Do Cats Know They're Cats? A Fascinating Insight!
Do kittens actually know they are cats? This is quite obvious—they don't!
1. The Mirror Test
In 1970, psychologist Gordon Gallup from the University of Albany conducted a test called the "Mirror Test" (MSR), which aimed to determine whether various animals possess selfawareness. Unfortunately, cats failed to pass this test.
The procedure for the mirror test involves marking an animal's body with 12 different colored spots while it is unconscious (sleeping, anesthetized, etc.), so that it cannot detect the marks. The spots are typically placed on parts of the body that the animal can only see in a mirror, such as the face or head.
After the animal wakes up and sees its reflection in the mirror, if it attempts to touch the differently colored spots with its paws, it is considered to have selfawareness. Many pet owners have accidentally or intentionally allowed their cats to look in the mirror, and it's always fascinating to watch their initial confusion.
2. Selfawareness and Autonomic Cognitive Ability
Selfawareness refers to an individual's awareness of their own existence, including their own actions and mental states. Cats do not possess the same level of selfawareness as humans, and they haven't been taught about different species. Therefore, their behavior is largely driven by instinct (for example, eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, and chasing moving objects out of curiosity and their natural predatory instincts).
Research groups have found that if cats grow up with other animals, they tend to be more tolerant of other species. This suggests that cats do not completely categorize themselves with "other species"; instead, they maintain good relationships with other species while maintaining their own identity.
Similarly, if a kitten grows up with dogs, it's quite possible for it to consider itself a dog!
It is clear that cats lack selfcognition and cannot consider problems from a human perspective. While they may run over to headbutt their owners in an attempt to comfort them when they see them feeling down, they ultimately cannot understand the emotional state.
