Do cats have personalities? What research can tell us

One cat greets the doorbell; another watches from the stairs. Differences like these spark curiosity about personality, though one afternoon is not enough to show a cat’s usual habits.

What to notice

The 2017 Feline Five study used caregiver ratings of 2,802 cats and identified five factors: neuroticism, extraversion, dominance, impulsiveness, and agreeableness. These describe patterns across observations, rather than sixteen fixed categories. Caregiver reports also reflect what people notice and how they interpret it.

Something to try

Write down the setting as well as the behavior: who was there, what happened first, and whether your cat could move away. Repeat the observation on different ordinary days. ‘Sat nearby during three quiet evenings’ is more informative than ‘always affectionate.’

Keep in mind

PurrJung’s four dimensions and 16 cat types are not scientifically validated; they are not the Feline Five and not a veterinary assessment. Use them to organize observations, not to explain every action. Our methodology describes how scores work, including unanswered questions and balanced results.