Mirror, mirror, on the wall
Recently someone asked if I thought cats really saw themselves in mirrors. Well, being curious, I did some research and discovered the answer is yes and no. Some do, some do not. It seems that, like humans, cats have varying degrees of imagination and/or playfulness in their makeup.
In my house I have three different attitudes concerning mirrors. My hunter Oliver thinks there is something behind the mirror hanging in my bedroom, and periodically pushes it to the side to make sure it can’t get out. Other than his occasional reconnaissance, he shows no interest in his reflection or the other mirrors.
Yoshi, on the other hand, was in love with his reflection in the bathroom mirror as soon as he was big enough to get on the counter. He would pose and admire himself as often as he could. And he still enjoys looking at himself when he sees his reflection. Kuma Chan (Teddy Bear), the baby, never showed any interest, even as a playful kitten. He wants attention from his human, and he want toys he can grab and chew. He thinks he is the only cat in the universe. Luckily, his cousins remind him constantly he is not, and he is learning to share and to play nice with them.
The boys’ cousins in Houston have not shown any interest at all in mirrors, except for one. Chibi, when she was younger, saw another grey cat in the mirror on the door and constantly searched for her. Once Mini-Me (her doppelganger) came to live in the house, she concluded that the other cat had decided to come out, and has stopped looking altogether. She has more important things to do — like keep her housemates in line. It is not easy being the Queen.
Others report having had cats that showed varying degrees of interest, interaction, or boredom with their reflection. As the articles I read suggested, cats are as different as humans in their observation and willingness to believe in the unknown. My brother’s late cat Tiggy was a very pragmatic cat. She did not interact with mirrors, or red dots, or anything but real cat toys offered by her humans. This made her a very intelligent cat, in her human’s eyes. We all tend to be a bit myopic when it comes to our own children. But she was special, without a doubt.
In my study of this question, I decided to try one of the apps that iPad offers to see if the boys might be interested in them. It is a variation of a mirror, but with animation replacing the reflection. I got the same inconclusive results.
Oliver, the pragmatist, just watched to make sure none of the critters escaped. Yoshi was very interested, and tried to eat the mouse, frog, or spider in the glass. But Kuma the baby took to it like a teenager with a new video game. He used his paws with a vengeance to get at those critters, and seemed to know the object of the game. He scored the highest points for attacks and kills — and very nearly purchased an expensive app. Needless to say, all of the boys are supervised now when they play on the iPad.
Cats may be thought of as mysterious and aloof to some, but to me they are unique little puzzles waiting for us to accept them as they are. If we can do this, we are blessed with their love and loyalty. If we cannot, it is probably best to get a dog.
Kat Brown of Albuquerque is a lifelong animal-lover, especially of cats. She wears many hats, but animal-lover is perhaps the one that has given her the most pleasure. Share your cat stories or comments at katskorner88@gmail.com.