This is a very cute video. It looks as if the dog consciously and deliberately removes the cup stuck on the cat’s face which is causing the cat to go backwards in her distress. The big question is, “is the dog simply interested in the moving red cup as something to fetch?”. Or is the dog doing something deliberately altruistic and charitable in removing the cup? Answers on a postcard addressed to PoC.
The video is from Reddit.com. Reddit wags are not sure. Here is one comment:
“That cat is an accurate depiction of me doing life.”
The dog is very precise and gentle in removing the cup. That’s noticeable. It leads me to believe that the action is intended to help the cat but I am probably being sentimentally anthropomorphic.
In my opinion, the dog had nothing to gain by removing the cup. I think that the dog saw that the cat had a problem, and knew exactly what to do.
Dogs have been known to help other animals in trouble, and maybe certain breeds are more prone to it.
I think the fact that we have to ask this question is an indication that there’s pressure by others to err on the side of denying the dog is doing something nice. Since when? “Dog” people have no problem lauding dog as human as possible when it comes to helping us, but when they help a cat it’s something else? Please, I can see what’s at work here: reverse anthropomorphic bias.
As to what’s in the dog’s mind, I think it’s a bit of both. Why can’t that be?