Can cats tell time?

I usually leave for work at 12:30, and I noticed that my cat Meep
likes to help me as I'm putting on my shoes around noon on the couch.
It's become an everyday thing that she says hi, then runs to the door
to be let out, returning as I'm leaving out the door again a half hour
later. I figured she'd observed my behavior and figured out "shoes
on=time to go out if I want back in before he leaves." She's a smart
cat.

Today I was running about 15 minutes early and I put my shoes on at
about quarter till. Meep was relaxed on the couch behind me and
didn't exhibit any "I want to go out" behaviors. I figured she just
didn't want to.

To my surprise, fifteen minutes later at noon, she starts bugging me,
ready to be let out. Here I thought she was reacting to my schedule,
but it seems she actually has her own!

Now I can buy that she has gotten used to my schedule, or that perhaps
she just always has to go out for "litter" at about the same time. I
do know people who've had cats that will wake them up minutes before
their alarm. Do cats have any sense of time other than "it's light"
"it's dark"?

Jay wrote in news:1194977701.166629.312310
@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com:

I usually leave for work at 12:30, and I noticed that my cat Meep
likes to help me as I'm putting on my shoes around noon on the couch.
It's become an everyday thing that she says hi, then runs to the door
to be let out, returning as I'm leaving out the door again a half hour
later. I figured she'd observed my behavior and figured out "shoes
on=time to go out if I want back in before he leaves." She's a smart
cat.

Today I was running about 15 minutes early and I put my shoes on at
about quarter till. Meep was relaxed on the couch behind me and
didn't exhibit any "I want to go out" behaviors. I figured she just
didn't want to.

To my surprise, fifteen minutes later at noon, she starts bugging me,
ready to be let out. Here I thought she was reacting to my schedule,
but it seems she actually has her own!

Now I can buy that she has gotten used to my schedule, or that perhaps
she just always has to go out for "litter" at about the same time. I
do know people who've had cats that will wake them up minutes before
their alarm. Do cats have any sense of time other than "it's light"
"it's dark"?


Sonny knows 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm (time to come in for the day) and 8 p.m.
He's usually within 10 minutes of the exact time. When he first adopted
us, we gave him a little treat at those times, which kept him close to
home because he just loves canned food, even though he has dry kibble
available at all times. The twice yearly time change throws him off for
a couple of weeks :-)

Bobble

On Nov 13, 1:12 pm, bobblespin wrote:
Jay wrote in news:1194977701.166629.312310
@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com:



I usually leave for work at 12:30, and I noticed that my cat Meep
likes to help me as I'm putting on my shoes around noon on the couch.
It's become an everyday thing that she says hi, then runs to the door
to be let out, returning as I'm leaving out the door again a half hour
later. I figured she'd observed my behavior and figured out "shoes
on=time to go out if I want back in before he leaves." She's a smart
cat.

Today I was running about 15 minutes early and I put my shoes on at
about quarter till. Meep was relaxed on the couch behind me and
didn't exhibit any "I want to go out" behaviors. I figured she just
didn't want to.

To my surprise, fifteen minutes later at noon, she starts bugging me,
ready to be let out. Here I thought she was reacting to my schedule,
but it seems she actually has her own!

Now I can buy that she has gotten used to my schedule, or that perhaps
she just always has to go out for "litter" at about the same time. I
do know people who've had cats that will wake them up minutes before
their alarm. Do cats have any sense of time other than "it's light"
"it's dark"?

Sonny knows 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm (time to come in for the day) and 8 p.m.
He's usually within 10 minutes of the exact time. When he first adopted
us, we gave him a little treat at those times, which kept him close to
home because he just loves canned food, even though he has dry kibble
available at all times. The twice yearly time change throws him off for
a couple of weeks :-)

Bobble

One of our cats knows when 10 p.m. is. That's when my husband normally
goes to bed, and within a few minutes of that time, she comes and sits
by the tv and starts meowing for him to go upstairs. As soon as he
gets up, she runs up to the top of the stairs and waits for him. If
he's watching a movie or something on tv and doesn't come upstairs
until later, she gets upset, meows more and tries to get him to follow
her.
-yngver

In article . com,
yngver wrote:
On Nov 13, 1:12 pm, bobblespin wrote:
Jay wrote in news:1194977701.166629.312310
@o80g2000hse.googlegroups.com:



I usually leave for work at 12:30, and I noticed that my cat Meep
likes to help me as I'm putting on my shoes around noon on the couch.
It's become an everyday thing that she says hi, then runs to the door
to be let out, returning as I'm leaving out the door again a half hour
later. I figured she'd observed my behavior and figured out "shoes
on=time to go out if I want back in before he leaves." She's a smart
cat.

Today I was running about 15 minutes early and I put my shoes on at
about quarter till. Meep was relaxed on the couch behind me and
didn't exhibit any "I want to go out" behaviors. I figured she just
didn't want to.

To my surprise, fifteen minutes later at noon, she starts bugging me,
ready to be let out. Here I thought she was reacting to my schedule,
but it seems she actually has her own!

Now I can buy that she has gotten used to my schedule, or that perhaps
she just always has to go out for "litter" at about the same time. I
do know people who've had cats that will wake them up minutes before
their alarm. Do cats have any sense of time other than "it's light"
"it's dark"?

Sonny knows 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm (time to come in for the day) and 8 p.m.
He's usually within 10 minutes of the exact time. When he first adopted
us, we gave him a little treat at those times, which kept him close to
home because he just loves canned food, even though he has dry kibble
available at all times. The twice yearly time change throws him off for
a couple of weeks :-)

Bobble

One of our cats knows when 10 p.m. is. That's when my husband normally
goes to bed, and within a few minutes of that time, she comes and sits
by the tv and starts meowing for him to go upstairs. As soon as he
gets up, she runs up to the top of the stairs and waits for him. If
he's watching a movie or something on tv and doesn't come upstairs
until later, she gets upset, meows more and tries to get him to follow
her.
-yngver


Bubba keeps perfect time.

He's on the bed, purring loudly, plus or minus a minute or two every
morning at the same time. He has an atomic clock in his stomach.

The time change *did* throw him off though. He's an hour early.

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:48:08 -0800, yngver wrote:

On Nov 13, 1:12 pm, bobblespin wrote:
[quoted text muted]

One of our cats knows when 10 p.m. is. That's when my husband normally
goes to bed, and within a few minutes of that time, she comes and sits
by the tv and starts meowing for him to go upstairs. As soon as he
gets up, she runs up to the top of the stairs and waits for him. If
he's watching a movie or something on tv and doesn't come upstairs
until later, she gets upset, meows more and tries to get him to follow
her.
-yngver


A couple of years ago, one of our RPCAers had a signature that went
something like this:

" Sandpaper kisses, a cuddle and purr. I have an alarm clock covered in
fur". I always enjoyed reading it/ MLB

Yes, I have read that cats have an excellent internal clock. I wish I
could remember where I read this, or I'd provide a link.

One of my cats will usually sit by me and wait a minute or two before
the alarm clock (he knows not to bother me before it goes off, but if
I open my eyes early, he's right there!). During the weekends, they
know their feeding times, despite our weekend schedule being different
than the weekday schedule.

We have an automatic feeder set to dispense dry food 4 times a day. Mr.
Bonkers is at the bowl 5 minutes before it dispenses. Each and every time.
Regular as clockwork. I dont know how he does it. We dont adjust it for DST
so he's never off an hour.
"Rene S." wrote in message
ups.com...
Yes, I have read that cats have an excellent internal clock. I wish I
could remember where I read this, or I'd provide a link.

One of my cats will usually sit by me and wait a minute or two before
the alarm clock (he knows not to bother me before it goes off, but if
I open my eyes early, he's right there!). During the weekends, they
know their feeding times, despite our weekend schedule being different
than the weekday schedule.

On 13 Nov, 21:39, "Rene S." wrote:
Yes, I have read that cats have an excellent internal clock. I wish I
could remember where I read this, or I'd provide a link.

One of my cats will usually sit by me and wait a minute or two before
the alarm clock (he knows not to bother me before it goes off, but if
I open my eyes early, he's right there!). During the weekends, they
know their feeding times, despite our weekend schedule being different
than the weekday schedule.

Ha ha, that sounds like Ringo right down the, "forget waking us @ the
weekend before 8 am". I'm convinced that they do too.

In fact, next time I remember to take my mobile phone to bed, I will
take a video of him standing to attention, waiting for me to wake up-
then he jumps all over you like a Rash. Now, he has a side- kick
called Gypsy, whom he seems to be training to do exactly the same
thing, Lol. The things we do for our cats, hey?!!
Sheelagh "o"

Response to "Rene S." :

Yes, I have read that cats have an excellent internal clock. I
wish I could remember where I read this, or I'd provide a link.

One of my cats will usually sit by me and wait a minute or two
before the alarm clock (he knows not to bother me before it goes
off, but if I open my eyes early, he's right there!). During the
weekends, they know their feeding times, despite our weekend
schedule being different than the weekday schedule.

It is referred to as their crepuscular nature and some have labeled it
a behavioral disorder.

*shrugs*

--
-Lost
Remove the extra words to reply by e-mail. Don't e-mail me. I am
kidding. No I am not.

With DST, Mr. Bond woke me up before the alarm. He was certain I would
be late for work.

I told him about DST, and he hasn't done it since.

I do think they have excellent ways of telling time. Wish I did!