Do animals, such as my cat, know that they'll eventually die of old age? Or do they think that they'll live forever?

I'm pretty sure animals lack the self-awareness to have a sense of growing old and dying etc. Now this isn't to say that animals are unaware when they actually are dying, I've been around a great many animals in their last days/moments (too many :( and they know when it's their time.

All animals are aware of their own mortality. I'm not sure why only humans think they know they're going to die one day.

I don't think cats care or mind dying. They spend 2/3 of their life asleep anyways lol

Domestic animals have no idea of mortality, they just get on with life. They also have no conscience and no ability to love in the human sense. Walt Disney has a lot to answer for.

I doubt that animals have any concept of illness, old age or dying. They live in the moment and that is why some will run across the street and get hit by a car, they don't realize that they can die.

hmm... i've often wondered this myself.

I've heard that when a dog dies, you should let your other dogs smell it so they know the that dog is not coming back. so they must have some sort of concept of death, but i've never heard of an animal freaking out because it was going to die. most of the time i hear they go off to be alone because they "know it's their time".

If they do understand they will die, they either take it very calmly, or know something that we dont!.

they don't THINK. they live in the present as we all should.

Since my cat feels he is the ruler of all catdom, I would imagine he thinks he will live forever.

But, I think his failing eyesight (he's nearly 16) might give him a reality check. :o)

[p.s. His name is Czardust, so he know's he's a Czar already.]

I'm pretty sure my cat thinks she invincible. She scales walls and runs into windows trying to get birds. I wish she could live forever tho!

To: Grammy Robin whose answer was "Of course, they think."

No, animals don't think, they follow INSTINCT.

I can't speak for your cat, but my dog is clueless.

They know. Cats will usually go away to die alone. My cat did.

I used to feed a feral cat. He ended up getting cat flu and I was unable to catch him. He used to sleep under the block of flats where I used to live (I threw lots of woolly jumpers in there for him to lay on.) Anyway there was a cat flu epidemic going on and the feral cat got really sick. I could hear him at night coughing and I could just reach through the hole in no more and was able to feel his face. He was soooo hot. Poor little thing, I fed him his favourite food (fried chicken) but he wouldn't eat it. He disappeared the next day. I'm sure he knew he was dying and left his usual haunt. I have some friends whose cats have been sick or old and done the same thing. I am sure they know when they are going to die.

I think you should ask your cat;)

Animals are always only in the present moment. Something we should all try to achieve. They have no concept of tomorrow or yesterday. Altho they do learn from the past. That is one thing that makes us human. Does it make us better? I don't know.

Most studies say that animals live in the moment - which I think is a bunch of bull. I have seen them cipher things out and I know they have recall. I would like to think they have a soul. I believe they are often aware when death is near and are more accepting than most humans. I do not think they sit around thinking about it. I can not prove any of this. +5

Well if animals fear something will hurt them, which they do, then perhaps they know that they could be killed. It may be different between domestic and wild animals- wild animals actually see other animals dying and it gives them the awareness that they could share the same painful fate. But since domestic animals probably never see death (unless they're outdoor animals that kill birds and mice), they probably don't think much about it until their bodies start to slow down... if they don't become aware of their mortality, they will certainly know something isn't right.

Cats don't know about death, but they do know that something can be a threat to them and can hurt them. They run from predators because they feel the threat of being hurt, but they probably don't know about death. When they are dying, though, they usually go off and hide somewhere, not to be alone, but to escape the threat which they know is there. They don't know it's death, they just know that something that they don't understand is threatening them, and they are trying to hide from it.

I don't think they think of 'eventually' but that when the time comes, they do understand that it is time to pass on. When I took my last cat to the vet to be put to sleep, I know he knew what was going on. He usually didn't like going at all, but that time, as weak as he was, he turned and licked my hand after I put him on the table because he knew it was goodbye.

I think animals are basic creatures who have the gift of living in the present--the past is over and the future doesn't exist until it happens. Wish I could be like that.

Animals have no concept of death. If they did they'd all get depressed, sit around, grow fat, and go on antidepressants.

When they get towards the end i think they know

I feel like they can. They are capacble of alot more then we give them credit for (and in case you havent noticed, why do ants get more credit and praise for their intelligence than the common house pet? makes no sense). I've heard a few stories of animals being herioc to save an owner, some even going to the extent of sniffing/hunting them out. And its a pretty well known fact that before an animal has its litter they prepare, and before bad weather they prepare. What makes deatha ny different? If they can feel and acknowledge that much they, and should know when they are dying (esp. if they have the ability to mourn, which , from what i know, most do). Hey, we're animals too arent we?

I don't think they understand the concept of time and life and death and all that. I am pretty sure they just live! If only we could be so blind!

They just don't think, not as we do. Like people, they are creatures of change, yet we have souls, which allow us to think and ponder things that are unreachable concepts for them.

Animals are known for instincts. When they change and become domesticated, their instincts change. They are generally nicer and much more playful, yet not as driven as they usually are in the wild. Animals exist to survive and to mate, and when you take either or both of those things off of their "to do" list, all they have to go on is get fat, play, and sleep. :)

I watched a movie called Marley and Me, and notice some similarities between my cat. When animals come to the end of their life for some strange reason they no longer want to be inside. They go outside. Even if it means going into the rain.

My cat has now gone outside and sits in her warm basket under my pergola. Her behaviour has completely changed. She is almost 22, nearly almost blind, kidney problems, cant meow and is completely deaf.

She is eating but spending a lot of time sleeping. I sense she knows she is passing and am doing my best to keep her comfortable. I think its a matter of days, if not a few weeks. I dont want to put her down unless she is in utter distress and if I do, I will pay extra for the vet to come out to my place so it can be done in the comfort of her own surroundings. If I took her to vet for sure she would have heart attack and die as she always stressed when going to vet.

There's no doubt in my mind after all the animals I have had that not only do they know they are dying, they also know when a human is dying and they can also sense spirits.

Well.. Elephants have been known to travel great distances to their final resting places right before they die. They leave the rest of the herd and go off to be alone and die alone.

So Im sure they know. but a house pet? Im not sure... I have never had one die of old age...

Animals don't think or evaluate or reason, they have God-given instincts. I am sick of people who think of animals like they are people! And I am an animal lover but just know that they aren't people. Some people call their animals their kids! What an insult to real human kids!

I dont know about your cat but my cat is only 8 weeks old and all he thinks about is what he can bat, claw,play with, and bite!

Who knows what animals think? Their powers of rational thought are *extremely* limited. But they do seem to have a great intuitive sense. And some animals seem to know when they are about to die. So perhaps on some level they know.

Cats hide when they feel they are going to die. Our housekeeper found some years ago a dead cat in a closet when we were on vacation.

Animals operate under instinct, they have conception of life or death.

The thought never even crosses their minds. They live entirely in the here and now, and tomorrow doesn't exist.

i dont think they think of dieing.

Don't think so. The things I think they are aware of is fear, being hungry and feeling good.

I don't think they understand the concept of ageing. I think they know sick and they know when they don't want to live anymore. But They don't think "5 more years" or "I am almost 12 years old and will die soon"

I'm pretty sure its just your cat. It must be a brat!

Methink they sense when the time is near.

Animals live in the moment. Why else would they be so happy all the time? If you feed them, shelter them and take good care of them, they are happy. If they knew they were going to die, can you imagine how they would fight on the way for euthanasia?

how am i supposed to know that?

i think they do i belive that a dog knows when its dying and spends the last life times with you and runs away to die and i think a cat does the same thing

Many animals DO think. My friend, biologist, told me that. Cats do think, but mice, for a example, don't. However, I don't think they are aware that they are dying, when they are dying. They feel unwell, that is why they go into hiding, because they want peace and quite and don't want to be disturbed. They know that they are feeling bad, but they don't know that they are dying because of feeling bad, if it makes sense.

They do not think. Not like you are trying to do.

i think they do know like dogs they spend there last life times with you and runs away to die but thats what i think and cat must do to

I think they know. I can't bear pets passing away. We had to give our dog away. My rabbit died later then when we got our kitty, I was afraid of him passing away but I have learned to enjoy pets and people while they are living.