I have read numerous times that cats cannot have human emotions such as the human emotion of being mad at somebody. I have also read that cats have no concept of time; if you leave for work and come back ten hours later they will be just as glad to see you as if you had been gone for ten days. So the experts have always told me. But here on TCS people are always talking about their cat(s) getting mad at them.
I wonder if being mad is like the mad emotion in humans. Being normal, I occasionally get mad at my spouse. And of course there are times when she gets mad at me. The length of time that each would be mad at the other would depend on the "crime". Here is my input on the subject.
I brush and comb Persi every morning but there are still times when I hit a snag. Determined to get the snag out before it becomes worse, I continue combing/brushing until I get it out, knowing it will be worse tomorrow if I do not. This action on my part makes Persi very "mad" at me and he will in fact threaten to do me harm. Now here is where being mad and the concept of a time frame come together: When I am done with the grooming session he will head into the walk in closet where his tent is located and he will get into the tent "mad" at me. There can be no doubt in my mind he is mad at me.
The next thing on my agenda is to come down here in my office where it is very rare that Persi does not join me. Today is such a day. No Persi. He did not even come down to share my roast beef sandwich today at lunch time. You know this guy is really mad at me. He is still up there in his tent. In a few hours it will be dinner time. He has never failed to get over being mad by dinner time and will come downstairs where he will remain the rest of the evening.
Has he actually been feeling the emotion us humans call mad? Does he have a concept of time for how long he will stay mad? (When he gets mad it seems he stays mad longer some times more than others.)
So, what do you think about this subject as it pertains to your cats?
I wonder if being mad is like the mad emotion in humans. Being normal, I occasionally get mad at my spouse. And of course there are times when she gets mad at me. The length of time that each would be mad at the other would depend on the "crime". Here is my input on the subject.
I brush and comb Persi every morning but there are still times when I hit a snag. Determined to get the snag out before it becomes worse, I continue combing/brushing until I get it out, knowing it will be worse tomorrow if I do not. This action on my part makes Persi very "mad" at me and he will in fact threaten to do me harm. Now here is where being mad and the concept of a time frame come together: When I am done with the grooming session he will head into the walk in closet where his tent is located and he will get into the tent "mad" at me. There can be no doubt in my mind he is mad at me.
The next thing on my agenda is to come down here in my office where it is very rare that Persi does not join me. Today is such a day. No Persi. He did not even come down to share my roast beef sandwich today at lunch time. You know this guy is really mad at me. He is still up there in his tent. In a few hours it will be dinner time. He has never failed to get over being mad by dinner time and will come downstairs where he will remain the rest of the evening.
Has he actually been feeling the emotion us humans call mad? Does he have a concept of time for how long he will stay mad? (When he gets mad it seems he stays mad longer some times more than others.)
So, what do you think about this subject as it pertains to your cats?