Are cats autistic?

[RPM1978]

As I mentioned in prior posts I am autistic myself and I remember my Mom referred to a male cat I use to have named Pooh Bear being an autistic cat, she never said so about Cuddles a female cat I use to have.

My current cat is Nermal and my Mom use to refer to Nermal as a bipolar kitty cause of some of how she acted, although today my Dad commented that Nermal and my sister's cat are autistic cats due to the fact both cats do hide from people they don't know.

Then again some people have said all cats are autistic while others say there is no such thing as an autistic cat.

So what is your opinion on this topic?

[Natalia Evans]

http://www.amazon.com/All-Cats-Have-Asperger-Syndrome/dp/1843104814

[RPM1978]

http://www.amazon.com/All-Cats-Have-Asperger-Syndrome/dp/1843104814

I think I heard of that book before too

[General Razorbeard]

They appear so to me at least.

[Adam]

My beautiful furball was agoraphobic and had a lot of anxiety

My little furball I have now seems normal

[ZEGH8578]

being autistic is an anomaly.

cats are a species, not an anomaly, so...

maybe 1 in 1000 or whatever cats are autistic, who knows. but as a species, no, they are not autistic. they may have "similar traits" but thats mostly our wishful thinking, making us more "catlike" which is always desireable.
i wanna be a tiger!

[Icequeen]

My female I think is. She's your typical run and hide, I hate company type. Eventually she'll come out and glare from a distance at them if she thinks they're overstaying their welcome.

Now the male is another story, he thinks he's a dog for the most part. Everytime someone comes over he comes out with his tail wagging dragging his favorite toy (a wand with a long ribbon attached. He also likes the occasional tummy rub.  He's just a "little" confused.

['Butterflies']

Dunno if all cats are aspie, but these 2 are

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[RageBeoulve]

  :lol:

[richard]

i need to get a cat. i want a short haired persian

[Adam]

here's my kitten with the dog:

['Butterflies']

^^ cute

[Adam]

she says thanks 

[DukeNukem]

I think maybe the behavioral traits of cats are similar to the traits of autism. But really, how can you diagnose a cat with autism, a diagnosis only made for humans, since cats are much different creatures altogether?

It would be pretty hard to tell which ant out of a million is autistic or not.

['andersom']

I think maybe the behavioral traits of cats are similar to the traits of autism. But really, how can you diagnose a cat with autism, a diagnosis only made for humans, since cats are much different creatures altogether?

It would be pretty hard to tell which ant out of a million is autistic or not.

It's that one little ant swaying it's little head and losing directions.



You're right though that autism is a human thing. And has to do with the way we manage in social settings too. I think an ant would be easier to diagnose than a cat, if both could ever be on the spectrum. I doubt that a lot though.