Do Cats Understand Mirrors?

As explained by Popular Science, cats actually don't recognize themselves in the mirror, despite what you see in those cute cat videos or in your own home.

Can cats recognize themself in the mirror?

Here's the deal — cats don't recognize themselves when they look in a mirror. When they see their reflections, they think they're seeing another cat. Because cats tend to be territorial, they may react by puffing themselves up and trying to defend their territory from the new intruder.

Why do some cats understand mirrors?

Some cats may show attention to mirrors, but they are attracted to the movement or light reflections they see in or from mirrors. There are some cats that enjoy playing in front of a mirror, though, and some may even recognize that they see another animal when they look into a mirror.