Prrof that trying to test cats' intelligence is futile!

[Mark]

If I use the laser pen Mogs doesnt follow the dot she looks at my hand as she knows the laser is there. Tab

Willow does that too 

[maryas]

Very good everyone but we all know that no matter what we say or do they are gonna do exactly what they want to whether Dreamies are involved or not 

And we love them for it 

Mary

[Christine (Blip)]

For what it's worth (probably not very much  ) I've noticed time and time again that Blip doesn't 'get' pointing at all, which fits with all the evidence on the subject, BUT... if she's at a reasonable height and I put my head next to hers to look at something, she will always, without fail, turn to look in the same direction as I am.  This makes perfect sense to me: cats themselves don't have fingers to point so there has been no evolutionary reason to understand the significance of hand gestures: they do however have eyes in their heads and know the importance of reading others' eyes' visual cues.

Someone will argue that dogs can't point either, yet can follow a pointing finger: but can they really or are they following eye direction too?

[tab]

Hmm Ive not heard of that as a test of intelligence.

If I use the laser pen Mogs doesnt follow the dot she looks at my hand as she knows the laser is there. Amber follows the dot.... so I thought Mogs was bright and Amber less so. That said if I drop a treat Mogs doesnt usually care and Amber doesnt usually notice. If I point at it I have to point and reach down until my finger is touching the treat at which point Amber usually rubs against my hand because its near the floor and as she does that she 'finds' the treat. Again as a test of being bright Im still not sure which is best.

Maybe its me that needs testing for intelligence 
love
Tab

[Bazsmum]

I always point to mine "just look what you have done" I say! 

My cats react as I always do it....I also say "up, up" when I want them to jump up and they know that also! 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I've read on more than one occasion, that one way to test your cat is to point at something and see whether they look at you or where you point.  I have tried it before with Jaffa and met with either a baffled look or he just looks at me.  But this morning I was giving him some dreamies and one dropped on the floor.  I didn't hear it drop and I don't think Jaffa was aware of it as he was intent on what I was holding in my hand.  I realised when I saw there was only 3 in my hand and not 4.  I then noticed where it had fallen and did a vague pointy thing in the direction.  He didn't get it.  So I crouched a bit and pointed properly.  My finger was about 2 feet from where the dreamie was and a few feet off the ground, but the little lad understand immediately, looked to where I pointed and found the dreamie    I've always thought that it was more a case of cats refusing to demean themselves enough to participate in "how intelligent is your cat" tests, but now I have proof!  Unless there's something in it for them, of course