So, about cats
Apr. 3rd, 2012 10:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conulyJust recently I got to see this video showing big cats reacting to mirrors placed and held in front of their cages.
It's pretty obvious that this is the first time these cats had seen mirrors. If we can extrapolate from housecats (and I'm going to go right on ahead and assume you can), I'd expect them to have a fairly strong reaction for a few days when they first noticed the mirror, followed by it quickly toning down, with them ignoring the mirror completely as soon as they figured out the cat's not real.
What's interesting to me is not the mirrors, but the spiel they give before showing the mirrors where they talk about why cats groom and how often cats groom and they joke about how since cats are so "vain" they wanted to see how they reacted to seeing themselves in a mirror.
Obviously it's not meant to be a scientific, educational lecture. It's just a little bit of patter so we can enjoy the video. I got that.
But it still interested me that although 5 out of the 11 pre-mirror clips of big cat grooming they showed were of social grooming, "social bonds" was not mentioned as a reason cats groom. Temperature regulation and pest control were mentioned, but not forming and maintaining relationships.
I'm sure that the people running this center know that social grooming is important, and I'm sure they didn't think it mattered if they mentioned it or not, and I'm sure it doesn't matter. I just found it... interesting.
Of course, people (even people who know better) can be very invested in this idea of cats as solitary types. Some cats are like that, but then, so are some humans. And even when they describe social things cats do, it's always described in a way that... well, seems incomplete to me. (But then, I just pay attention now and again. I'm not actually an expert.)
One thing that you see all the time, when talking about domestic cats, is that cats butt their heads against things and people as scent marking. They have scent glands, and it's important to them, and by rubbing their heads against their friends and family they make sure it's clear to them and to everybody that they're all friends and family.
And this is true as far as it goes, and for most people it's a complete enough picture of their cat's body language (I mean, really, it's a cat. No matter how much you google the two of you won't ever discuss Voltaire together. Good enough really is good enough), but I've never yet seen described something which I *think* I see often enough when paying attention to cats in my neighborhood or, as now, in my house. Cats bump their heads against their friends and family members to say hi, all right, and I have no doubt that scent marking is why they do that - but they only do it to people above them in the loose social hierarchy that is felinedom. Kittens will bump foreheads with their mamas, or newbies with oldies, but not the other way around. They bump OUR foreheads, we don't usually get down and do it to them. With their littermates they don't generally bump heads, they walk so they brush up against each other. (I've seen cats who are okay with getting a head bump from another cat swat that same cat if they tried to do the "walking together" trick.)
I mean, maybe I'm wrong. Like I said, I just pay attention. I happen to like cats, so I notice them in the neighborhood and all. And it's not that crucial, it just bugs me that I seem to be the only one who consistently notices this omission.
It's pretty obvious that this is the first time these cats had seen mirrors. If we can extrapolate from housecats (and I'm going to go right on ahead and assume you can), I'd expect them to have a fairly strong reaction for a few days when they first noticed the mirror, followed by it quickly toning down, with them ignoring the mirror completely as soon as they figured out the cat's not real.
What's interesting to me is not the mirrors, but the spiel they give before showing the mirrors where they talk about why cats groom and how often cats groom and they joke about how since cats are so "vain" they wanted to see how they reacted to seeing themselves in a mirror.
Obviously it's not meant to be a scientific, educational lecture. It's just a little bit of patter so we can enjoy the video. I got that.
But it still interested me that although 5 out of the 11 pre-mirror clips of big cat grooming they showed were of social grooming, "social bonds" was not mentioned as a reason cats groom. Temperature regulation and pest control were mentioned, but not forming and maintaining relationships.
I'm sure that the people running this center know that social grooming is important, and I'm sure they didn't think it mattered if they mentioned it or not, and I'm sure it doesn't matter. I just found it... interesting.
Of course, people (even people who know better) can be very invested in this idea of cats as solitary types. Some cats are like that, but then, so are some humans. And even when they describe social things cats do, it's always described in a way that... well, seems incomplete to me. (But then, I just pay attention now and again. I'm not actually an expert.)
One thing that you see all the time, when talking about domestic cats, is that cats butt their heads against things and people as scent marking. They have scent glands, and it's important to them, and by rubbing their heads against their friends and family they make sure it's clear to them and to everybody that they're all friends and family.
And this is true as far as it goes, and for most people it's a complete enough picture of their cat's body language (I mean, really, it's a cat. No matter how much you google the two of you won't ever discuss Voltaire together. Good enough really is good enough), but I've never yet seen described something which I *think* I see often enough when paying attention to cats in my neighborhood or, as now, in my house. Cats bump their heads against their friends and family members to say hi, all right, and I have no doubt that scent marking is why they do that - but they only do it to people above them in the loose social hierarchy that is felinedom. Kittens will bump foreheads with their mamas, or newbies with oldies, but not the other way around. They bump OUR foreheads, we don't usually get down and do it to them. With their littermates they don't generally bump heads, they walk so they brush up against each other. (I've seen cats who are okay with getting a head bump from another cat swat that same cat if they tried to do the "walking together" trick.)
I mean, maybe I'm wrong. Like I said, I just pay attention. I happen to like cats, so I notice them in the neighborhood and all. And it's not that crucial, it just bugs me that I seem to be the only one who consistently notices this omission.
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no subject
Date: 2012-04-05 03:45 am (UTC)Our two cats are littermates. They get upset when one disappears for long periods of time (hours). They seem to bump foreheads interchangably.
They also quickly--within minutes--ignored the mirror, but perhaps housecats are predisposed in that direction by the TV (also known as Glass Box With Moving Not-Real Pictures).
no subject
Date: 2012-04-05 01:36 pm (UTC)Why, thank you :)
Our two cats are littermates. They get upset when one disappears for long periods of time (hours). They seem to bump foreheads interchangeably.
*scribblescribblescribble*
More information means I know more!
no subject
Date: 2012-04-05 04:24 am (UTC)Have you seen the Simon's Cat videos on YouTube? Some of them are SO perfect in depicting cat behavior that they're absolutely hysterical. I think the fly one is the best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1qHVVbYG8Y
no subject
Date: 2012-04-05 05:23 pm (UTC)They do bump foreheads with us.