Cat determines goal for herself

[FireShadow]

Been wanting to post this for a few days now...

Recently, I have been re-reading The Wave and came across the following quote in The Wave, Vol I, Chapter 6 - Animal Psychology or That which was A, will be A. That which was not-A, will be not-A. Everything was and will be either A or not-A. (http://www.cassiopaea.org/2010/05/08/the-wave-chapter-6-animal-psychology-or-that-which-was-a-will-be-a-that-which-was-not-a-will-be-not-a-everything-was-and-will-be-either-a-or-not-a/)

Let me first say that in general, I found this chapter to be well put together and written in such a way as to be easy to understand. Thank you! It really made some concepts so much easier to understand about the differences in consciousness between densities.

However, I may have found "The exception that proves the rule" (so to speak). Or perhaps my cat GiGi is merely beginning to get ready to graduate to 3D?

First the quote:

From Tertium Organum:
By automatic actions are meant actions, which have been rational for a given subject but have since become customary and unconscious through frequent repetition. The automatic actions learned by trained animals were previously rational not in the animal but in the trainer. Such actions often seem quite rational, but this is pure illusion. The animal remembers the order of actions and so its actions appear to be thought out and expedient. And it is true they were thought out, but not by it. Automatic actions are often confused with instinctive actions; and indeed they do resemble the instinctive, but at the same time there is an enormous difference between them. Automatic actions are created by the subject in the course of his own life. And, before becoming automatic, they must for a long time remain rational for him or for another person.

Now for GiGi's story:

Gigi was born in my closet and has lived with me all of her 11 1/2 years. Until a couple of years ago, she was adamantly NOT a lapcat. She likes to be near me, get petted, etc. But did NOT like laps. The most she would attempt was standing with 2 front paws on my lap while I scritched here ears.

A couple of years ago, I was sitting in the TV room with another of our cats on my lap. GiGi looked at me with "the evil eye" as if to say "How dare you have another cat on your lap!" (Yes, this is my subjective interpretation, but I went with it anyway). I told her "Well, you won't get on my lap."

Well, over the next 2 weeks on a daily basis, she attempted to get on my lap; but could not seem to relax. The best she could accomplish was to sort of crouch on my lap. She took a break for some months and tried again for a couple of weeks (on and off). Still she was unable to relax on my lap.

Since then, she periodically makes an effort and in the past few months has been improving - a little bit more relaxed and for longer times. Finally a few days ago, She Succeeded! She managed to relax on my lap for a full 15 minutes. She is currently taking a break (she has not tried again).

Just for the record, I have been careful to not provide any "cues", I have only done my usual behaviors with the cats - offer the lap if they seem interested (and I am not busy of course) and leave it to them to decide. I have lived with cats for all but 2 of my 51 years and have never had a cat that did anything close to this. Perhaps I am imagining things, but if so, my husband imagines them with me as he has witnessed this and seems as awestruck as I am.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this story for GiGi in case she is working on graduation and would like some encouragement and acknowledgement. Perhaps, I am just "a crazy cat lady".

Edited for typos

 

[skycsil]

Sometimes I wonder that myself! How to recognize (if there is actually a way to know it) that a cat or dog is going to graduate? Also, how to know if someone could have been an animal in their previous life?

When I was in Art School, there were a few students that had a really hard time understanding space, it was like they could only see in two dimensions. Sometimes I wonder if they were 2D in their previous life and still trying to deal with three dimensions?

 

[cubbex]

I think There is a chapter of the wave that have some quote about animals that tells a lot.

 

[FireShadow]

I think There is a chapter of the wave that have some quote about animals that tells a lot.

I think it is the one I linked to in my original post, or are you referring to another chapter? Did I miss something?

 

[cubbex]

Nope ¬¬ it was my error, I need some glasses.