Comments on: The Magpie in the Mirror https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/ Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:11:12 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 By: video izle https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521868 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:11:12 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521868 I have seen some dogs that cannot seem to control their aggression toward the mirror and some who quickly learn to ignore it. I don’t know if they click to it being a reflection. Probably not. But then what do they think?

]]> By: John https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521867 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:47:42 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521867 They have to learn mirror smarts because I’ve seen jays and ravens charge and peck at their reflections in windows.

I also got to watch a jealous cardinal furiously attacking my outside rear view mirror one day…not a corvid but good for a free grin.

]]> By: Rick B https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521866 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:49:06 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521866 I have often put a small freestanding mirror on the floor near a young cat or kitten who hasn’t encountered mirrors before and the usual reaction has been to investigate the stranger visually and then to go behind the mirror to find it. When no cat is found he or she will (apparently) conclude that there really is no other cat to worry about (or play with) and proceed to ignore it.
However, I do now have an adult Persian who likes to jump up on our sideboard and stare into the large mirror that hangs over it. I often find that if I look into the mirror from an angle I will see the image of the cat staring at me. It’s as if he is trying to figure out who this other person is who looks like me.
But, to get back to the subject, I have never seen a cat recognize itself.

]]> By: Rich Wilson https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521865 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:00:25 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521865 objlolcat: http://icanhascheezburger.com/2010/08/15/funny-pictures-rex-freaked-out

]]> By: Katherine https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521864 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:00:06 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521864 What about other animals generally considered to be intelligent? Octopi, dolphins & whales etc.

I don’t think cats do get it, though I haven’t tried putting a dot on my cat to test it. Usually when you put something on your cat they don’t need a mirror to know it’s there. I always thought that the reasons cats don’t generally respond to mirrors is that they can’t smell another cat…

]]> By: ppnl https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521863 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:39:23 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521863 I have seen some dogs that cannot seem to control their aggression toward the mirror and some who quickly learn to ignore it. I don’t know if they click to it being a reflection. Probably not. But then what do they think?

I have seen mocking birds attack a mirror for hours until I had the mercy to cover it. I have not seen a crow attack a mirror.

]]> By: GrayGaffer https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521862 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:31:46 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521862 Bjorn@3 – so that’s where the Ministry for Silly Walks came from! (not to diminish John Cleese’s excellent development).

]]> By: jaf https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521861 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:47:51 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521861 Facinting article, Greg!

@Nemo, my cat does the same thing. She hates other cats and reacts strongly to their presence. She doesn’t care if she smells another cat, as long as it’s not there.
There is one time I think she reacted to her reflection (in the window) and she was already in attack/protect mode, as she saw another cat outside the window that she perceived wanted to invade her territory.

So, my conclusion is that some cats can probably recognize this, but can lose the ability to “think rational” when certain instincts kick in.

]]> By: Nemo https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521860 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:38:09 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521860 I don’t know if my cats understand mirrors, but they sure don’t seem to act like it’s another cat in there. They react pretty strongly to other real cats, and mostly ignore the mirrors.

]]> By: Bjoern Brembs https://gregladen.com/blog/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521859 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:13:33 +0000 http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2010/08/15/the-magpie-in-the-mirror-1/#comment-521859 And guess what this behavior totally looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lB5_X_QXlU

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