Does naming your pets bring them self-awareness?

originally posted by: rickymouse
...anything man names has consciousness. That includes the potato plants and cucumbers in my garden.

B.B. King named his first Lucille. We named my family's first car.

Yes I think animals learn from each other, even other species of animals and they continue to evolve. One of my cats learned how to manipulate a doorknob and open a door just by watching me do it.

I'll never forget the time I was in the bedroom and one of my cats, Vera, was on the bed. It was time for treats and I was taking the treat bags out of the drawer and calling my other cats into the room. As I called their names over and over, Vera looked at me and meowed LOUDLY and indignantly as if to say, "Hey, you didn't call MY name!" I reached down and petted her and said "And Vera too, silly cat."

Sal

a reply to: Oraculi

a reply to: Oraculi

Some people name their animals, others wait for the animal to choose. I'm in the second group.
If you wait they will let you know. So yeah...I've always been sure that most animals to greater degree's or lesser are pretty sure of who they are as individuals. Some are more self aware than others.

Not sure if it's great DNA or their life experience that brings it out, but it can be definitely there.

originally posted by: dantanna
pets all have names for us.

Oraculi: I've always wondered this too! Do they have a name for me? Am I "The Food Bringer"?
"The One That Brings the Sun Indoors"?Or just "Dad"?

Nope. They call you "The Tool".

a reply to: Oraculi

I believe they are self aware b4 we name them.

Naming them is just the beginning of us teaching them our language so that we can begin communicating with them. We use words from our language and teach them what those words mean so that we can interact with each other and understand each other to have a mutually beneficial relationship. Animals have their own form of communication without speaking as we do, that you can learn if spend time on it.

leolady

I have alway owned Cats as an adult, my Cats, picks their own name, Comes when called, and follows the alpha cat (me) in all things. My cats do tricks on command, which freaks people out too.

I speak Catanese, I make big cats, pumas, lions, and tigers in Zoos and Circus' near immediatly purr when I am around them.

wolves and large Dogs love me ( I'm not a dog fan per se).

People comment on it often . I have know Idea why it happens.

It's not something I "Turn off or on". it just "is" 🐱‍👤🐱‍👤🐱‍👤🐱‍👤🐱‍👤🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

a reply to: Caver78

I tried this once, because I liked the idea, but.. there was no way, no way, I was going to call my dog "Grewlooogrrrrewf Yip."

I love em and all, but.. No.

My cat indeed responds to his name, will respond to me back, does not respond to other names.

No doubt mans relationship has altered some species like the domesticated dog, and cats to a degree.

Depends on what one calls awareness. They dont pick up our poop, feed us, or getting a job.

Pets like cats and dogs and other critters are definitely self aware. The have emotions. Loving a pet will definitely build upon their self awareness. A pet crow is even more self aware than any dog or cat because of their frontal lobe which in most other birds are not developed.

Pets don't know a lot about many things or even care. They know they like being fed and loved, which is mostly all they really care or think about, and that is enough for them to be content.

a reply to: Oraculi



On the subject of consciousness - I think (for all of us) knowing we need to eat pretty much explains everything. I'm hungry - therefore I am

The rest is just stupid human tricks

Nice thread

I will just add this




and the guilty emotions they show




Its an interesting subject that only recently with intensive studies done that humans are finding out how deep our pets awareness is.

Many stories are told about much deeper awareness.

Such as one I heard about a pet dog that jumped through a window of its own house to protect its owner that was in danger else where some distance (not too great, like in the same suburb but a few blocks away)

This was a story about a pittie or a rottie on a video created to paint the dogs in a good light as over the years they have been painted in such a bad light, so it was just a story yet I so want to believe it.

self awareness as we humans are is something many vets claims our pets are not and its just more us wanting them to be.

Others vets and researchers have started to look into animal psychology a lot deeper over the past decade and more and more is being learnt about our pets self awareness and how our pets can help us in many ways that surpasses what technology can.

Its not naming your pet, naming your pet is just something you do.

I think its our choice to own a pet which creates a bond between man and animal that gives us the beliefs that they are more self aware.

naming your pet is just a part of that process

I think in the near future more understanding about pet psychology will be known and it will conclusively show that they are self aware but it is an evolving process and requires human nurturing. They become self aware through our own awareness.

They learn it from us.

so when you ask

Are we contributing to self awareness of another species?

I believe we are.