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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / May 2005Cats' growing "intelligence" as they age.
Growing up, we had several cats. In college, I lived with landlords' cats (taking better care of them than their owners, iirc). Since getting married and returning home 15 years ago, I've had seven cats. Wide variety.. unexpected litters, strays, purebreeds, humane society adoptees, etc. One thing I've noticed is that no matter how bizarre and alien a cat seems in its infancy and adolescence, gradually some sort of sentience seems to dawn on them. The most recent reminder of this is a little drama that played out tonight between Tiger and me. Tiger's a 11+ year old farm cat who's lived through almost all of our other recent residents. Trying to work (which, since I work at home, I must do constantly) I was suddenly disturbed by a horrible noise in the kitchen. Tiger had cornered the bag of recycling, and was pawing it in such a way as to make the greatest possible noise (cans, bottles, paper.. you get the idea). When I got up to see what was going on, I heard a soft mewing. When I called out "Louis?" (the Bengal, still a kid), I heard Louis' characteristic 100 decibel howl from the kitchen cabinets. I let Louis out, after he'd prolly darted in there while I was putting away dishes, and went back to work. Tiger hopped up on the desk and licked my hand, and fell asleep. My only assumption is that Tiger knew something was wrong, sounded the alarum, and when it was answered was satisfied and went back to his nap. Others have much more astounding stories of intelligence, but I can distinctly remember when Tiger was a clueless "Nermal" harrassing the other cats and acting crazy. One explanation of this that I've heard is that cats learn by living with humans. They can realize when your intervention is necessary, realize what alarms you recognize, and activate them. Tiger has also gone from a fairly aloof cat to one who appreciates a good stroke and bed-with-his-people. Do you think that domestic cats are simply social creatures who take a long time to figure out human behaviors? And that the older a cat becomes in our care, the more they seem "human"? Tonight's drama with Tiger is just a sample, but I've had similar experiences with other cats who've lived with me a long time. Just curious to hear people's reactions. BLink > Growing up, we had several cats. In college, I lived with landlords' > cats (taking better care of them than their owners, iirc). Since > getting married and returning home 15 years ago, I've had seven cats. > Wide variety.. unexpected litters, strays, purebreeds, humane society > adoptees, etc. <snip> I think with age they just mellow and tend to focus more. As youngsters they just have to run off all of that excess energy. Once they are older, the energy level drops and it affects the personality a little bit. They seem wiser, but in fact, are just a bit more focused. And they aren't nearly as spazzy with age, either. Sort of like dogs, in that respect. That's my take on it, anyway. -L. >I think with age they just mellow and tend to focus more. As >youngsters they just have to run off all of that excess energy. Once >they are older, the energy level drops and it affects the personality a >little bit. They seem wiser, but in fact, are just a bit more focused. > And they aren't nearly as spazzy with age, either. Sort of like dogs, >in that respect. I think that is a lot of it. I also believe that they simply have a lot of time to think about stuff, since they don't have to hunt or fight to survive. So, they have lots of time to observe our behavior and learn about things. Chase doesn't intentionallt bother me often anymore, but he knows there are only two things that will bother me while I am sleeping. I can ignore meowing, but I cannot ignore chewing on plastic or growling. So, if he wants my attention, he just starts chewing in some plastic, or he stares at Kira, and she growls. Jay Jay is in the experimental stage. He talks a bit differently, so I am learning what he wants, and he is learning how to get me to understand. He seems to be learning, as his requests are easier for me to understand. Kira has usually been very direct and easy to understand. But there are times when I can see the frustration. Her expression comes across as :How much slower do I need to say it for you to understand!?!" I can tell that she is definitely trying to communicate something. But yes, the older cats are much better at it. Even Jay Jay, at age 3 or 4, is more deliberate and less flakey than Chase was at age 2. Yet, I knew Chase from a kitten, and Jay Jay about 2 months now. So I would say both age and relationship make a difference. Also stress level. My rescued dog was abused before I got her, and she would mentally shut down anytime she thought she was in trouble or got confused. And once she shut down, it was impossible for her to learn. So, we had to take baby steps in her education. She did eventually get over it, but it was up to us to keep her below that stress threshold.  Signature-- Meghan & the Zoo Crew Equine and Pet Photography http://www.zoocrewphoto.com Morning. I talk to my cat like It was a people. I think he gets some of it or at least tries. I try to use same words for certain things, like "You wanna go outside?" If I have to step over him, I say excuse me (is that nuts or what)...but I try show him respect...I think he appreciates it. lol Whenever I'm leaving the house, I always rattle my keys a tad...and tell him..see ya later. Cool article! I not only believe my cat to be intelligent, but psychic as well. I may walk into the kitchen 15 times in the course of a day, but if I go in with the intent to feed Charley, he's there before I ever lay a hand on his foodstuffs. Yes, I do feed him around the same times everyday. So if he is not psychic, he can at least tell time. ;-) Michelle > I not only believe my cat to be intelligent, but psychic as well. I > may walk into the kitchen 15 times in the course of a day, but if I go [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Michelle You might be right, I got a new bag of cat food, and came in the house, but fed the cat from the current bag..still several good handfuls left...he wouldn't eat it, but just sat there avoiding eye contact, gazing left..then right...then back...then cut his eyes at the new bag... ha! cats crack me up. >You might be right, I got a new bag of cat food, and came >in the house, but fed the cat from the current bag..still >several good handfuls left...he wouldn't eat it, but just sat >there avoiding eye contact, gazing left..then right...then >back...then cut his eyes at the new bag... ha! cats crack >me up. LOL! Oh yes, and then there are the times Charley decides to be onery, doing things he knows he's not supposed to do, but when I go and get the squirt bottle to give him a reminder lesson, I come back to find him acting totally civilized and innocent--before he's seen what I brought with me. Hmmmm. > Hmmmm. sooo funny, for two days in a row, cat would do a SUPER FLY off the mantle; that's old skool wrestling manuver...there's no school like the old school (and Im just a child)... you get airborne and bellyflop your target (my head) anywho! 3rd day today, I was awake and waiting I was gonna snatch him out of the air...you know, we just playin...I watched him watching me out of the corner of his eye...God its cute, he thinks he's sooo clever I didn't see the jump, but whomp! right beside my head... > > Hmmmm. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > I didn't see the jump, but whomp! right beside my head... He really sounds like a neat cat. :) I didn't see the jump, but whomp! right beside my head... Aha, the surprise attack. Charley enjoys lying in wait just for the opportunity to startle me. And then there are the endless games of fetch--at his instigation of course. He'll play for 20-30 minutes at a time. Much better than any dog I've had. Michelle > I didn't see the jump, but whomp! right beside my head... > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Michelle haha I thought cats took things and ran, that's neat. Maybe he's a catdog. just kidding. I had a weird dream earlier, that Ruprecht had been taken, and replaced by a similiar cat, in my dream, I say to myself, that is not Ruprecht, then I woke up. Ruprecht was napping beside me, I reached over rubbing his head, and he seemed like he knew I had a bad dream, he grabbed my hand with his arms, and buried his head in my palm...and wouldnt let me go, bless his little heart. (thinking about cats having a 7th sense) > I had a weird dream earlier, that > Ruprecht had been taken, and replaced by a similiar cat, in my dream, I [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > his head in my palm...and wouldnt let me go, bless his little heart. > (thinking about cats having a 7th sense) That's all part of that strange cat's plot to convince you he's Ruprecht. Watch your back. Signaturehttp://www.slywy.com/ >That's all part of that strange cat's plot to convince you >he's Ruprecht. >Watch your back. LMAOF! Michelle Ha, funny you say that... Im going to set my web cam to record any motion in the bedroom tonight get to the bottom of this; what if I play the video in the morning and find a human figure had passed through the room > Ha, funny you say that... > > Im going to set my web cam to record any motion in the bedroom tonight > get to the bottom of this; what if I play the video in the morning and > find > a human figure had passed through the room Then my advice to you would be to pack up Ruprecht and your valuables and get the hell out of there! > > Ha, funny you say that... > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Then my advice to you would be to pack up Ruprecht and your valuables and > get the hell out of there! Fo reel! and in that order. |
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