Since containment, the French have been finding it more difficult to separate from their animal to go to work. And conversely, cats see their own owner with a bad eye and are absent all day! If in the United States and Japan, you can see people going to the office with their tomcat, it is not yet also developed in France. On the other hand, coming with her dog begins to develop. Why is it less frequent for cats to go to work with their human?
What is the point of taking an animal in a business?
The presence of pets is generally quite rare in France. It is especially in start-ups that we spot. It would seem that the presence of an animal in an already flexible organization reduces anxiety and improves the living environment. He would participate in making the atmosphere more friendly and more alive. It would even have an impact on mood disorders and tension of the headache or nervousness. In addition to the effects on the physical and mental health of employees, dogs, and cats would play a role in team cohesion by encouraging interactions and improving conviviality. Likewise, their presence would have a soothing effect and would constitute effective distraction, like the famous table football that offers invigorating breaks.
In addition, a dog or a cat improves the company's brand image to the public and the markdown of its competitors. This can even arouse the curiosity of journalists and lead to what we are talking about favorably.
Finally, pets would have an impact on the reduction of absenteeism and on the feeling of work satisfaction. People would leave their employer less and recruitment would be favored. This is revealed by a study of November 13, 2023, published in the Harward Business Review entitled "The Benefit of A Pet-Friendly Workplace" (the advantages of a workplace favorable to pets).
Cats are considered independent and territorial
If dogs can come to their master's office and adapt quite easily, it is not the same with cats. Small felines are independent. They know how to take care of it alone and prefer, at times, to isolate themselves rather than undergoing humans or fellows. They need to sleep in a calm environment and start more easily at the slightest noise. Dogs, on the contrary, like to sleep near their master and feel reassured by his presence. What soothes a cat is to stay in a stable territory. We know that in our little felines, the simple fact of moving the furniture in the living room can create anxiety. The dog is above all sensitive to interactions with his human. Changing an environment by lugging it from home to work and then from office to home is therefore more difficult, even if it is not impossible.
The territoriality of the cat results in the way it marks and delimits its space (deposit of pheromones in strategic areas, for example). A cat can react very strongly during an intrusion into its territory, whether by a human or another animal. In offices where social interactions are almost permanent, the atmosphere is therefore not as suitable for cats as dogs. However, this did not prevent a Japanese company located in Tokyo, Ferray Corporation, specializing in digital communication, from adopting 9 cats on its premises. Its purpose was to boost the productivity of its employees and to bring them some relaxation thanks to Ronrontherapy.
Working with his cat is not recent since already in the 16th century, Cardinal Richelieu received in his office and made the big decisions with a small feline on his knees. Similarly, Louis XV, in the 18th century, attended the council with his Matou named Brilliant.
Cats live in 3D: They need to secure the premises
Cats need to climb, perch, and observe from a position in height. They occupy their environment in 3 dimensions. It is not uncommon for them to jump on different furniture and it is very difficult to prohibit them. However, they are not all delicate and delicate. Jumping into offices, at the risk of dropping equipment, documents or a cup of coffee is not ideal! This propensity to look for height points requires that the spaces be fitted out and secure to allow the matous their explorations and avoid accidents. Living with a cat is offering her cat trees, scratches, and 6 toys that are essential for their mental and physical balance. Getting the claws is essential for a cat, it is a natural behavior. Welcoming a cat in a business is therefore more complicated than a dog who hardly needs more than a basket and a bowl of water.
Cats are less social than dogs
The cat is said to be sociable and opportunistic. That is to say that he can choose to socialize, but only when he sees it as a direct interest such as food, attention, or comfort. He therefore selects his interactions according to the advantages he can draw from it. Going to an office made up of different people, including colleagues from your human, may not be a pleasure for him. He will undergo interactions without necessarily finding a profit. Conversely, dogs are constantly looking for the company. They are deeply social animals. Now today, humans can constitute a pack and reassure a doggie. On the contrary, the cat risks stressing in the presence of too many faces. Matous can forge very strong ties, but it is not spontaneous or with everyone. It is more calculated, more selective, and more pragmatic!
Matous is more allergenic than doggies!
Even if there are allergies to dog hair, cats are more allergenic for humans. In workplaces, especially in Open Space where many people work, the statistical risk that an employee triggers a reaction to the presence of the cat is not trivial. If, in exceptional cases, a tomcat can be introduced to the workplace, this cannot be generalized. Indeed, according to the French Union of allergists, out of the 11 to 12 million allergic French people, 10 to 11 % are with feline hair: that is therefore between 1.1 and 1.3 million people. This can lead to asthma attacks or even an edema of quincke which is very serious, not to mention the irritation, colds, eyes that cry, and sneezing which are still uncomfortable. It is the presence of the Fel D1 protein in saliva, the sebaceous glands, and the cat urine that can cause these symptoms. It is fixed on the coat and then disperses in the environment. Only a few breeds, such as the Siberian cat or the Savannah, little secret. They are therefore more tolerated by allergic people. But the place of a Savannah with genes from wild animals is not in an office! In comparison, the intensity and nature of canine allergens are much more variable from one race to another, from one subject to another, which makes some dogs much more bearable for sensitive people. In enclosed spaces, this difference is significant.
If taking your cat to work is less frequent than coming with your dog, it is therefore not only because of the behavioral characteristics of our matous, but also their allergenic potential and their needs. A workspace is not really suitable for the feline species, while canids more easily find their place among a group of people.
Post a Comment