Are Cats Intelligent?

As a result of a little experiment I tried I believe they are

. But first a bit of background.

Like many people I was brought up to believe that cats and dogs were both the same, dirty, needy and stupid. This stayed with me until my mid twenties until which time I had nothing to do with either. Then I entered my first long term relationship and things changed. A close friend had a cat which was very friendly towards me; maybe they were not so bad after all. When my friend went on holiday for 4 weeks we agreed to take care of her while they were away. Then the fun began!

We thought she had got very fat recently, but there was more to it than that, she was pregnant! The following day she crawled into a kitchen cupboard (we managed to line it with some soft old curtains) and promptly gave birth to four beautiful kittens, we were hooked! We fed and watered her in the cupboard for nearly two weeks while she fed and washed her babies, leaving them only occasionally to drag herself to the litter tray. She was very nurturing and fastidious. So Mum was wrong, cats are not dirty! If ever they are then it's because they are very ill, very old or both.

When our friend returned from holiday he had quite a surprise, five cats instead of one! He gave two of the kittens to his parents, kept one and let us have first choice on one. We called her Garbo as she was very beautiful, fiercely independent and often wanted to be alone. She was very happy with us would play with us when it suited her and sometimes would sit on my knee when I was watching television, purring loudly. But most of the time she was happy going out through the cat-flap to explore or wandering around "her" house doing whatever cats do. So again cats are not needy.

And now for the intelligence test.

At around four weeks old we put a mirror in the middle of the lounge floor propped up on some cushions and waited for Garbo to enter, we pretended to watch the television. She entered the room in her usual nonchalant way then stopped, seeing herself in the mirror. She sniffed the air for a moment (another cat?) then sat down about 18 inches from the mirror. She looked first into the mirror and then at us. She slowly stood up and walked slowly full circle around the mirror and cushions, returning to her original position she sat down again. Turning to us she "miaowed" once then turning back towards the mirror she licked her paw and began washing her face, carefully examining her work in the mirror! It was as if the miaow was saying to us "Yes, it's a mirror. I know that!"

For me this was a magical moment. For a creature who had never seen a mirror or her own body before there was an instant understanding of the situation. This says to me that cats are adaptable, intelligent and maybe even sentient. So wrong again mum, sorry.

Garbo was with us for 16 years and gave us much love and comfort.

Why not check out my other blogs and money making opportunities at www.potofgold.org.uk

Are Cats Intelligent?

By: John Vernon

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