this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 2 points 14 hours ago

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

[–] Microtonal_Banana@lemmy.zip 31 points 1 day ago (2 children)

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

[–] QuinnyCoded@sh.itjust.works 3 points 12 hours ago

show cat pls

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 28 points 1 day 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 11 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 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"

[–] switcheroo@lemmy.world 4 points 18 hours ago

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

Cats are great. 😊

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 16 points 1 day 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 13 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Because you're his big bald kitten

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 6 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

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

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 18 hours ago

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

[–] bennypr0fane@discuss.tchncs.de 36 points 1 day 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I've been wondering if that actually holds any water - or is it just some outdated, poor-quality study (or Sunday newspaper article) that was quoted so many times that everybody believes it now?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 4 points 1 day 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 1 day 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 2 points 14 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 4 points 23 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 1 day 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 1 day 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 3 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 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)

[–] _AutumnMoon_@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 18 hours ago

what if the cats were right

[–] djsoren19@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 20 hours ago

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

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 18 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

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

[–] falseWhite@programming.dev 87 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 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

[–] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 57 points 1 day ago

Probably this is yet another case of a journalist spinning yarn out of some poor researcher's paper summary, and then being quoted out of context.

[–] REDACTED 16 points 1 day 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

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago

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

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[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

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

[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 90 points 1 day ago (2 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 1 day 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 1 day ago

Thank you for sharing this story.

[–] Uli@sopuli.xyz 45 points 1 day ago (2 children)

My cat knows about nuclear war. He simply hasn't chosen to exercise the knowledge.

[–] ignotum@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

True, it's common knowledge that all cats know the exact time and date when the first bombs are going to fall, leading to the fall and eventual extinction of the human race
But they all refuse to tell us because they're silly furry goobers

Common misconception. Not all of them, just the ones that change colors around radiation.

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[–] rdri@lemmy.world 1 points 18 hours ago
[–] over_clox@lemmy.world 53 points 1 day ago (9 children)

Can confirm, am big stupid cat. 😺

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[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Did I miss the explanation of why this person thinks such a fuckin stupid thing?

[–] mbfalzar@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The thing I've seen is that when they show dogs an image of their owner while the dog is in a PET scan, and show the dog pictures of other animals, the same part of the brain lights up, while showing the dog pictures of other dogs lights up a different but close area of the brain. Doing the same test on cats had one area lighting up for other animals, but the same part lighting up when shown their owner and when shown other cats

[–] Johanno@feddit.org 13 points 1 day ago

While it is scientific people should provide the context that we don't really understand brains fully yet and this doesn't mean that his belief or conclusion is correct

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

3 college professors (1990) suggested we read Desmond Morris' books. Don't know how the science has stood up, but he believed this. Dogs and cats think humans are weird versions of their own species, that we're basically their parents, and act accordingly. Nothing IRL has dissuaded me from that notion.

One interesting idea I got from him; When we're small we love huge animals, see them as parents. As we get older, we like small animals, see them as our children.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Morris

Again, don't know how it stands up, but The Naked Ape is damned thought provoking.

[–] I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Nothing IRL has dissuaded me from that notion.

Cats react differently when seeing an unfamiliar cat than they do when seeing an unfamiliar human.

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[–] sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz 22 points 1 day ago (2 children)
[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 4 points 1 day ago

Kittens meow, but adult cats in the wild don’t. So they literally speak baby talk to us.

[–] TeamAssimilation 27 points 1 day ago

And they KNOW humans provide sustenance on a regular basis, and protection, so I can’t believe they think we’re just giant hairless monstrous cats. They’d have to think everything else is a cat otherwise. Look at the flying cats, mom! I’m gonna catch and eat one!

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