Do you think cats and dogs have a sense of self?

Question

I did not ask if they have emotions. I know emotions. Do they have a sense of themselves.

I know that they are aware of their surrounding, feel pain and love to be around humans etc...
But all that is just the outside world. They respond to neuro stimuli such as pain, and yes the have inward emotions excited, happy, lonely, mad. But, do they have a true sense of self? Do they think about themselves? I am not talking about a cat licking its paw and cleaning itself. I am talking about self identity.

And I'm also not talking about going to the extreme of self examination. No philosophical musings. Just a basic awareness of self.

Think about self awareness, self identity. It has nothing to do with emotions, like or dislikes.
Do cats and dogs have emotions IS NOT the question.

Let me put it this way. When a cat or dog is home alone all day, with a lot of time to think.
Do you think they have the ability to reflect on themselves and compare themselves to other cats and dogs. Do they have the ability to be introspective?

mary m, I know this is not a religious debate, but your comment is extremely interesting. Please tell me, where is the world does the bible say that animals have souls?
Don't tell they will be in heaven, I know it says they will, but that does not mean they have souls.

Answer 1

No.

Chimps (and a few other primates), when shown a mirror, figure out quite quickly that it is them in the mirror. Almost all other animals think it is another animal (including cats and dogs).

Answer 2

I believe that they have very little sense of self. They have to have a certian amount to function.
In a way they are fortunate to NOT have such sense as humans do becasue they do not worry. They do not have"whatif's" in their life. They don't lay awake at night worried that they have cancer or they don't have enough money for rent. They tend to live in the moment. Yet, they have sense enough of self to like and dislike things. They also have fear with is an indication of some what sense of self.
Dogs and cats can like or dislike a person or thing. Which means that they do have some what self sense.

Answer 3

Well, any animal higher than a fish has emotions, but self awareness ... I take it you are asking at what level of intelligence does an animal actively wonder what or who it is?

Since a lot of animals, even cats and dogs, will look in a mirror and think it is another animal ... dumb as a brick? Or do they just do it when they are young, in which case human babies would be dumb as a brick, too.

A sense of self likely develops within a sense of community; many animals are social. Do social animals develop a stronger sense of self? Perhaps it has nothing to do with intelligence. Maybe it's nothing more than peer pressure in a can.

When you can walk and TALK with the animals, let me know.

;-)
.

Answer 4

I think they know they exist, and have some emotion, but lack the complexity of certain human emotions.

They could jsut be smart enough to hide it from me, and experiment on me, but I'm speaking from a where I am, because that's the reality that matters for me.

I think they very well might have their own personalities, you have mello dogs, hyper dogs, mean dogs, gentle dogs, and they respond differently to different things, like children riding on thier backs.

I don't think they want to change themselves like we do sometimes... because they don't have the same way of looking at things as we do.

Answer 5

I feed a cat every week who certainly knows himself, as much as I know myself. He is very lonely I think. He is twice the size of the other cats, and they are all scared of him. He has 2 sisters, from whom he remains relatively aloof. He lives on the other side of the thoroughfare. But I brought him back to share the meal. I was there when the 3 of them were born. But he dared to circle me, and stand behind me. He tries to
follow me home frequently. And doesnt seem to get tired of that. Frequently he amazes me. One time I just got out of there when he was hungrily eating. He raced (he must have sped) behind a solid concrete wall, a couple of blocks, and then appeared at the bottom of the hill, SITTING at the end of the wall. Im still trying to figure that one out

Answer 6

Yes

Answer 7

Ultimately, it is impossible to know for sure, but having had cats and dogs, I'd have to say yes.

The fact that both can be trained to respond to their name (It's harder for a cat, but it's possible) - is a good clue. That means they know a certain word designates a thing that is them.
What exactly that means to a cat or dog is, again, impossible to tell because we don't get to experience the world from their standpoint.

Answer 8

I'd say YES. I think everything that moves and is able to feel pain has a sense of self.

I'm not saying that they have a sense of self as developed as that of a human, but I definitely think that if something didn't have a sense of self, it wouldn't struggle for life if you tried to
kill it. Think about it. :)

Answer 9

Did you ever have a pet cat or dog?

They have very nice personalities unless they have been abused.

Answer: Yes they do!

Dolphins are remarkable, they will joke with you.

Mammals know they exist. Ants and bees know they are a part of the colony ... that something bigger than them exists ... we should all know that by now.

Thanks,
Jonnie

Answer 10

By the expression on my dog's face when the house is quiet, I'd have to say yes, she has a sense of herself.