Do Cats Know Who's Older?

[Lari]

Just a silly little question that has been on my mind a bit. Lelia's a year and a half. My bf's cat is 9ish? More or less. And I've wondered if Lelia can tell that S is more middle aged and S can see Lelia as younger. Or once they're past the itty kitten stage, cats just don't notice.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hmmm, I don't know of they notice age so much as the alpha-ness, or not, of other cats...

 

[weebeasties]

Interesting question. I think they probably do recognize age. Our Buster passed away at 23. The other cats were always very gentle with him. They never pounced or wrestled with him. They would give him head buts and groom him and sleep with him. I don't know if they viewed him as the alpha cat. I like to think that they thought of him as an aged "grandpa" and treated him with the care and respect he deserved.

 

[mightyboosh]

Good question. These are just guesses. I think there must be some in-built recognition of the kitten stage for their own purposes eg. a male lion taking over a pride will kill cubs sired by a different male but I don't know the age cut off for them. I've only ever heard them killing the tiny ones, not sure. Or mothering instincts will be there for kittens allowing them to get away with more mischief than an older one.
Past the kitten stage I suppose it's about hierarchy mainly, irrespective of age.

 

[weebeasties]

I have also wondered if they have any ideas about their own age. If they are "senior" do they know it? For the most part, my adults act like adults. Then there is Keith who acts like a kitten most of the time even though he is 10 years.

 

[Lari]

I have also wondered if they have any ideas about their own age. If they are "senior" do they know it? For the most part, my adults act like adults. Then there is Keith who acts like a kitten most of the time even though he is 10 years.

I suspect Lelia thinks she's still a kitten half the time, though she's not that far past it.

 

[Adelei]

I think they have a general idea. Two of mine are about two months apart - I doubt they notice that age gap. They're currently 15 and 17 months old. But then another is 9 yrs - I'm pretty sure that's noticeable to them, since she's not very interested in playing. And the last is 5 months. If nothing else, her size is a dead giveaway, lol.

Although I gotta say, my boy just treats her like she's the best toy ever, despite the fact that she's either been in a cage recovering from a broken hip or recovering from surgery the entire time he's known her. So he doesn't seem to recognize that she's injured, which would lend one to thinking they can't tell something as subtle as ages. But then again, he's got CH and is less mobile than her, has worse balance and can't jump as well (even though she's got a broken hip, as I said), so maybe he just thinks her current disability is normal since it's not worse than his all-the-time normal.