this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 1 points 2 hours ago

Clearly rubbish, as my cats don’t snuggle up to or pester each other for food.

[–] switcheroo@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

I'm fine with that. Better that being a tall ape descendant slash servant.

Cats are great. 😊

I think my cat felidomorphizes me a little bit but she doesn't think I'm a cat.

[–] _AutumnMoon_@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 6 hours ago

what if the cats were right

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 hours ago

I can pick up my cat and hold them, my cat can't pick me up.

Who's boss now? grabs the cat and cuddle them with a warm embrace

[–] djsoren19@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 8 hours ago

stupid? nonono, I'm da giant cat that makes all of da rulez.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 29 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I don't buy this because cats will react totally differently to cats than people. Regardless of posture. If my cat sees someone walking down the street she doesn't get angry. If my cat sees a cat outside she's already on the defense.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 10 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

I think people are leaving out purring and kneading as behavior. Both are kitten behaviors. Suggesting to humans they click into "kitten mode"

[–] Microtonal_Banana@lemmy.zip 31 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

I think my cat is a big stupid cat so we are even.

[–] QuinnyCoded@sh.itjust.works 1 points 50 minutes ago

show cat pls

[–] Fairgreen@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago
[–] rdri@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago
[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 15 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I've heard this a few times and doubt it. At least with my cat. He howls at other cats and tries to attack them. He loves humans.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 15 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Because you're his big bald kitten

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 5 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Oh boy. You don't know how right you are.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 1 points 6 hours ago

So the conclave is in agreement, the cats (hopefully) think humans are gentle, bald, stupid giant cats.

[–] bennypr0fane@discuss.tchncs.de 39 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

I've been wondering if that actually holds any water - or is it just some outdated, poor-quality study (or Sunday newspaper article) that was quoted so many times that everybody believes it now?

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

If it were the case, how would one prove it or even show evidence for it? And similar question for if it isn't the case, how would you disprove or show evidence against it? I'm not even sure how one would prove that cats have a concept of species.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 14 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

Yeah it's so dumb. Cats obviously don't think the things over ten times their size that walk on a different amount of legs are the same as them.

Further, another "fun fact" I see a lot (equally questionable) is that cats meow only to communicate with humans, not cats. But that's mutually exclusive with cats thinking humans are the same as them.

[–] Horsecook@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 hours ago

The meowing one has been disproven by cat-mounted cameras. They talk to each other.

https://old.reddit.com/r/OneOrangeBraincell/comments/1fhc154/i_put_a_camera_on_one_of_my_oranges_during_a/

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

my cat has a specific meow for each of us (including my wife's cat) when she just woke up and is looking for a specific someone for post-nap cuddles. her "hey, Orange Dumbass! where are you!" is definitely a meow tho.

[–] PissingIntoTheWind@lemmy.world 8 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Let me ask my cat. She just keeps saying Mao. I guess she’s a communist.

[–] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

All cats are communists, obviously. They have no respect for concepts of "ownership" and expect to be housed and fed according to their needs.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

And according to their means they WILL return the favor in equivalent services of pest control and cuddles (cuddles and pest control may not be available in your area)

[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 9 points 15 hours ago

That's pretty rich given that they're the ones who are big, stupid cats. 😡🤬

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 11 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (3 children)

A dog is an herd animal and need an lider to follow, a cat (except lions) are lone hunters, they don't even have the concept of an lider, the can have anarchistic groups and friendships when they have with it advantages to obtain food.

The dog thinks, he takes care of me and feeds me, he must be a god

The cat thinks, he takes care of me and feeds me, I must be a god

[–] Redfox8@mander.xyz 8 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

Dogs don't need a leader - the whole alpha male wolf thing has long been disproven, by the original author none the less. Dogs are highly social and live in groups, yes, but there's no boss dog. Very few animals have a concept of a leader. In fact I'd argue that none do and it's a totally human idea.

I like your cat/dog thinking idea though. Cats very much think 'me me me'!

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

This isn't quite true, wolf packs do have leaders: the pack's mom and dad.

Most wolf packs are a breeding pair and their children, and the children will break off and form new packs over time. Every time you hear pack you should legitimately just translate it to "family"

[–] Redfox8@mander.xyz 1 points 6 hours ago

I'd argue that parents are different to a 'leader' as we perceive them, or as I read was suggested in the comment. Children will stick with their parents, up to the point at which they're ready to start their own family, like you say, but is that leadership in the same sense?

But yes, I agree, pack = family is accurate.

[–] village604@adultswim.fan 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Elephant seals definitely have a leader, though.

[–] Redfox8@mander.xyz 1 points 6 hours ago

Is that leadership or just breeding and/or social dominance though? Do they tell others where and when to hunt e.g.? I'm not so knowledgeable about seals of any species so a genuine question.

[–] AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works 11 points 17 hours ago (1 children)
[–] TonyTonyChopper@mander.xyz 14 points 16 hours ago (1 children)
[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 18 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

LIDAR. Cats don't even have the concept of it.

[–] InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 8 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Have they even started work on Maxwell's Equations?

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 15 hours ago

I can't even get one of my cats past intermediate algebra, and the other keeps confusing the Kronecker delta with the partial derivative delta. I'll keep trying, I won't fail them.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 13 hours ago
[–] falseWhite@programming.dev 94 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

he believes cats are semi-feral and that they think we are cats too

Ok, so it's just something someone believes, it's not very scientific... They don't really provide much evidence other than belief

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 17 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

Cats don't see you as cat, but also not as someone superior, they can see you as friend, but you have to gain it, if not, you are only an tin opener and food supply. They are anarchists by nature.

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[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 13 hours ago

Ermmm actually you "just believe" the earth is round. /s /most obvious s

[–] REDACTED@infosec.pub 16 points 22 hours ago

When I had a dog, I used to think my dog thinks he will grow just as big as me and will join my daily routine, which was a bit depressing when you think about it

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[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 94 points 1 day ago (5 children)

No, they have absolutely no idea about nuclear war and apparently no clear sense that we might be some other species, despite not quite having the strokably hairy torsos they enjoy.

Speak for yourself, my torso hair is luxurious.

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

This will totally dox myself to anyone who might be in or know someone in an old friend group.

I'm a very furry person - I joke that I put the hair suit in hirsute - but at least it's soft! Years upon years ago, I had a one night stand with my then future partner's (now ex's) best friend. It was bad. Really, awkwardly bad. The kind of bad where I woke up the next morning and, instead of trying for another go, groaned inwardly because they were still there, a living reminder of how bad it was.

I took out my phone and hastily messaged my best friend, asking her advice on politely dealing with this. Unbeknownst to me, my guest was awake, messaging my future partner. She described being barely awake in the early morning, petting my cat. I didn't have a cat or any pets. As she became more aware, she realized she was petting my chest.

Apparently some humans think I'm a big stupid cat too.

P.s. She also thought the sex was awful.

[–] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 7 points 14 hours ago

Thank you for sharing this story.

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