Can cats see themselves in a mirror?

Answer 1

Of course they can see themselves but they don't usually react because there is no smell of a different cat nearby. Cats have various scents they leave around (some unpleasant) but mostly unnoticed by us that are like a roadmap to them. Maybe more like another language to them we can't share.

Answer 2

Got this off a blog...Interesting...Cute :)

My 15 year old part-Siamese has recently discovered the large bathroom mirror above the countertop for the first time in her life! She bounds up there every morning as I prepare for work, meows and literally 'prances' back and forth, looking at me thru the mirror the whole time. She's even developed a 'stupid pet trick' whereby she walks ALL THE WAY around the sink, while constantly keeping her eyes on me in the mirror. I of course reward her extravagantly on performing this difficult stunt, with many 'good kitties' and 'oh what a smart kitty you ares'!! Just thought you'd like to know. Also, my 10 year old cat couldn't care less about the mirror and probably has never even noticed it! :-) Aren't cats wonderful?


My cat enjoys looking at her reflection in the mirror. I stand behind her sometimes and point out that that's her and she can see it's also me.
Since Gizmo is a very bright cat, and she can't tolerate other cats, I believe she knows it's her own reflection and that she is a very pretty girl!


I always heard that cats ignore their reflections, but mine seems fascinated by the bathroom mirrors. Both of my bathrooms have large mirrors that run the width of the wall. My 2 year old cat (recently adopted) will often jump up on the counters and go back and forth along the mirror looking at himself. He also has a fascintaion with the glass doors of my fireplace, which are very mirror-like when closed. I also observed that the first time I gave him water--in a stainless steel bowl--he pawed at the water first before he drank. I assume this was a reaction to his reflection. Curious little buggers, cats are.


I was curious to see how my cat would react to mirrors. As a kitten, one of my cats would look in the mirror and then run behind the wall to find the "cat on the other side." However, if I hold my other cat up to the mirror, he will look anywhere but there. It's like he avoids it on purpose.


My cat is about 12 years old now and it seems like she's rediscovered the mirror. She used to just ignore it when she was little, but now whenever she sees herself in a mirror, glass, window!, she goes crazy. My cat hates othre cats, and she thinks her reflection is another cat. She goes insane, I'm scared for her. She's already pretty old, this can't be good for her. You can't even touch her becuase she'll scratch you. She's too caught up attacking and hissing at the mirror that she doesn't realize it's her own reflection. Now that she thinks there's another cat in the house she marks her teritory everywhere!:S.

Answer 3

Yes cats can see themselves in a mirror, mine does every morning and hisses thinking its another cat.

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

Yes, but they don't know it is themselves. They think it is another cat and, if the cat is territorial, will try to attack the reflection. Only monkeys and humans can realize a reflection is not another being.

Answer 6

of corse they can but most cats don't relize it's them in the mirror. I think its funny to see the cats try to pick a fight with themselfs in the mirror or become startled apon looking onto the mirror.

Answer 7

Yes they can..... they are not blind but when they see their selves in the mirror they think that it is another cat but they do not know that it is themselves.

Answer 8

sure i think kittens can see themselves in mirrors, in spite of the reality that some cats don't get overly excited. If the cat reacts this is a relaxing activity for them. have relaxing with the kitten.

Answer 9

Yep, mine rolls around watching herself being cute in front of a mirror all the time.

Answer 10

Of course. But I am unsure if they realize at first that it is them. As a lot of cats tend to play with the image reflected. But I am sure they soon realize it.