How do cats perceive things we do on their behalf?

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by Jowel

To give an example: In changing the litter box for my two cats,*I was wondering:

Do they perceive that me scooping out their waste and topping it off with fresh litter as something that I (as their guardian) am doing to try to give them a more sanitary environment?

Obviously the cats can tell when the litter is fresh or not so fresh. And they see me scooping it out (and for some reason want to play around the litter box when I'm doing so).

But are they cognitively making the connection between the two in what's making their litter box clean?

I am pretty sure that they realize you are cleaning out the waste by scooping. Why? Because my cats have patiently waited while I replace one dirty towel or cat bed with another on their window platforms and seem to get it that they are getting a clean bed because I did that. They just seem to be patiently watching, not just watching me do something, but something that they will like. That's my humble opinion!

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Arjay51

I feel that they perceive anything that humans do for them as rightful homage to them. After all, they are the most important thing in their world, so they must be so in ours.

And they are - in so many many cases.