Can cats recognise their reflection?

Animal self-recognition gets a bit complicated. Humans and other mammals like dolphins, elephants and great apes can recognise their reflection. But smaller mammals like cats typically can't.

But there's more to felines and mirrors than this simple answer. Yes, your kitty probably can't recognise their reflection quite like us. But they can respond to it in interesting, funny ways.

Here, we answer whether cats can recognise themselves in the mirror and what mirrors do to cats.

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Do cats recognise themselves in the mirror?

Most cats don't. It's because some cats rely more on smell and touch instead of vision for understanding the world, and, generally, cats lack the self-awareness of other mammals to pass the "mirror test".

The "mirror test" was developed by psychologist Gordon Gallup. It allows researchers to test if an animal has self-recognition. The test involves putting a mark on an animal and observing how they react to their reflection in the mirror.

If they try to remove the mark on seeing their reflection, it's usually considered a strong sign of self-recognition. Cats typically fail this test.

But not all cats do. Some have the capacity for self-recognition, but it's unclear why some cats have this and others don't; generally, it depends on your kitty.

How do cats react to their reflection?

Common reactions a cat has to their reflection include:

• Aggression

• Curiosity with eventually losing interest

• Playing

• Ignoring it

A cat's reaction largely depends on their age, personality and previous experience with mirrors. If your cat sees their reflection regularly, they probably aren't going to care much. 

Can cats recognise their own reflection over time?

No, you can't train a cat to recognise their reflection over time. Repeated exposure to mirrors will only cause your cat to become desensitised to it; they'll probably not react.

Rarely, cats will instantly pass the mirror test, but it's rare, and they won't associate with their reflection like humans do.

Typically, they'll think their reflection is another cat, but over time, this will happen less and less, especially if it's the same mirror in the same place. 

Why don’t cats recognise themselves in mirrors?

Cats don't usually recognise their reflection due to their reliance on smell and touch; while their vision is good, it's not their primary way of understanding the world.

Since they rely so much on their smell and touch, a reflection doesn't give them the cues they need to identify themselves; they're more likely to see it as a strange, invasive cat.

They also don't have the same level of self-recognition as other mammals, like humans and great apes.

An important thing to remember is that self-recognition in mammals is not a measure of intelligence; it's simply a test of an animal's strengths and which senses they rely on the most.

Do cats think their reflection is another cat?

You may notice your cat react playfully (or defensively) when they notice their reflection, which owners can mistake for self-recognition. But really, this is likely your cat thinking their reflection is another feline intruder.

Your cat may "test" the mirror cat with movement and interaction, and this is more likely to happen if your cat wants another kitty to hang around with (our piece on cat loneliness is useful here).

Should you be concerned about your cat’s reaction to mirrors?

No, it's nothing to worry about. But you may want to know about cat anxiety and calming your cat down if their reflection stresses them out.

To calm down a cat after a stressful mirror experience, we recommend:

• Avoiding forced mirror interactions

• Providing toys, distractions and other positive interactions

• Use positive reinforcement when your cat is calm following a mirror interaction

Sudden, strong behavioural changes can indicate something else is up with your cat. So if they're suddenly skittish in front of the mirror with other behaviour issues, you should get them checked up (and yes, cat insurance can help with that).

Understanding your cat

So, to summarise, cat don't typically recognise their reflection like we do, but they do react to it; it's just rare that cats know it's themselves.

Understanding the behaviour of our pets is an important part of being a pet parent, so don't stop your quest to empathise with what your cat is thinking, feeling and doing. 

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