Question of the day, Wednesday August 12

Furballsmom

Cat Devotee
Thread starter
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
39,271
Purraise
53,927
Location
Colorado US
I noticed when I weigh my big Poppycat on the bathroom scale that he doesn't have any reaction to his reflection in the mirror.

Do your cats like, hate, love, or ignore their reflection in mirrors or other shiny surfaces?
 

klunick

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
4,358
Purraise
12,144
Never had a cat care about their reflection. I would hold them up to a mirror and they were completely oblivious to it.
 

jcat

Mo(w)gli's can opener
Veteran
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Messages
73,213
Purraise
9,851
Location
Mo(w)gli Monster's Lair
Mowgli ignores mirrors. His predecessor, Jamie, was very aware that he could use mirrors near windows to see things at a wider angle, but didn't pay much attention to his reflection.
 

Katie M

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
5,061
Purraise
19,484
Location
Kingwood, WV
Charlie and Selene ignore their reflections. I can't remember what other cats did, but I do remember Beau trying to attack his own shadow as a kitten :lol:
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
Kittens often try to play with the other kitten, lol. And an adult cat seeing a mirror for the first time will often react too. But once they know what it is they just ignore it.

My family's first dog, if you put some paint/chalk/etc. on her forehead or ear and showed her a mirror, would see the mark and try to rub it off. Scientists say that dogs don't recognize their reflection, only apes do. And she wasn't even that smart of a dog. But I've never had another dog who seemed to recognize their reflection was them.
 

MoochNNoodles

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
36,646
Purraise
23,465
Location
Where my cats are
Mooch doesn’t care except to bang on it to get my attention. 😏 I have a full length mirror hanging over the bathroom door. It’s amusing because she cant stretch up to reach like when she was younger; but she can sit on her haunches and stretch to reach. That’s how she steals washcloths from the laundry baskets to roll on. 😆
 

Talien

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Messages
2,650
Purraise
5,131
Location
Michigan
When I brought Patch inside after I rescued her the first thing she did was attack her reflection in a mirror, but since then she doesn't seem to care. None of my Cats have shown any interest in mirrors.
 

Mia6

Mother of one and numerous ferals
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 22, 2017
Messages
31,112
Purraise
34,063
Location
Ohio, USA
I've never help Cal up to a mirror. At 15 pounds, it would be very difficult.
 

cassiopea

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 30, 2013
Messages
4,795
Purraise
5,676
Location
Ontario, Canada
All of them don't care except for Liffey - Few months ago she discovered herself in the mirror on her own. She kept looking/staring at herself, tilting her head and made little meows :lol: She did this for a good few minutes!

Not sure if it self-awareness or she thinks it was another kitty, but it was honestly both very cool and sweet to see. She is an extremely clever little girl so at the risk of sounding bias, I feel it was closer to the former. She hasn't done it again since so like others say, seems to be a first-time thing before it tapers off.
 
Top