This is surely a case of a cat learning by observing his/her human companion and then employing what he has learned to good effect. It is a cat behaving very much like a person, actually, and I think it puts the cat in a new light. It reminds me of the cat who is watching boxing on television and mimics the boxers. Our behavior rubs off onto our cats.
I think a lot of people should reassess their attitude towards the cat. The domestic cat is a smart animal who is observing all the time, is constantly vigilant and finding ways of getting his way.
I have embedded two versions of this video because dw has told me one (the 2nd one down) does not work properly):
There is also an impressive amount of persistence in this cat. He keeps going until he gets a result. This is typical of cats. It is small wonder that cats can train people. In fact, this video is an example. It is a circuitous process.
The cat sees a human knocking on the door panel (this looks like a Japanese or Asian home). He sees that it is effective and copies it. He has learned by observation. Cats are known to do this. They learn from their cat mother and relatives.
Then the cat knocks on the door and eventually through persistence the human learns to know that it is the cat and he lets him in. The style of door knocking is definitely not human so the person inside must know that the cat wants to get in. This cat also becomes impatient after a while – a human trait. You can tell because he meows in frustration.
Notice too that the cat’s mate follows him in rapidly. This cat is working on behalf of his associate and has trained his human as well – impressive cat and he looks it.
The cat doing the knocking is a grey cat. He might be a moggie. Although he could be a Korat and the country could be Thailand. The Korat has a long history equivalent to the Siamese and is a Thai cat. This cat is believed to bring good fortune. In this instance, he also brings a demanding nature for equal rights and to be fed on time – please.
I love this! I have never had a knocker; but, my Cora is a door scratcher when ready to come in. Rocky, the daily visiting raccoon in the wee hours, has learned to scratch as well (they are quite smart too). Cora comes in and Rocky gets thrown some kibbles.
Yes cats are clever, they train us well.
At our old home when we had Felix, Bryan and Ebony, we had a cat flap in the door at the bottom of the stairs, leading to the garden.
Between the 3 cats they devised a way to get us up and open that flap at whatever time of morning one of them chose.
Felix had a very loud harsh meow so he was the voice and musician of the trio as he swung the peg on a string we had put to hold the flap open as none of them would push the door themselves.
Bryan was the strong one so he lay on his side by the folding table there and bumped the flap against the leg.
Ebony was the clever one, she just sat on the stairs and let the boyz do the work.
We padded the table leg with thick padding, so that stopped the banging at least as that was really loud and we worried about the neighbours. Unfortunately one day we had 3 guests for a meal and had lifted out the table of course but forgot about the padding and wondered why the friend who sat on that corner kept looking under the table.
Eventually he couldn’t stand not knowing and asked why our table had a knee pad lol
I think we eventually just put up with the other bits of the trio’s invention and got up and let them out when they tuned up, it was easier lol
24! That is wonderful. My mom’s cat Fluffy started climbing the screen door to get our attention, since she couldn’t meow. It was always windy in Winslow, so it was hard to hear as it was, but one very stormy night the door bell rang and it was Fluffy. She did it two more times, but I think only the third time was on purpose. This cats behavior is extraordinary!
Well, ringing a door bell is pretty extraordinary too. Cats are great.
Early 1980 we owned 3 cats, ech had a different styleof getting us to open front door. Panchita had disappeared for 5 weeks,it was @ end of february during a rainy night, al we heard was “tap, tap, tap” dear husband says “The only cat that knocks like Panchita.
t has been gone over 5 weeks, let’s find out”
sure enough there was our missing Panchita, nothing but bones & soaking wet, she knew where she lived, was loved & well fed. Panchita dies at over 24 yrs old winter 2004.
Looks like door tapping is not that unusual. I guess the style the grey employs in the video is, however, unique.
Charlie rules with an iron fist – one look, and you scamper over to the fridge and bring out his roast chicken like a good human! – and if you don’t you not only get the eye but the meow, and then you know it’s trouble if you don’t just get on with it and present the roast chicken nicely broekn into pieces on a clean plate. If Charlie is further away you must carry him there too. Which first – carry hime there or get the chicken out? You don’t want him to have to just sit there an wait so you surely make it clear in a few words that you are on the case so you don’t get the even longer meow. And god forbid the day you haven’t had a chance to prepare his roast chicken. Then it’s game over – better run to the supermarket and get a ready made one!
Charlie has a husky meow as I remember from one video – a deeper one. I’m not sure what it’s like being his servant, he looks like he means business 🙂
My Lilly will make noises and trip me over if I am walking, if she wants something. If I don’t oblige then eventually she just bites my arm or ankle if I’m standing, lightly, and then harder until it hurts. Sometimes she even just stand on her back 2 legs and sort grabs me and claws me in a sort of attack/take down motion. Lilly is a bit of a funny one. If she isn;t satisfied with something you usually know because you feel a sharp discomfort that becomes gradually more painful if you don’t sort out whatever is being asked of you. I don’t know where she learn’t this behaviour but it wasn’t from a human.
But more to the point, Lilly can open doors. She will jump up and pull the handle down and open the door or cupboard or whatever she is trying to get into. She can even turn on the tap if its just a lever and has been known to leave the water running. She also flushes the toilet and then grabs at the water as its being flushed. She is a bit obsessed with water. She will open drawers. Alot of drawers and doors and cupboards in my place have claw marks on them from Lilly trying to break in. I have gotten used to it. 🙂
Yes…sort of true only I do stand up for myself sometimes. His voice loud and insistent. Not really a meow, more a demand. Sometimes we argue.
Lily sounds wonderful. Well, the biting isn’t so fun. Bigfoot does the same thing. Even for middle of the night petting. If I don’t fully wake up and comply, he will bite my arm. If I don’t use both hands, he paws at the second hand full claws extended. He gets the point across.
Cats will learn whatever it takes to get the job done. Sometimes, just that look. Like Charlie.
one of my cats opens doors we have handles and she jumps up and pulls them down lol no privacy in our house !!
Smart cat and athletic. I suppose cats learn faster. Not all cats can open doors. My Charlie looks me in the eye and asks me. I always oblige.
This is the best ever. I just love it. What a little smarty. Whatever works! I’m sure his pals figure, why learn it while he knows it already? Free ride. This is truly a group of happy cats.
Proves the cat is very smart and a great learner.