Cat Brain Power?

Dave is a cat like no other - he has no rules except self preservation. His one goal in life is to eat him self to death.

Like most cats, he has no friends. He lives with a female his same age, 12 or 72 years old, which ever you prefer, but they almost never cross paths except at meal time.

He ventures outside once in a while to see what food is left over from the outdoor cats; we have three volunteers that stick to us like glue and have for the last 10 or so years.

What makes Dave so unique is his power to concentrate, or maybe his ability to completely close off the rest of the world while he tries to understand what is going on. Maybe he's just stupid.

People have a tendency to give cats intellectual super powers. I can assure you that they do not have any such ability. They react to their environment and instincts. If the sun comes out they gravitate to it and when goes away, they find a heat source some place else. When they are hungry, they look for food in familiar places. If they can not find heat or food, they curl up and go to sleep. When they wake up, the process starts all over again.

When Dave stairs at you like he is doing in the above picture, you know that he isn't thinking about anything. He doesn't think. His instincts give him some alternatives for situations that he encounters, but they are so limited in scope that he doesn't react in any determined way unless they have to do with survival; seeking a source of heat and food and fight or flight. If these elements are not in demand, Dave just stairs into space or goes to sleep. His is not trying to determine if the universe is growing or shrinking.

Everyone has heard how cats are more cerebral than dogs or most any domesticated animal. I think that is nonsense. Just because they can strike a regal pose doesn't mean they have the cranial capacity to out wit a dog. I believe if they really want to test their intellectual skills on another animal, the one to pick would the chicken. I think they are pretty well matched as they are both just fighting half a battle in the wit department

Don't get me wrong, I like cats mainly because they don't make any demands on you other than for food. Heat is given in the winter for the indoor cats and the outdoor ones, mother nature provides them with the necessary vitals for survival. We also provide houses and heating pads. We are out of control or mother nature has control of us.

They are beautiful and they are very athletic, when they feel like it, especially when a dog is on their tail roaring around the house. Not to worry though, it's all a game for them. It's funny how the dog never catches cat.

We have three dogs and two cats in the house. A great source of entertainment but the house is wreck most of the time, and we wouldn't have any other way.