Do Pets (/Animals in general) have a sense of Time? - u-Assist Forums

Cuchi · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

as of now have wonderful Dog (husky), Cat & 2 Birds -- a most important question -- without having an animal psychologist! -- recently on mind:
if you feed dog a few times each day -- as for tomorrow morning, does she think 'wow I hope there's food, haven't been fed in 3 days', same when you walk the dog -- if every day, does she think 'OK chances are another walk tomorrow' -- are pets aware of a pattern, can predict & have reasonable expectation of things in the future -- a sense of regularity (in Time sense, I mean!) -- I can assume things of course, but "can't read their minds" -- so put this out there for opinions, from pet-lovers -- what do you think?
Thanx -- from Jim & menagerie

celebritymobile · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

I think that they do. I don't think they place the same importance on it as we do,(that was something even we learned to do- deadlines, etc.), but I know that my husband has said that right before I come home the cats and parrots get excited and the birds say "Hello", and "Mommy's home!"

I think they do have a sense of time, but they were smart enough not to invest in watches!

Dillhole · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

I think so. our neighbours dog use to go and sit by the fence every afternoon at 3pm waiting for the school kids to walk past and they would feed her there left over lunches, but some how she just didn't do it on the weekends, i don't know how she knew but she was like clock work. as for long weekends she would get confused and i suppose wonder why no one came to feed her.

Dillhole · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

Mine certainly does. About half an hour before sunset (regardless of what the clock says) she starts pacing the house, going to the front door, pacing the house, looking at us, going to the front door... basically letting us know it's time for her evening walk and darnit we'd better start getting our shoes on.

My mother said that when we were growing up, our dog would go lay in the front room about half an hour before we were due to get home from school, and she'd go lay by the door to the garage about half an hour before my dad was due to come home.

***cheesegrits*** · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

Not dogs and cats.

Dogs, especially, live in the moment. They get excited when you get out the leash, they will tell you when they want to for a walk, and they may get a "routine" down (if you walk at the same time every day), but when they're on a walk, all they think of is the next sniff.
Cats are creatures of habit. They like routine and will pretty much stick with it. I was out of work for about 6 weeks, I spent a lot of time at my computer (and vegging in front of the TV) and every single day, at the exact same time, my neighbor's cat would walk across the street. Diagonally. The same diagonal every single day. (don't ask how I know that!).
Maybe that's what you mean. I don't think that's "consious" thought though. I think that's more of an instinct. The cat didn't think, "I'm walking across the street, just like I did yesterday", it's just "going through the motions".

Boomhowwer · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

My 2 dogs know what time my husband gets home from work,the can be inside outside it doesn,t make any difference at 10min past 4 they sit right at the gate waiting.When im cooking tea they will sit on the mats (not theirs just kitchen mats) but the j/russell sits on a burgandy 1,and the poodle the pink 1 and they know they get their smacko,s just before I serve tea.

bison223 · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

I think so. my dogs sit and wait at the door or ask to go out the same time every night just before hubby gets home....so they can greet him. when he off they careless.
I wait out front for the school bus my daughter gets on and off. they know she is coming...i ask wheres ur kid...they sit and look the way the bus comes.
at about 6 every evening they get annoying cause they know food is coming.
at 10 am they know its walk time they come and sit right by me then go the leashes...then me then the leashes like well come on already lets go.
my moms dog growing up would meet her off the bus from school.

so yes they 'tell time' by when things happen that are normal.
consistence (sp)is part of training...so it must be part of their understanding.

***cheesegrits*** · 10-21-2007, 05:33 PM

why is time capitalized?