Do Cats Think They Are Superior? An Insight Into A Cat’s Thoughts!

So, do cats think they are superior?

Before we go ahead with the discussion it is important to understand why the question is so relevant.

You know there are people who fight and argue on why dogs are better or why cats are better.

And many of them who are not willing to take any side settle with oh both are God’s own creation choose whichever you like.

All that is fine and all, but let me tell you, people who chose cats don’t really know why they choose cats.

I am serious and most of them till the time they weren’t in the proximity of cats thought they were dog people.

And one simple meow at the door or a simple purr that their friend’s cat chose to express in their lap and they are sold.

And if some of you reading this think, they won’t be convinced otherwise and will be a dog person for life, I don’t know man.

I thought the same.

Anyhow, one very viable reason that I listen too often from cat owners is their mysterious nature. They can never figure out what their cats think.

And that excites them. One moment the cat might be grooming herself in all serenity and the very next moment she is running around chasing shadow rats.

And don’t get me started with catnip.

In their mysterious nature, an attitude that pops up in cats is superiority.

So, do cats think they are superior?  

The answer is no cats don’t necessarily think they are superior. Cats aren’t pack animals so they don’t really have the concept of superiority or inferiority. Research suggests cats see humans as an extended part of their family and are therefore treating us no differently as they would treat one of their own.

What is the cat’s general perception towards humans definitely needs much more comprehension than that.

We don’t really have any means yet to exactly translate a cat’s thought patterns and decode with exact accuracy what a cat thinks in any particular situation.

All understanding that we have today is dependent primarily on the behavioral study.

In the upcoming sections, let’s put all the scientific understanding into perspective and see what are a cat’s thought patterns with respect to the world and with respect to their humans.

Before we do that here are a few more articles that I think append to this article nicely.

• How do cats view humans?
• How to speak to your cat?
• 10 ways to let you cat know you love them.
• 5 weird cat behavior and their explanation
• Why do cats slow blink at you?

What Do Cats Really Think About Their Owners?

So, if cats aren’t pack animals and as a consequence of that they do not have a concept of superiority or inferiority, how does one explain the behavior that they portray around humans?

Now, why do cats give off an aura of superiority?

By their inherent nature, they are really cool creatures. They are playful, mysterious, independent, graceful, elegant, and aloof.

All of this to our eyes definitely give off an aura of superiority.

But here is the truth, as complicated as a cat’s character may seem to us, they are simple creatures.

For animals and this is true with cats as well, their existence is ruled by the process of survival and procreation. As long as these two things are taken care of nothing really bothers them all that much.

And when these two issues are addressed what you see really is the expression of their innate behavior.

Cats are not pack animals so they don’t develop any kind of hierarchy but they most definitely are territorial animals. They use their scents and their marks to dictate what’s theirs.

So, keeping these two traits in perspective, what do cats think about their owners?

Well, as per some experts, a close study of feline behavior off and around humans dictates that there is a good chance that cats think of humans as cats too. Bigger and clumsier of course for sure, but still cats.

You see we need to be very careful here. Animals don’t label things or people as we do, they don’t have a sense of human language you.

Yes, they have the capacity to relate sounds and actions but they are often associated with some kind of reward that their brain is conditioned for.

And that is basically how pets are trained, by linking activity or a sound with a reward.

So, when a cat thinks of you as another cat they are not looking at you as a definition but an extension of their family.

Someone or someplace where their personal borders aren’t challenged and they feel relatively safe.

When an animal feels safe like that they will include everything in that border as an extension of themselves and all their thought operates around that.

According to John Bradshaw who is a cat behavior expert and also the author of a best-selling book on cat science, there is much evidence that points to the fact that cats see humans as nothing more than fellow cats.

He gave an interview to National Geographic where he said they are yet to discover any evident fact that dictates cats see humans in a separate light than themselves while socializing.

He also said, “They obviously know we’re bigger than them, but they don’t seem to have adapted their social behavior much.”

The fact that cats think of humans as an extension of their family is also asserted by the fact that certain acts like putting their tails up, rubbing their bodies around our legs, sleeping close to us, grooming us, etc. are something cats do with each other.

What Is A Cat’s Thought Process Like?

Now that we know what do cats really think of us mere mortals, let us understand what is the general thought process of a cat is like.

Once again, I need to highlight that the most prominent instinct of an animal is that of self-preservation.

As long as the needs of survival and to certain extent procreation are taken care of they simply express their behavior.

Taking that understanding forward we can see that a cat’s thought process is simple.

She isn’t sitting there and plotting her next move on how to slap you when you least expect it. Although, I get it why you may feel like that sometimes.

When she is idle or simply sitting she isn’t thinking about anything. You can look at a cat’s thought process as deeply conditioned mechanical patterns that react as and when needed.

The thought patterns get activated and initiate the necessary bodily and mental activity when a situation shows itself.

Another important thing to consider when understanding a cat’s thought process is what is known as the working memory.

Working memory is a mental knowledge base that holds information for a short duration to assist in cognitive functioning.

Working memory comes into play to guide decision-making and to manipulate physical and mental performances in cognitive tasks.

So, how does this all tie together when understanding a cat’s thought process?

Well, you may be curious to know what goes through a cat’s mind when you teach or train her.

Training is precisely when her working memory is in action. So, if you are training your cat to high-five using treats, she or her mind will tap into the working memory.

It will relate the touching of your hand with receiving treats. So, while she is learning the trick she will use the working memory. The working memory will keep reminding her that the reward of continuously touching your hand is a tasty snack.

Now, this isn’t something that is going to happen always. Once the trick is learned the memory in the form of a pattern gets stored in the long-term memory and the high five gesture will become a habit.

The important thing to understand here is that whenever the situation will pose itself the high-five will happen.

It’s not that she is actively thinking about it.  

How to Know What Your Cat Is Thinking?

So many cat owners ask this question. And the reasoning is very solid.

With time you will develop a solid bond with your cat and you would want to know things that you can do to keep her happy and elated.

And therefore, trying to understand what a cat is thinking becomes important.

Or, many times you wish to know that just because of the weird looks you find your cat giving you.

Whatever be the case, what you need to understand is knowing what your cat needs and demands involve time and patience.

Fundamentally cats do things out of their core instincts and trained habits. And the magic of it all is even though, they are creatures of routines and territories and habits, you can perceive that each of them is unique.

So, as much as I want to there is no direct shortcut to understanding what goes on in your cat’s mind.

In a particular environment, cats act and react depending on whether or not her demands were met by the very act that they did.

Or in other words, what makes them get their way is how they react in any given situation. And this is not a bad thing.

As I said, they are simple creatures of instinct and habit. And the responsibility really lies on us. If we are conscious and responsible we will train them and provide them with their basic needs as and when it is needed, the relationship and the living situation will be very harmonious.

And if we fail to do so out of their demands and instinct, they may develop aggressive behavior patterns too.

As enriching as it is to live with a pet, we have to agree it does take a significant amount of attention and work.

If you have put in the necessary amount of attention and responsibility in raising them you will in time start understanding their thoughts and as a direct consequence their needs.

Understanding a cat’s thought is a subjective science, it doesn’t work on if this than that.

And I request you to stop believing anyone who says it does.

Do Cats Bond with Humans by Thinking?

It all comes down to relationships, isn’t it?

The very fact that cats think of us as an extended family is more than what we can ask for, isn’t it?

I consciously chose not to put another fact to light before this, but I think the time is right.

Have you ever observed your cat or heard of other cats bringing dead animals (rodents, birds, etc.) back to their owners?

Do you know why they do this?

They do this because they think you are clumsy and unable to fetch food for yourselves.

So, they are in their own way looking out for you. How cute is that?

Another way cats communicate and express their love for you is by catching your stare and slowly blinking at you.

I have covered this particular topic in great length when I why do cats slow blink at you.

With animals in general and this is particularly true with cats, energy is everything I feel like.

Now I don’t have any kind of scientific study to prove this but it is something that I have experienced personally.

They have this weird sense of understanding as to who is a threat to them and who is relatively safe to approach.

If they for a single moment sense some kind of, I don’t want to say negative, rather aggressive I would say, energy about you, they would refrain to come towards you.

And the opposite is true as well, if your inner energy is that of invite and compassion, they will mingle and communicate with you in a rather harmonious way.

Probably this is the reason why scientists report cats interact more with their owners rather than strangers because they have already sense that energy of safety and security.

FAQs

I hope I was able to bring the necessary comprehension when it comes to understanding a cat’s behavior towards humans.

Without any doubt, I have just touched the tip of the iceberg and there is so much more I can easily share with you.

However, I don’t like to make the articles too long for their own good. I like to share the information in bit-sized chunks so that overall, I can teach you a lot in the long run.

But before I go here are a few more questions that I get received on a regular basis and I think this is the right place to answer them.

What Language Do Cats Think In?

There is no specific language in which the cat thinks. The part of the brain in humans responsible for language comprehension is called Wernecke’s area. Scientists haven’t located a similar brain segment in cats yet. So, it’s safe to assume as intelligent as cats are, they don’t have the brain composition to think in a specific language.

Do Cats Think About the Past?

Cats don’t actively think about the past. They do have the capability to retain traumatic and otherwise experiences. But those don’t become a part of her active thinking process, but the information rather becomes a part of her instinctual response.

What Do Cats Think About Music?

Cats do not receive human music the way we do. When it comes to cats their range of acoustics and vocals is very different than that of humans. So, for cats, human music is nothing more than a varied range of sounds.

I dearly wish you enjoyed everything you read here. Unfortunately, it is time for me to bring this article on do cats think they are superior to a close.

If you have any other comments, queries, or feedback regarding what you read on this particular article or any other thing you learned here on kitty county, do let me know in the comments section below.

Take great care of yourselves and your ‘superior’ and I will you in the next one!

Tada!

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