Cats are intelligent animals and will be quite aware of their surroundings. Whether this has to do with staying safe from predators, finding prey, and/or bonding with humans, cats are fascinating due to their ability to pick up specific cues. However, it will often make you wonder, do cats know they are cats?
Cats do not know they are cats but they have an excellent understanding of other animals. This includes specific scents, sounds, and/or sights attributed to those particular animals.
It’s essential to understand a cat’s perspective of itself is going to be different than how humans view each other. Cats are more restricted with their concept of time and space, which includes themselves as creatures in the grand scheme of things.
However, a cat will know what a cat is in terms of finding a mate.
Key factors:
- Bonding
- Environmental Factors
- General Life Experiences
A wild cat is going to have a different perspective compared to domestic cats. They are not going to have a strong bond with other animals and will see life as more of a prey/predator one. While domestic cats will build stronger bonds with humans and/or other pets.
There is a balancing act here when understand how a cat perceives itself and the world around it.
However, for those asking “Do cats know they are cats?” it’s time to focus on what a cat thinks about when it sees itself in the mirror and/or how it perceives other cats.
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Things Cats Know About Themselves
1. Personal Safety
When asking “Do cats know they are cats?” you have to start with how a cat lives.
Most cats are going to have a more linear style of thinking. This means they keep things simple. For example, their mind is going to work on the idea of food, sleep, and staying safe. These are the basic requirements a cat is going to live by.
As a result, they are going to be in tune with their personal safety at all times.
Whether this is a feral cat or a domestic cat, the rules still apply the same way.
A good example of this would be a cat that is well aware of what it can hunt and what it can’t. They are not going to go after a bigger animal because they are self-aware of how much they can handle. Some cats will attempt to threaten a larger animal but eventually shy away.
This is common because the cat is self-aware of how big it is and what it can or cannot handle.
2. Bond With Other Animals
It is also important to look at the cat’s bond with other animals.
This is commonly seen with pets in the same home. For example, a cat is going to have a strong bond with humans and/or other pets in the house including dogs.
If that is the case, the cat will be aware it has specific preferences but it is still a part of the family. This comes naturally to the cat.
However, the cat is also going to be welcome to allowing other animals into its family.
This is just about bonding for them and who they are comfortable with. Once they are comfortable, they are more than happy to stay around all sorts of animals.
3. Hierarchy Within Family
Another detail to think about when wondering “Do cats know they are cats?” is hierarchy.
Yes, hierarchy is something cats are well aware of at all times within a family. If there are multiple pets in the same home, the cat is going to find a spot in the hierarchy.
For the most part, you are going to be at the top as the provider of food.
However, they can sometimes look to position themselves in front of other cats/dogs depends on how many pets are in the same area.
This has to do with wanting to get more food and/or claim specific spots in the territory.
This is something cats are aware of even if they don’t have the same understanding of species as humans do.
Related Questions
1. Do Cats See You As Another Cat?
Cats don’t see humans as another animal. They see all animals in the same manner. This means their judgement is based on scent, sight, and/or sound rather than physical descriptions of another animal including humans.
2. Do Cats Know They Exist?
Studies have shown cats are well aware of their existance and do hold exceptional memories. This allows them to be self-aware of strengths, weaknesses, and/or bonds with other animals.
Final Thoughts
“Do cats know they are cats?”
Cats are not aware of themselves being cats but do understand specific scents that are associated with their species. It is these scents that are used to find a mate.
Here is more on cats – dealing with post-abortion depression in cats, dealing with different litters from cats, dealing with smelly cat poop, and helping a cat that is walking too low.