by Dawn R. Cole

Created on: January 20, 2009   Last Updated: November 28, 2009

Understanding A Cat's Memory

"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshiped as Gods. Cats have never forgotten this." - Anonymous

There is more truth to that statement than most people know. Just because Fluffy won't come when you call her name or refuses to perform tricks like a dog, doesn't mean she can't remember. Cats not only display long-term memory capabilities, but are also capable of emotional mapping, manipulation, can use tools, figure out the spatial configurations of mazes or puzzles and, when stalking prey, execute carefully planned schemes.

Researchers have discovered that there is not much difference between how a cat, a human, or another animal's brain utilizes certain cues to assist in the creation of short and long-term memories. A cat's brain functioning has been compared to that of a two to three year old child and, when compared to a dog, a cat's memory is almost 200 times more retentive. Without repeated and reinforced training, a dog's memory span is about 5 minutes. Cats, on the other hand, averaged about 16 hours, only IF the activity benefited THEM.

Years before cats became domesticated, their survival depended heavily upon their memory. In the wild, cats were forced to hunt for their own food. Unlike dogs that hunted in packs, cats operated alone. The hunt involved many hours of study, problem solving, patience, and the formulation of an appropriate attack strategy. Various distances were traveled to expand their "hunting circles" and every scent detected, sound that frightened them, or predatory danger they encountered along the way, had to be remembered to ensure their safe return home.

Domesticated cats re-enact some of these ingrained memories even if they are "indoor kitties." They will sit at a window for hours studying birds, squirrels, or other "prey" and "plot" an attack strategy. They will also amuse themselves for hours by "playing" with toys that resemble "caught" prey.

Cats, like most mammals, learn through experience. Good and bad memories are created by their experiences involving physical activities and interactions with things in their environment like people, other animals, smells, and sounds. Cats form "learning sets," or sequences of events, through observation and copying. Kittens learn by copying their mother. They watch her eat, use the litter box, and interact with her environment. The kittens mimic her actions and carry them into adulthood. As cats mature, and develop a relationship with humans, they will often

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