Should you teach your cat to count?

Question

Using dried cat food, I have just started a program of (on occassion) placing small number of kernals of food out in front of the cat, and saying the number of kernals. My expectation is that eventually the cat will understand what the number words mean.

Answer 1

How will you know that he understands? It's not like he can verbally repeat the numbers back to you. And if you made two piles, one with 7 pieces of food and one with 3 pieces, wouldn't your cat just eat whichever one is closer, even if you said "Which pile has 7?"

Just let your cat be a cat. Don't turn him into a science experiment. I really don't think it would work. You'd have to do it every day and work with him for several hours a day. He's not a trained monkey.....

Answer 2

I have been teaching mine classical Greek.  Starting with the alphabet.  (he has got as far as Mu.)

Answer 3

If you have enough free time to teach your cat how to count, then go for it.  

Answer 4

If you have the time and patience.  Go for it, but unless you are doing it consistently (several times a day) the cat won't get it.  To them, it's just a way of getting some kibble.

Answer 5

IF YOU CAN!

can't do what they want to do...

GO for it!  

Answer 6

try it

Answer 7

LOL!  Would love to see a "counting" cat.  Or perhaps kitty needs a job.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

Wow, you must have lots of time on your hands.  Have fun- I'm kind of curious to see how it works.  Maybe you'll show up on Letterman or something!  LOL

Answer 9

Your cat might begin to understand the "number" system.  But since the cat is just going there and eating, it won't really care.  Cats are trainable almost only by food... so unless each number is a specific command, the words won't mean anything to the cat.

But seriously there are worse things to spend your time doing, so go crazy :)

Answer 10

leave the poor cat alone,