Feline Memories Found to be Fleeting

[Fuzzybuns]

To compare this working memory to the cats' visual memory of the obstacle, the researchers repeated the experiment, this time stopping the cats just before they made their first step over the hurdle.


Turns out the cats weren't so good at remembering what they had seen but not yet done: when the obstacle was removed this time, the cats forgot it had even been there in the first place and continued on their way.

Is it just me reading this wrong? If the hurdle was seen but then taken away, why would they expect a cat to make the "step over"? Nothing's there...

[Medusa]

Amen, Fuzzybuns! I read this several times and thought "But doesn't this prove that cats are smart, having nothing to do w/memory?" I thought maybe it was me. And even though they were observing cats, I wonder if any of these people actually have a cat in their household. Nobody can hold a grudge like a cat can! Now that's a memory!