MadSci Network: Zoology
Query:

Re: Why doesn't my cat seem to notice her reflection in a mirror ?

Date: Mon Mar 19 11:16:55 2001
Posted By: Adam Taussik, Psychology Graduate, Student support, Coventry University
Area of science: Zoology
ID: 984702778.Zo
Message:

Tom,

Your cat's behaviour has been noticed before, and even studied. Your cat probably does see something in the mirror (providing it is not visually impaired) - most animals will react to a mirror image, but not recognise themselves. This ability is believed to be restricted to primates - Humans, chimpanzees and great apes. It is believed that to recognise one's face, one need's a 'sense of self,' that is, to know what is 'me' and what is 'not me.'

Most animals (except the higher primates) do not have this sense of self, and do not realise that the image is their own body. They will think that the mirror image is another animal, and usually realise that they are of the same species as themselves. Cats will tend to regard the image as another cat, and some will become territorial. There are amusing videos of cats trying to go behind the mirror to find the other cat (they seem to understand the theory of see-through glass). Other animals will react in different ways. For instance, gibbons will attack the mirror when they see it, believing the reflection to be a threatening gibbon. It is said that parrots and other speaking birds will not speak if you put a mirror in the cage, as they believe that there is another bird in the cage.

The most common test for self recognition (first done by Gallup, 1977, with baby chimps) is to mark the face and see if there is a change in behaviour. Gallup firstly observed a baseline, of how much the animal touches their head when in front of the mirror, until the animal was accustomed to the mirror. Next, the animal was anaesthetised, and a spot of odourless, non-irritant, powder put on the face. Finally, the animal was observed again, firstly without the mirror (to see if they could feel the spot) and then in front of the mirror, to see if there was an increase in face touching around the spot. The young chimps increased the activity around the spot by 25% if they had previously seen themselves in the mirror. A separate group, who had no prior experience with the mirror, made no increase when presented with the mirror.

If you know a friendly vet, with a suitable dye and anaesthetic, you might put this to the test (please be careful not to harm your cat in the procedure).

Hope this has been helpful to you,

The mad 'A' - Adam


References:
Gallup, G. G. (1977). Self recognition in primates. American Psychologist, 32, pp329-38.

Gross, Richard. (1992). Psychology, the science of Mind and Behaviour (2nd Ed). Hodder and Stoughton


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