New-York tribune., 1905-07-17
DOES A CAT THINK?
JOHN BURROUGHS SAYS NO
4 Woman DiSagrees 5rith Him, and
GsUes Feline anecdotes.

Dear Madam: 7 have read with much interest
2.o1 -s- - - ol your cats Some Of the incidents
sJinct IN your feline friends some power OF
compared Win he dog IS tre ana Re said Very
sincerely yours, JOHN BURROUGHS.
This is a letter received a few days ago by a
devoted cat lover Of this city from Mr. Burroughs
apropos OF an article by the well known naturalist
ia "a recent number OF a leading magazine.
Mr. Burroughs claimed in this article that so
Tar as known. no proof existed thar any animal
ever had actual thought except the dog
The actions of animals II general, he claimed
are reflex instructive. and do nor imply actual
thought behind them. A vast portion OF the ac-
1ons of the human animal are of the same nature;
not only the Involuntary acts such as digestion
winking and on but such acts as that when q
man instincrively throws up an arm to ward on a
blow or shrUgs a shoulder TO express contempt
There is nc actual thought behind such acts al
though there may be emotions and sensations
NJ Burroughs contends that all the actions OF
TIE lower animals fan within this scope He dis
eountenances all the claims for thought on the
pan Of w-id animals so strenuously asserted by
some present day writer's who have the pleasure
o. the animals acquaintance M Burroug ghs
makes one exception. however. He says the dog
occasionally does things which can be explained
on no other ground than that OF thought To il
lUstrale this the naturalist took not any OF the
marvellous or unusual things that dogs are re-
ported as doing from time time but q very
simple. common little incident with which every
wagon comes q fork in the road De takes one
road and trots along. After a bit he stops and
looks around TO II MS master has followed
MIN or taken the oUher road. This little act saws
M Burroughs simple Il is. shows actual
thought and is something that no other animal
would have the Intelligence 10 perform.
AI0THERLY CAT
The Aforesaid cat lover. who is OF course a
woman, on reading this simple proof OF thought
felt moved 10 write M-. Burroughs some Of the
doings Of a long line OF cats in her family
The best beloved Of all said she TO a Tribune
representative. was wonderfully intelligent and
loving animal She never had any kittens. and
sae took Dr little brother. then q lad Of six or
seven. the only child in the family for bar
kitten she would make exactly the same cr-r-r-
-Ig noise over him that a cat makes oyer her KIT
tens She would II he would permit her rash
his face and head lavishIy with her tongue lust
as mother cat washes her kitten: she tried 70
90 lEls every time he lay down. When II was time
1or him 70 get home from school she would show
ne greatest tnapaCelce and anxiety TO be let ont
OF The house and would run down the straa- +o
meet hlIn- When he went cut TO play I SPY with
eniloren OF summer evenings he was Obliged 70
-ocA ner II The house, she would run TO his
hlolng place and berray him.
Our house was a basement house n . ,-,1f.
anu NHen ny mother was IN the basement kitchen
ahs could nor hear everything on the ground floor
&c 1@s Ils car appeared, tai up and brstling with
every appearance Of excitrnent she ran 49,, -
HloIheF 10 The foot OF the stairs rDevvi,e Ie51 -
-----'-sly- Ay mother followed her 70 tbe
ground Aoor ana found a man knoctr,r, :. -
nack ooor, which had no bell
49, - ~ we TINE any one knocked AZ tba.
o0oI tAe cat would go down and info--, ~. = t-N -
- sane way As this had nothing to DO zz-1+L
1T LOG LOG or comfort, II seems TO ne a 1rar,y -.
-o-t-s- "a -, 70, % Llo-sht-
il showed re- - alach sllied to this inasmucb
toox ID of bar e sc-!-e watchdog instinct she aiSa
-lafenCe= I Le1s On the lawn, and the Law S tLe
never -5f1rss eS.io stop on the exact edge oS -
S--i-5 Ahe rlarauders ar7 fTIrr,.- u IT,
-e-t our property -s ~ d desire TO pro-
reIIons a-5[-- - as We always called her was . -
ike III Feii some OF her loving was L4I La
80 -, as II sounds senrfu1eDTaT -AToIy
iag when II wa ia % from bed 70 bed every morn 5
Jeii-tet 9I lEe family good rlorn65 T ass every
-'e lick with her tongue on the cbelt - one little