Every morning like clockwork Tabs follows me downstairs into the kitchen, kitty hugging my legs and meowing all the way. Then he sits in the same spot on the kitchen floor looking up at me, then up to the cabinet where I keep his extra large family-size bag of Feline Greenies Dental Treats in the Oven Roasted Chicken Flavor.
He’s always been a creature of habit, but it’s gotten freaky now. Now, if he doesn’t get his Greenies at precisely the correct time, his meows rise in pitch. After a couple minutes of that, the meows turn to concerned, longer mewls, and then basically panicked loud cat mrrrrrrrrrowwwwwws until the Greenies miraculously appear.
It’s like WTF, woman!? WHERE ARE TEH GREENIES?
And it has to be between 10-14 Greenies. No more, no less. His day can’t start without them.
After he eats them, he usually disappears and heads back upstairs to sleep on the bed for a couple more hours, but if he doesn’t get those Greenies, he’s out of sorts and extra needy the rest of the day.
Weirdly, I think he also has a sixth sense for what day of the week it is, or at least when it’s Sunday, because that’s the day when we usually go for our long walk super early and spend more time outside than usual.
I think he knows when it’s Sunday because he wakes up with an extra spring in his step. After having his Greenies, he waits by the front door, meowing up at it and casting concerned glances over his shoulder to where I keep his leash.
Mind you, I realize that cats probably shouldn’t be able to tell what day of the week it is. I mean, most of them don’t actually maintain a calendar (most of them), but I seriously, honest-to-goodness think Tabs can. I think he knows when it’s Sunday because of how much he looks forward to it.
Is that possible? Do you think cats know what day of the week it is, or am I just taking my crazy cat lady-ness to the next level?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Mary Ann Sromoski says
I can tell you that they definitely know what time of day it is! He reminds me of my poor kitty who passed. He’s so cute!
Lindsay says
I used to have a cat who could tell time, so I definitely believe that Tabs can know what day of the week it is!
Tatiana says
Nora likes Greenies, too. Except I make her work for hers. I tap them on the mantel and on the newel post until she jumps up and gets them. Then I toss them from room to room for her to chase down. Not sure if Nora can tell time or the days of the week, but Lucy (my mare) knew when it was Sunday. It could be because I put different tack on her and we just went for a trail ride instead of doing a lesson or a hack. Or maybe it was the fact that we would leave the barn together with her friend Mana and my friend Jen. Whatever it was, she always enjoyed Sunday rides.
Chris25 says
This article explains a little: http://consciouscat.net/2014/03/05/can-cats-tell-time/
Kim says
Tabs knows what he likes! My father-in-law has a cat that he believes understands everything. From meal time to what chores need to be done, when. I think cats are very intuitive so it wouldn’t surprise me that Tabs knows (not necessarily the day of the week but) the rhythm of things he looks forward to.
Annemarie Harrison says
Rose definitely knows time and days, She knows we sleep in on the weekends and not to bother Mommy to get up early.
Rose loves her Greenies too-but I give them to her very randomly so she does not expect them all the time.
She is so good though and 13 so I really should just give them to her every day for Petes’ sake!
Sarah Lowes says
Our two cats amaze me by the way they know that ‘Sweetie time’ is at 10pm before they go to bed but they keep trying to bring the time down so they get their sweets earlier…
Michelle says
Hi Karen, I love this post because I’m a cat lover (with 2 that found us:) I believe they definitely know time of day which might lead them to an awareness of what day it is! Mine have the treat thing down to 6-7 in the evening. They both come around & stare at the treat cabinet. No meowing which I think is funny. Anyway, I did want to mention that although clearly the Greenies have been fine for Tabs, I read some really scary reviews about those treats & it freaked me out. Many cats have gotten very sick (vomit/diarrhea and even death. There have been recalls & there are many negative consumer affairs reports.) I just felt it important to share my concerns. Be well!