means losing all accumulated environmental information.
The same pattern appears in human relationships. With job transfers or school changes, some types say “I’m fine as long as the people are there.” Others find “leaving familiar places unbearable.”
Both fear loss, but what they use as their stability standard makes their stress responses completely opposite. The dog-cat difference is a classic example of how reference point settings determine behavior.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us that people have different “sources of security.” Do you find comfort in bonds with people? Or do you feel peace of mind in familiar places and environments?
What matters is knowing which type you are and accepting it. If you attach to people, you’ll thrive by valuing relationships with trustworthy individuals. You can choose a path of growing together with them.
If you attach to homes, you’ll show your true strength by creating comfortable environments. You can put down roots there and work from that base.
At the same time, try to understand the natures of people around you. A colleague who dislikes job changes or transfers isn’t necessarily conservative. They might simply be the type who attaches to environments.
Instead of criticizing a colleague who follows people as dependent, you can understand they value human bonds. By accepting differences, you can build relationships that leverage each other’s strengths.
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