How do cats perceive things we do on their behalf? (kitten, vomiting)

[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?

[catsmom21]

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 say yes. When I was sick with pnemonia and unable to get out of bed long enough to clean the litter boxes for several days, on the day I was finally able to get out of bed and sit up for a little while one of my cats dragged the "dirty litter bag" from downstairs to where I was sitting. I can only conclude that this was her way of telling me the litter boxes needed attention (they are used to pristine litter boxes)

Another example would be my Bridge Angel Boy. He was so so particular about litter boxes. Even with four boxes to choose from, if there was a pee or, heaven forbid a poop, in just one of them, if I was home he would sit downstairs and howl until I hurried down to scoop out the offending material, even though he had three other clean boxes to choose from. Then the little manipulator would go ahead and use one of the other boxes instead.

Another example would be my cat who is The Litter Box Police. She is the one who dragged the bag of dirty litter upstairs. She often supervises my scooping work, and points to spots I apparently might potentially miss, if she wasn't there to point them out.

And..one more story, also involving The Litter Box Police. A few years ago I had an elderly sick girl who could no longer make it down stairs to the litter boxes, so I set one up in my bathroom, just for her. The Litter Box Police had a fit, and any time my little old lady used the box, The Litter Box Police would fuss and fuss at me until I scooped it out.

So, yeah, they know. But I don't think they "think of it" as something we do FOR them. I think they see it as something they are entitled to. Cats like a clean place to toilet, and they learn quickly that the human is the one who keeps it clean.

Cats are creatures of habit, so anything done the same way all the time, becomes part of their routine.

[catsmom21]

After thinking about your interesting question some more:

They make other connections besides the litter box. The little old lady girl I mentioned above received sub q fluids four times a week. It took time for both of us to get used to this, of course. But within about 6 weeks she began to make the connection between receiving the fluids and feeling better, and she would actually come to me when she saw me get the apparatus out.

I have a friend whose cat learned when she was supposed to have her methimazole meds twice each day, and if they were even a few minutes late their kitty would start fussing at them to get going on those meds!

When my cats are in trouble, they look to me to help them. One time one of my cats had a projectile vomiting problem. I won't go into the whole history of it, but every time it happened, she looked to me to help her.

One time, when I was using lactulose (before I knew better) for a kitty with megacolon: that stuff is so sticky. Even though I was very careful about cleaning her up after dosing, once I missed some, or her tongue was sticky, I don't know for sure how it happened, but she was trying to wash her long thick ruff and her tongue got stuck in the fur. She knew to come running to me for help, the poor thing her mouth was gaping open and her tongue was pulled out, all stuck to her thick mane fur under her chin. It was horrible. But she knew to come to me.

[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.

[greatblueheron]

I agree w/catmom21 (as usual)....funny post.

My little female polices the litter box too! She will come to get me if LB needs attention...

I believe they see all we do for them as

particularly deserved

Originally Posted by catsmom21

I say yes. When I was sick with pnemonia and unable to get out of bed long enough to clean the litter boxes for several days, on the day I was finally able to get out of bed and sit up for a little while one of my cats dragged the "dirty litter bag" from downstairs to where I was sitting. I can only conclude that this was her way of telling me the litter boxes needed attention (they are used to pristine litter boxes)

Another example would be my Bridge Angel Boy. He was so so particular about litter boxes. Even with four boxes to choose from, if there was a pee or, heaven forbid a poop, in just one of them, if I was home he would sit downstairs and howl until I hurried down to scoop out the offending material, even though he had three other clean boxes to choose from. Then the little manipulator would go ahead and use one of the other boxes instead.

Another example would be my cat who is The Litter Box Police. She is the one who dragged the bag of dirty litter upstairs. She often supervises my scooping work, and points to spots I apparently might potentially miss, if she wasn't there to point them out.

And..one more story, also involving The Litter Box Police. A few years ago I had an elderly sick girl who could no longer make it down stairs to the litter boxes, so I set one up in my bathroom, just for her. The Litter Box Police had a fit, and any time my little old lady used the box, The Litter Box Police would fuss and fuss at me until I scooped it out.

So, yeah, they know. But I don't think they "think of it" as something we do FOR them. I think they see it as something they are entitled to. Cats like a clean place to toilet, and they learn quickly that the human is the one who keeps it clean.

Cats are creatures of habit, so anything done the same way all the time, becomes part of their routine.

[catsmom21]

Well I have another litter box story, also starring The Litter Box Police, if you're interested. She has to have her urine checked annually, and some how she managed to pee when I wasn't watching and didn't have a full bladder when I brought her in (for the cystocentesis)

So I was sent home with plastic pellets, and a sterile sryinge housed in a sterile tube (to suck up the pee after she peed in the pellet litter box)

However this cat has very definite ideas about what litter should be, and plastic pellets are not it. I spent half that Tuesday afternoon trying to get her to use a sterilized box with the pellets in it. She declined, and I became worried about 1) the stress she might be feeling over all my fussing and 2) the fact that she was holding her pee for so long, which wasn't good for her.

So I gave up and decided I would try to catch a sample while she was in the act of peeing. The vet said I could use the plastic tube that housed the syringe, if I thought she would let me. I did think she would let me, because I test her urine almost daily by sticking a pH strip under her when she pees, and besides that for the past 7 years I've been watching her pee, and she's always made a point of peeing in front of me, because she knows it's important to me.

But the timing was an issue, because I needed to catch her pee at a time when I would be able to take it straight to the vet. Friday morning was an ideal time for that. When I cleaned the litter boxes in the early morning she came down to supervise as always, and I picked her up and set her in one and asked her to pee. She did squat but then looked up at me and said prrt, obviously she didn't have to go. So I showed her the tube and explained to her that I really really needed to catch her pee in that tube this morning, so would she please let me know when she was going to pee.

Well wouldn't you know a couple hours later, as I came out of the bathroom after showering, there she was at the top of the stairs waiting for me and telling me urgently prrt! PRRT! When she caught my attention she hurried down the stairs with me following. I grabbed the tube and since she was waiting for me, lifted her up into a litter box (they are on a platform). She walked through two low sided boxes then hopped into the high sided one, which is the one she uses when she wants to stand up and pee straight out. She turned her back end toward me and squatted. As I reached down to position the tube she raised her hips (like she always does when she pees in that box) and the pee went straight into the tube.

I got my clean sterile sample! I thanked her, slapped the cap on, put the whole thing in an extra large pill bottle to hold it safe and flew to the vet.

I haven't the least bit of doubt that she knew I wanted to catch her peeing. After the fuss over the pellets on Tuesday, and the way I tried to get her to pee earlier in the morning, not to mention seven years of pee watching, and using the test strips, how could she not know?

I don't think she knew why, I don't think she cares why I am so interested in her urinary habits. She just knows that her peeing activity is important to me, and this time it was even more important than ever, and so to please me, she let me know when she was ready to pee, so I could do what I needed to do.

She is my clever clever girl. Even after 7 1/2 years, I daily bless the day she Chose me at the shelter.

[hueyeats]

^^^That is dedication! (catching the pee part) Lol!

I know the usual spot she pees at in her litter box & will just stick the strip there....
Know her habits basically.... via tons of time observing her... she likes that attention anyways.
This kitty will check on me like I check on her... keeps an ear out for whenever I called (practically will gallop towards me from a few hundred yards away full speed into my arms), & if I don't call... will come bug me (search me out) to "check on me". Really a "dog-cat".

I keep her potty pretty clean as I don't like kitty smell in the house else hubby complains (he got big nose).

[sh2009]

Thank goodness my cats aren't that particular about their boxes cause they have a very lazy servant (me)!!!

But to answer the OP about whether they make the connections, I definitely think they do. One of my boys was diagnosed with asthma, which of course made him feel bad. His treatment was an inhaler, which I put onto a mask that went over his face. Obviously, this is NOT a natural thing for a cat to sit through, but he would calmly sit on my lap for the 10 seconds that I made him breathe with the mask on. Although at times I think he could read my mind when I was about to make him do it because he'd hide And then when I got my 2nd kitten, that one learned in about 2 days that everybody got treats once the inhaler was done

[lottamoxie]

My cat perceives whatever I do as substandard service, not befitting her status, and she lets me know about it! "The service here is unacceptable..I want to speak with the management!!!"

[CSD610]

I'm pretty sure my cats think I should feel "special" that they have "allowed" me to live in their home and tend to their needs and overall well being.....LOL