Mary Allen
Sometimes it seems as if cats actually have a sense of time and know exactly what time it is. For example in the morning, when the velvet paws pad around on the bed punctually a few minutes before the alarm clock rings to wake up their owners.
But do cats really know what time it is? Does their sense of time correspond to people‘s perception of time and duration? The answer is: yes.
Cats & Their Body Clock
People mostly pay attention to the hours, minutes, and seconds displayed on the clock and act accordingly. Their intuitive sense of time, their internal clock, usually runs unconsciously in humans. For example, when the alarm clock rings in the morning, you may not have had enough sleep. This is because your internal clock is still set to “sleep” but you have to get up at a certain time to be at work on time.
Cats don’t have to be punctual or stick to schedules. Therefore, your cat can live fully according to an intuitive sense of time. However, this cannot be measured in hours, minutes, and seconds, but is based on events and lighting conditions.
Routine is Important for the Sense of Time
Cats’ sense of time cannot be translated into exact times. Lunchtime for kitties is not 12:00 p.m., but when they get their lunch. If you always feed your cat after getting up in the morning and then let it outside afterward, the cat will remember this ritual after a while and link it to other events or lighting conditions that typically occur at the same time. For example, she notices the dawn or sunrise and remembers that she gets cat food and then goes for a walk in the garden afterward.
This way, cats can remember when their favorite people are coming home from work, when it’s time for playtime, or when it’s time for a cuddle. Deviations from the daily routine irritate the velvet paws immensely, as they contradict their sense of time. This is the case, for example, if you want to sleep in at the weekend. Your cat doesn’t understand this and is confused if you don’t put the filled bowl in front of it at the usual time in the morning and then open the door for it.