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[-] falseWhite@programming.dev 91 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

he believes cats are semi-feral and that they think we are cats too

Ok, so it's just something someone believes, it's not very scientific... They don't really provide much evidence other than belief

[-] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 57 points 1 week ago

Probably this is yet another case of a journalist spinning yarn out of some poor researcher's paper summary, and then being quoted out of context.

[-] Zerush@lemmy.ml 17 points 1 week ago

Cats don't see you as cat, but also not as someone superior, they can see you as friend, but you have to gain it, if not, you are only an tin opener and food supply. They are anarchists by nature.

[-] falseWhite@programming.dev 3 points 1 week ago

They are more like little dictators.

What the article implies is that they do not understand that we are different species. The relationship between cats and humans is a whole other area. But I don't believe cats are stupid or have somehow evolved to believe humans are the same species as them.

[-] Zerush@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Certainly they are far from beeing stupid, but they simply don't have an concept of leaders or hirarchy. You can even train them to do tricks, but it is more difficult as with dogs, not because they are more stupid, but because they must see a reason and have the desire to do it. It's in their nature, in nature it's up to their own strategy and decisions whether they're going to eat or not, there's no herd or a leader that tells them what to do. This is the difference with dogs, nothing to do with intellectual capacity, perfectly equivalent, females are usually somewhat smarter than males, but just as in dogs, there are individual differences, as it also happens with us humans.

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[-] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 90 points 1 week ago

No, they have absolutely no idea about nuclear war and apparently no clear sense that we might be some other species, despite not quite having the strokably hairy torsos they enjoy.

Speak for yourself, my torso hair is luxurious.

[-] Uli@sopuli.xyz 44 points 1 week ago

My cat knows about nuclear war. He simply hasn't chosen to exercise the knowledge.

[-] ignotum@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago

True, it's common knowledge that all cats know the exact time and date when the first bombs are going to fall, leading to the fall and eventual extinction of the human race
But they all refuse to tell us because they're silly furry goobers

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[-] SoleInvictus 10 points 1 week ago

This will totally dox myself to anyone who might be in or know someone in an old friend group.

I'm a very furry person - I joke that I put the hair suit in hirsute - but at least it's soft! Years upon years ago, I had a one night stand with my then future partner's (now ex's) best friend. It was bad. Really, awkwardly bad. The kind of bad where I woke up the next morning and, instead of trying for another go, groaned inwardly because they were still there, a living reminder of how bad it was.

I took out my phone and hastily messaged my best friend, asking her advice on politely dealing with this. Unbeknownst to me, my guest was awake, messaging my future partner. She described being barely awake in the early morning, petting my cat. I didn't have a cat or any pets. As she became more aware, she realized she was petting my chest.

Apparently some humans think I'm a big stupid cat too.

P.s. She also thought the sex was awful.

[-] bennypr0fane@discuss.tchncs.de 44 points 1 week ago

I've been wondering if that actually holds any water - or is it just some outdated, poor-quality study (or Sunday newspaper article) that was quoted so many times that everybody believes it now?

[-] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

If it were the case, how would one prove it or even show evidence for it? And similar question for if it isn't the case, how would you disprove or show evidence against it? I'm not even sure how one would prove that cats have a concept of species.

[-] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 5 days ago

It should be pretty easy. See if cats act differently around humans and other cats

[-] JackbyDev@programming.dev 18 points 1 week ago

Yeah it's so dumb. Cats obviously don't think the things over ten times their size that walk on a different amount of legs are the same as them.

Further, another "fun fact" I see a lot (equally questionable) is that cats meow only to communicate with humans, not cats. But that's mutually exclusive with cats thinking humans are the same as them.

[-] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

my cat has a specific meow for each of us (including my wife's cat) when she just woke up and is looking for a specific someone for post-nap cuddles. her "hey, Orange Dumbass! where are you!" is definitely a meow tho.

[-] Horsecook@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago

The meowing one has been disproven by cat-mounted cameras. They talk to each other.

https://old.reddit.com/r/OneOrangeBraincell/comments/1fhc154/i_put_a_camera_on_one_of_my_oranges_during_a/

[-] Microtonal_Banana@lemmy.zip 35 points 1 week ago

I think my cat is a big stupid cat so we are even.

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[-] JackbyDev@programming.dev 32 points 1 week ago

I don't buy this because cats will react totally differently to cats than people. Regardless of posture. If my cat sees someone walking down the street she doesn't get angry. If my cat sees a cat outside she's already on the defense.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I think people are leaving out purring and kneading as behavior. Both are kitten behaviors. Suggesting to humans they click into "kitten mode"

[-] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 27 points 1 week ago

Did I miss the explanation of why this person thinks such a fuckin stupid thing?

[-] mbfalzar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 1 week ago

The thing I've seen is that when they show dogs an image of their owner while the dog is in a PET scan, and show the dog pictures of other animals, the same part of the brain lights up, while showing the dog pictures of other dogs lights up a different but close area of the brain. Doing the same test on cats had one area lighting up for other animals, but the same part lighting up when shown their owner and when shown other cats

[-] Johanno@feddit.org 13 points 1 week ago

While it is scientific people should provide the context that we don't really understand brains fully yet and this doesn't mean that his belief or conclusion is correct

[-] sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz 22 points 1 week ago
[-] TeamAssimilation@infosec.pub 28 points 1 week ago

And they KNOW humans provide sustenance on a regular basis, and protection, so I can’t believe they think we’re just giant hairless monstrous cats. They’d have to think everything else is a cat otherwise. Look at the flying cats, mom! I’m gonna catch and eat one!

[-] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 5 days ago

Perhaps they think we're too stupid to realise they've grown up and could feed themselves, just so long as they pretend to be kittens by meowing

[-] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 4 points 1 week ago

Kittens meow, but adult cats in the wild don’t. So they literally speak baby talk to us.

[-] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 16 points 1 week ago

I've heard this a few times and doubt it. At least with my cat. He howls at other cats and tries to attack them. He loves humans.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago

Because you're his big bald kitten

[-] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 5 points 1 week ago

Oh boy. You don't know how right you are.

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[-] logicbomb@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago

I've seen people who treat their cats like they are little stupid humans.

[-] AltheaHunter 15 points 1 week ago
[-] Zerush@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

A dog is an herd animal and need an lider to follow, a cat (except lions) are lone hunters, they don't even have the concept of an lider, the can have anarchistic groups and friendships when they have with it advantages to obtain food.

The dog thinks, he takes care of me and feeds me, he must be a god

The cat thinks, he takes care of me and feeds me, I must be a god

[-] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago
[-] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 14 points 1 week ago
[-] SoleInvictus 18 points 1 week ago

LIDAR. Cats don't even have the concept of it.

[-] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago

Have they even started work on Maxwell's Equations?

[-] SoleInvictus 10 points 1 week ago

I can't even get one of my cats past intermediate algebra, and the other keeps confusing the Kronecker delta with the partial derivative delta. I'll keep trying, I won't fail them.

[-] Redfox8@mander.xyz 8 points 1 week ago

Dogs don't need a leader - the whole alpha male wolf thing has long been disproven, by the original author none the less. Dogs are highly social and live in groups, yes, but there's no boss dog. Very few animals have a concept of a leader. In fact I'd argue that none do and it's a totally human idea.

I like your cat/dog thinking idea though. Cats very much think 'me me me'!

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[-] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

That's pretty rich given that they're the ones who are big, stupid cats. 😡🤬

[-] dumbass@aussie.zone 6 points 1 week ago

I finally feel seen!

[-] LuxSpark@lemmy.cafe 6 points 1 week ago

I don’t need my cat judging me.

[-] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago
[-] djsoren19 5 points 1 week ago

stupid? nonono, I'm da giant cat that makes all of da rulez.

[-] switcheroo@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

I'm fine with that. Better that being a tall ape descendant slash servant.

Cats are great. 😊

[-] _AutumnMoon_ 4 points 1 week ago

what if the cats were right

[-] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago

I can pick up my cat and hold them, my cat can't pick me up.

Who's boss now? grabs the cat and cuddle them with a warm embrace

[-] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 5 days ago

It has more effective finger nails

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this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
629 points (100.0% liked)

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