A young boy who has mild autism at home with his mother and their family cat Paul Doyle / Alamy
The fleeting way cats make eye contact may explain why some autistic children develop stronger relationships with pet cats than pet dogs.
The 鈥渓ess intrusive glance鈥 of cats, compared to the 鈥渓ong gazes鈥 that dogs make, might align better with autistic children鈥檚 鈥渟ocial needs,鈥 says Marine Grandgeorge at the University of Rennes in France.
鈥淐ats don鈥檛 hold a stare but tend to look away after short bouts of eye contact, and it鈥檚 possible that this feels more comfortable for…
