Cat uses pedestrian crossing like a human – learned or coincidence?

by Michael Broad · March 25, 2022

Cat uses a pedestrian crossing like a human. Screenshot.

The reason why I have said that this cat uses the pedestrian crossing like a human is because they wait at one end of the pedestrian crossing until the traffic comes to a halt. Then they trot over to the other side. There is no darting across. It is as if this cat has learned how to use a zebra crossing, as we call them in the UK. It is also somewhat remarkable that both drivers, travelling in opposite directions, spotted the cat and waited for him or her to cross. They were very respectful. Obviously, the big problem for a motorist is spotting such a small animal waiting on one side of a zebra crossing. I have never seen this before. I suppose it could just be a coincidence that the cat stopped like he did and waited but my gut feeling is that he has learned to use this pedestrian crossing to good effect.

Domestic cats are very good observers and they learn by observation. There are many examples of this in households. The classic and well watched example is domestic cat opening interior doors. In order to do this so successfully, they have learned by observing their human caregivers. They open fridges, too. Once again learned through observation.

It is why domestic cats learn to fit in with the rhythms and routines of their human caregiver. And if the person knows this and respects it then they in turn fit in with the rhythms and habits of their cat companion. It becomes a very agreeable relationship, knitted together with great precision and harmony.

Note: This is an embedded video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source or the video is turned into a link which stops it working here. I have no control over this.

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