this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
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I know what you mean here, but it's a bit egotistical of humans to be like "we literally know what this creature who can't talk" is thinking when they can barely properly guess what their long term partner or friend is always thinking ๐คฃ cats MIGHT be more simplistic in thought patterns than humans, but to assert what all cats believe based on an incorrect reporting on John Bradshaw's studies of cats is just plain wrong- please do a quick search! You'll see there are conflicting reports of what his book seems to claim, but he himself does not assert that that's what cats literally believe. ๐ฌ
Edit to add: here's the article where he's being interviewed about it, and the relevant part!
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/140127-cats-pets-animals-nation-dogs-people-science
"I've read articles where you've said cats think of us as big, stupid cats. Is that accurate?
No. In the book [I say] that cats behave toward us in a way that's indistinguishable from [how] they would act toward other cats. They do think we're clumsy: Not many cats trip over people, but we trip over cats.
But I don't think they think of us as being dumb and stupid, since cats don't rub on another cat that's inferior to them."
@liztliss My personal theory is that they know we aren't a cat like them, but they figure we think the same way they do and that most everyone shows affection and communicates like a cat. I could be wrong, but it seems to fit.
Yeah we can't literally know what cats are thinking, but humans do tend to anthropomorphise so we can't really help attributing our observations of their behaviour into what we believe they are thinking. Very egotistical of us.
My observation they think we are a bit useless comes from the 'gifts' behaviour of bringing things into the house. My cat brings in small lizards- thanks buddy! Could be any number of reasons they do it, but I find it amusing to ponder if he thinks I'm not good at hunting, so he better take care of this important cat business.