The book Cat Sense by John Bradshaw is a good read (you can probably find a free pdf thats complete, and years ago I uploaded the audiobook to audiobookbay, but this preview will do for not linking to amazon or potentially breaking rules).
He got around the problem of cats not doing cat things in a lab by just, you know, having cats at home and observing their behavior. Sure, its only a look at domestic cats for the most part, but its a great read anyway.
was it Jane Goodall who was behind this sort thing naturalistic obs research sounds really hard for someone with adhd
I’ve read that cats were used commonly in labs in USSR because they are smaller than dogs. I remember reading that they were used for example to study sleep deprivation. They would put a cat in a container with water so that he would have to stand or he would drawn and see how long would it last.
On a related note, there’s a parakeet species spreading in Europe. I’ve read that some researches form my local university wanted to study them but they were complaining those bastards are very sneaky and impossible to catch. They finally managed to capture one but it figured out how to open the cage and escaped. For me that’s quite uncooperative.
At a scientific conference I saw someone presenting a cat study poster. Japanese guy studying the neural control of bowel movements. His prep had a balloon inflated up a cat’s ass to measure peristaltic contractions.
The parrots are likely either indian ringnecks or monk parakeets, they’re the most common invasives, I think former the most - they’re also very common as pets. I know there’s some alexandrine parrots as well (they look like big ringnecks) and even amazon colony at least in one city, but they’re a lot rarer.
Ringnecks are really fast and skittish, and since they’re so intelligent it really is difficult to catch them. You likely have to change the method or at least the placement of the trap if you fail the first time. And if they see you do it, they’ll learn to avoid you as wellMonk parakeets I believe. I think by now you can find them in many places between Spain and Germany.
Yeah, they’ve spread across cities quite successfully, especially the ringnecks, they have breeding colonies in cities all around the world. These species adapt well in the city life apparently
What if they’re actually just too dumb?
(I haven’t seen the research, just wondering if maybe they just don’t get it)
I know it’s a meme com, but they really aren’t. In this case it’s more about humans being “dumb”. They try to apply the same methodology they use with dogs to cats. And that in itself is dumb. There are studies out there that treat cats as cats and yield actual results.
Another thing is there’s much, much more funding for dog research simply because dogs are far more useful to humans than cats. E.g. guide dogs for blind people, other service dogs, bomb sniffer dogs, rescue dogs, etc.
Meanwhile, useful cats are just cats doing cat things, like chasing mice and rodents in the house or in a barn for barn cats, as they require much less training since it’s their natural instinct and much less maintenance since some don’t crave human attention constantly (for barn cats).
We actually train dogs to catch mice, because cats are, as concluded in the study, dicks that will only do what they please.
You get an upvote for the meme, but ummm actchually for incorrectness:)
At least for my cat, I would say he both is dumb but definitely also plays dumb when I try to get him to do things. Sure, it’s fun to jump over the human’s arm and get a treat after, but what’s also fun is to watch the human crawl pathetically on the floor while he tries to adjust his arm to a good jumping height.
Cats do exactly what they feel like doing, external motivation be damned. Honestly, it’s not a bad trait.
Nah my cats always come running when i shake the treat bag
Which is exactly what they want you to do.
Shit. Is this one of them sociewhatevers of freely organized thingies?
Yeah dude got domesticated well
That says more about the training of the human than the training of the cat.
