Please note that I did not mean to imply cats do not know us from them. What I was trying to convey is that they treat us like they would treat a [giant] cat (discussed in the article).
Cats are individuals and treat each other differently, they know one cat from the other and they can distinguish each member of the household as they do different things with each of us; however, what they do with us, with the exception of meowing, are things they would do with other cats… i.e. they will snuggle, try to groom us, head butt us, show us their butts, expose their bellies or hiss at us in the same way they would to other cats
I actually have read the book, and the book doesn’t say or even imply that cats think of us as cats.
Please note that I did not mean to imply cats do not know us from them.
Fair. But there is a lot of nonsense around that subject on the Internet because people misinterpret what it says. Even in the article you linked, they ask that question and he corrects them.
In the book [I say] that cats behave toward us in a way that’s indistinguishable from [how] they would act toward other cats.
Specifically that. Because dogs operate in unit groups and they recognize a hierarchy. Cats, even in social groups do not have a hierarchy and treat us as members of their colony. They socialize with us as such, but in an equal but different capacity. That’s misinterpreted a lot.
I apologize for assuming that was the point you were trying to make.
Oh cool… thanks for the clarification. You can see how the line quoted from the author easily twists into “cats can’t tell we are not cats” but the clarification is welcome and the difference is huge!
yeah, ours will pick their person, say me, and be their shadow all day, then cuddle on my wife’s lap while staring at me, daring me to complain that i’m not getting kitten cuddles.
it was so sweet the way my prettykitty chose me at the shelter. we bonded instantly. i can tell she’s telling me “i love her too” when she does this stuff and it’s adorable but i am still envious of the kitten cuddles.
I don’t believe this. Our cats will watch a cat on TV, but not a human. Our cats act differently to my wife and I than they do each other.
Cats have powerful senses of smell and use it for identification. We do not smell like cats.
Cats demonstrate competitive bonding with each other, but not with humans.
Cats use different vocalizations with humans than other cats.
Cats will observe human facial expressions rather than body language. They recognize we communicate with our face, not body.
All kinds of things. Cats may not know what we are, know we are potential allies (for the most part), but they also know we are not cats.
So here is an article about the book that discusses this:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/140127-cats-pets-animals-nation-dogs-people-science
Please note that I did not mean to imply cats do not know us from them. What I was trying to convey is that they treat us like they would treat a [giant] cat (discussed in the article).
Cats are individuals and treat each other differently, they know one cat from the other and they can distinguish each member of the household as they do different things with each of us; however, what they do with us, with the exception of meowing, are things they would do with other cats… i.e. they will snuggle, try to groom us, head butt us, show us their butts, expose their bellies or hiss at us in the same way they would to other cats
I actually have read the book, and the book doesn’t say or even imply that cats think of us as cats.
Fair. But there is a lot of nonsense around that subject on the Internet because people misinterpret what it says. Even in the article you linked, they ask that question and he corrects them.
Specifically that. Because dogs operate in unit groups and they recognize a hierarchy. Cats, even in social groups do not have a hierarchy and treat us as members of their colony. They socialize with us as such, but in an equal but different capacity. That’s misinterpreted a lot.
I apologize for assuming that was the point you were trying to make.
Oh cool… thanks for the clarification. You can see how the line quoted from the author easily twists into “cats can’t tell we are not cats” but the clarification is welcome and the difference is huge!
Yeah, my orange uses different meows when he’s looking for me than when he’s looking for my wife. It’s really cute.
You haven’t met our cats.
yeah, ours will pick their person, say me, and be their shadow all day, then cuddle on my wife’s lap while staring at me, daring me to complain that i’m not getting kitten cuddles.
it was so sweet the way my prettykitty chose me at the shelter. we bonded instantly. i can tell she’s telling me “i love her too” when she does this stuff and it’s adorable but i am still envious of the kitten cuddles.