The proof is in the pudding: cats learn by observation. This clever, athletic cat has learned to operate a typical wall-mounted light switch about five feet off the floor. It does not surprise me but it does look interesting. Cats normally learn by observation in the wild by watching their mother. It is pretty well always observational learning followed by practice and trial and error. They are good learners. We have seen lots of domestic cats turn door handles to open doors. Operating small light switches is an interesting variation on the theme.
This woman declawed her cat because she/he turned a light on and off at night:
“Cheryl Albright: My cat Cotton would do that with the chain that hung from the ceiling fan over my bed…the chain was long enough where I wouldn’t have to get up and turn off the light….my cat would in the middle of the night would get a hold of the chain and turn the lights on and off..you would be sound asleep and woke up to disco lights….she was then declawed..”
Note to Cheryl: Sorry Cheryl but you have been cruel to your cat and you are a bad cat owner. I hope someone has told you that. You don’t brutalise a domestic cat because she is showing off her intelligence and athletic skills. Do you know what declawing is? It’s ten partial amputations of the toes and the cat is a digitigrade – she walks on her toes. How do you think that feels?
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I have several switches that are gorilla taped in the correct position.
🙂 Made me chuckle.