Thoughts

An embed code could not be found for this video, but this rant is on the following video, “Cat hugs baby kitten having nightmare:”

http://www.break.com/index/cat-hugs-baby-kitten-having-nightmare-2064155

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There are two ways to approach the title of this video:

1. “Cat hugs baby kitten having nightmare” automatically sums up the exact viewing of the video and the feelings received, so it is quite apt.
2. “Cat hugs baby kitten having nightmare” assumes that the kitten is suffering from a nightmare, can suffer from a nightmare, can have nightmare, the cat is assumed to be the mother or mother-like-figure, the cat recognizes the kitten suffering from nightmare, cat sympathizes with kitten thus has experienced nightmare before, and cat knows how to soothe by hugging; all of the aforementioned is no help to the scientific community of ethologists as anthropomorphism is supported in a way that discredits the profession and study.

Anthropomorphism is projecting, essentially, unto others that an animal has human emotions. Rather, it is assuming or attributing human characteristics to an animal. There is good to this, and there is bad to this. It is that of a hipster: upon reading this word, you carry all the negative connotations with it, but in actuality “hipsters” aren’t a problem or really deserving of anything negative*. In actuality, there is a small vocal minority that give hipsters a bad rap, then the ones you see and project onto, and the ones you hear about from adults, i.e. older generation,  which in generalizing, always have a negative thing to say about the generations following.

To anthropomorphism, “real” scientists try to discredit ethologists’ work. They cite that there is not enough proof  of the animal psyche, and that we just project our own emotions, received at the moment or assumed by the animal’s actions, onto the animal. This video title is not helping whatsoever. To the video itself, the kitten is in fact in a deep sleep. One can argue the sleep is not deep and it is in fact restless, which leaves it to be troubled more easily and is why it is shaking in that manner. I am going to say now that because it is so consistently shaking and rather hard, and not waking at that, that the kitten is somewhat deeply sleeping. 

The cat “hugging” the kitten. Before the “hugging” occurs, the cat is already holding onto the kitten in a humanistic fashion, meaning more common among humans than cats. Actually rather close to spooning in the positioning, but that makes one think of other things. The kitten is moving and shaking, and the cat isn’t obviously asleep as it is aware of the camera and the kitten. If something is moving and shaking on your arm, though, would you feel it? Chances are yes. The cat is in the point of sleep and comfort to where it just squeezes in on it, like we do with our pillows or blanket or mattress. Cats also offer affection this way - mine do. They use their front legs, extend it, and bring whatever has their attention in to them. My cats will walk towards me as I them, stop, extend one front leg out to me almost as a beckon: it is a sign of attention, a sign of affection. Cats are much smarter than they are given credit, and the cat pulling the baby in is just an example of that. 

I want to say, that if it was a genuine case of the mother trying to soothe the baby from the nightmare, that the mother would not be resting so comfortably next to it and would be rather frazzled, especially with the attention of the camera. This being a couple things: a new mother (first litter) or the babies are newborns (because the mothers do become “bored” to an extent and their attention strays, much like selective hearing works). That being the case, she would sit up or cover or pick up, but most definitely lick the kitten, and probably meow to him. The cat still being an animal, it has tell signs of behavior, and that is how we know what is going on.

I’m looking into the field most heavily and it sucks as many scientists try to discredit the work. It is a relatively new field, yes. It is a combination of many fields, actually, and I believe takes much more diligence, practice, and intelligence, if you will, than some of those very fields the scientists try to discredit. Ethology is essentially the psychology of animals, but has many other descriptions of it. Right now for me to achieve this at an undergrad level, I am pursuing an Animal Science major with a focus in behavior and dual-minoring in Psychology and Anthropology. At the graduate level I will need to look into straight Ethology or Zoanthropology. I am also considering switching my major to Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as the work I want to do heavily includes evolution…so you see, being an ethologist is much more than focusing in one area. 

*Read this article. Also, read this previous post of mine for more perspective.