Free will is one’s ability to choose between different courses of action. One’s morals and actions usually fuel this choice. If one is not able to make these decisions, then they do not have free will. Does this apply to animals or only human beings? Many people will tell you that animals do not have free will, especially pets. If an animal is your pet, then they likely follow your rules and the decisions you make. However, most cat owners know that their kitties have a mind of their own, and sometimes it does not matter what rules you have in place; they will do whatever they want to do. So, do cats have free will?
Cats do have free will. To a certain extent, cats can make calculated decisions based on past experiences. Cats have also have the ability to weigh consequences and use their senses in decision making.
Although cats have free will, it differs greatly from how a human makes decisions. Animals for the most part are driven by their instinctive needs, however some can use experience and make decision with intent. We’ll get into more about a cats free will, their conscious, and much more!
How Do Cats Have Free Will
Cats have free will because they are still able to learn from their experiences. The information they retain from various events then helps them to make decisions in the future. It is the basic logic behind training an animal. The repetition of training does help an animal learn something, but they understand the lessons of different types of training and use it to make decisions for behaviors they have not been trained on yet.
Cats can weigh the advantages and disadvantages of different situations. For example, if you were to place two different bowls in front of your cat, one bowl with one super decadent, delicious treat and one bowl with four low-quality treats. By doing this, you can learn a lot about your cat’s decision-making. If they have never tried the treat, they may try both at first. After trying this a couple of times, you may find that they choose to go for the smaller portion because they have learned it is a more satisfying result.
In a way, this relates to human’s use of free will. Our morals and values fuel our free will, but we learn these traits through various experiences. While cats are not developing a new set of morals through this experience, they are developing the ability to think about a choice using past experiences critically.
Do Cats Have Agency
Cats do have a lot of agency, especially when they are stray cats or pets allowed outside. If you allow your housecat to go outside, they are making their own decisions without you once they are out there. They always come back to your home because they have learned that’s where you are with food and shelter. But as they roam around your neighborhood, they are making their own choices without any instruction from you.
Stray cats especially have a lot of agency. Most cats do not stick together in packs unless it is mutually beneficial. Even if they choose to join a group of cats, this choice is an act of their free will. They certainly do not have to join any other cats, but maybe they are having a hard time finding food on their own, and they have noticed these cats are always carrying scraps around with them.
Cats become agents of their own the moment they act and experience a consequence of their action, whether good or bad. They also learn to resist conditions that they do not like and make choices to get themselves out of various situations.
Can Cats Think For Themselves
Cats do think for themselves, but once again, it is not in the same way as humans do. Many humans have a voice inside their heads conducting a constant monologue of their thoughts. Sometimes, people will talk to this voice in their head to work through a situation to make decisions. Or some humans have photographic memories and can create a clear picture of something in their mind just by thinking of it.
Cats cannot do this level of thinking. They cannot come up with new concepts, but they do retain the information they learn. The way they experience things by cause and effect is what formulates their thoughts. They enter a situation and can identify similarities to previous experiences, and then using the outcomes of those previous experiences, they choose how they will react in their current situation. Their form of thinking is more like remembering past events.
Do Cats Have A Conscious
Cats do not have a conscience. They have a small amount of self-consciousness, making them aware of themselves. But it is very slight in comparison to the self-consciousness of humans.
This is where free will amongst humans and animals differs the greatest. Humans use their consciousness to evaluate the morality of the situation and how their personal values come into play. Then the decision they make after this evaluation is an act of their free will.
Cats do not have the ability to discern between right and wrong. They learn cause and effect. If your cat is constantly scratching at your couch and you spray them with a water bottle every time they scratch, they will eventually stop scratching. But they do not stop scratching because they have learned it is wrong to scratch the couch; they stopped because they learned they would be sprayed with the water bottle if they scratch.
Can Cats Make Their Own Choices
Cats can make their own choices. You can train a cat to do many things, but depending on your cat’s demeanor, they may be stubborn enough to choose what they want to do regardless. Some of their choices are fueled by instinct, while some are fueled by their own free will. Either way, they learn from the choices they make, and this alters how they make choices in the future. Cats actually conduct more of a decision-making process than we realize because they seem so impulsive all of the time.
Things To Consider
Research into a cat’s ability to have free will is still very light. Cats are complex subjects to research because they can be so stubborn and disinterested. Most of this research has been conducted by observing cats and studying their history.
Every cat is different; your cat’s personality and upbringing will play a big role in whether or not they demonstrate free will. Consider conducting some experiments of your own at home. Try offering your cat different toys or different treats and see the choices they make. After observing them for a little while, you should have a clear understanding of how your cat thinks.
My name is James, and welcome to FAQCats!
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