I have a question for you to ponder: Do you think our animals know we’re a different species, or do you think they believe we are “one of them”?
A friend told me the other day that there was a study out some time ago that suggested cats believe that humans are actually part of their species.
They think we’re big, hairless and quite dumb. But that we are, indeed, a cat.
On the other hand, dogs seem to know we’re not canine. They recognize that we’re a different species and are trying to please us and incorporate us into their pack.
Now, truly, I don’t think there’s any way to definitely prove the answer to this question because we can’t really understand what a dog or a cat thinks, but there could be some empirical evidence to suggest a possible conclusion.
First of all, I have to say, if cats really do think we’re just dumb, hairless cats, I think that’s completely hilarious.
I can already hear my cats at home saying to each other, “Man, she is not that bright, is she? I don’t think she could catch a mouse if we paid her.”
I mean, they’re not wrong, but it cracks me up that they think I’m a cat like them, I’m just really stupid.
My cats do to me what they do to other cats – the head-butting, the purring, the kneading on bellies, the rubbing up against legs. It kind of would make sense that they thought I was another cat like them.
It also explains why they bring us things – toys, or, heaven forbid, dead animals. They do this in the wild, too, to teach the young how to hunt or to provide for their families.
After thinking about this, now when a cat brings me something, I can almost hear him say, “Here, stupid. This is how you catch something. Maybe you’ll figure it out one day.”
The whole cats think we’re dumb felines makes so much sense!
Whereas dogs on the other hand often respond as though they know we’re not a canine. Think about how a dog reacts when he or she sees or meets another dog. It is actually quite different than how they greet a human.
If you’ve ever watched dogs at a dog park, you know what I’m talking about. It’s almost like they’re saying, “Hey! You’re just like me! Let’s hang out and run around because that weird creature that walks upright on her hind legs who brought me here is clearly not one of us.”
Some people suggest that dogs know we’re not canine because of their sense of smell. While cats also have a highly fine-tuned sense of smell, some dog breeds can out-smell their feline companions. So they know we’re not a canine because we don’t smell like them.
The weirdest thing about all of this though (hang with me on this one, it’s gonna take some turns) is that while dogs are pack animals and have a hierarchy within a group, cats are actually more solitary creatures and tend to hunt alone. Isn’t it odd then that dogs don’t see us as canines, but want to be part of a pack, whereas cats see us as feline, but want to remain on their own?
So bizarre.
I’ll tell you this, though, whether dogs and cats recognize that we’re a different species or not, life with a four-legged friend is never dull and may be one of the best relationships us lowly humans will ever find.
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Jennifer Vanderau is the Public Relations Coordinator for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
