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Those are wonderful stories, thanks for sharing them. I wonder though if generalizing to most/all animals really makes sense here. I get the sense that these

Those are wonderful stories, thanks for sharing them. I wonder though if generalizing to most/all animals really makes sense here. I get the sense that these kinds of stories are mostly limited to highly social and fairly intelligent animals like elephants, dolphins, and dogs. Maybe other primates as well, although IIUC they're more likely to be spiteful to some people than are e.g. dogs and elephants.

PittleyDunkin 2y ago
I think it's less about a general truth and more about a general capacity for this behavior.
lolinder 2y ago
Add cats to the list as well.
bayindirh 2y ago
I'd happily add birds to the list. I had a budgerigar which lived for ~12 years. She had very personal traits. For example she always sat silent until she saw my eyes open, regardless of the hour. She always knew that I was the one I opened the door and sang very happily, again regardless of the time of the day. She liked to troll me and my parents. She ate the corners of my lecture notes, esp. if I didn't pay attention to her (exam periods), flicked a single CD from the stack, grabbed and threw down, studied how it fell, and chirped at me head sideways, trying to tell "look, I did something". I could write tons and tons of things where she was very aware of my emotions and responded to it, or communicated with my parents in their own way. So, I don't think it's limited only to "more complex" animals like dolphins, dogs, and elephants. Cats and birds (oh, look at cockatoos, crows magpies, etc.) are also in that group as well. Cockatoos raid trash bins and find ways to open even the blocked ones if their strength allows. Lastly, here's a parrot which trolls its owner and laughs about what it did! Oh boy, it's aware of what it did [0]. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLNSaQCDl8E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLNSaQCDl8E
dylan604 2y ago
> I wonder though if generalizing to most/all animals really makes sense here. What's the downside to just assuming all animals are intelligent and treating them as such?
forgotmypw17 2y ago
From my experience, you can add sparrows, pigeons, and other birds to this list. And if you include things I've read on Facebook, even jumping spiders.

PittleyDunkin 2y ago

I think it's less about a general truth and more about a general capacity for this behavior.

lolinder 2y ago

Add cats to the list as well.

bayindirh 2y ago

I'd happily add birds to the list. I had a budgerigar which lived for ~12 years. She had very personal traits. For example she always sat silent until she saw my eyes open, regardless of the hour. She always knew that I was the one I opened the door and sang very happily, again regardless of the time of the day. She liked to troll me and my parents. She ate the corners of my lecture notes, esp. if I didn't pay attention to her (exam periods), flicked a single CD from the stack, grabbed and threw down, studied how it fell, and chirped at me head sideways, trying to tell "look, I did something". I could write tons and tons of things where she was very aware of my emotions and responded to it, or communicated with my parents in their own way. So, I don't think it's limited only to "more complex" animals like dolphins, dogs, and elephants. Cats and birds (oh, look at cockatoos, crows magpies, etc.) are also in that group as well. Cockatoos raid trash bins and find ways to open even the blocked ones if their strength allows. Lastly, here's a parrot which trolls its owner and laughs about what it did! Oh boy, it's aware of what it did [0]. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLNSaQCDl8E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLNSaQCDl8E

dylan604 2y ago

> I wonder though if generalizing to most/all animals really makes sense here. What's the downside to just assuming all animals are intelligent and treating them as such?

forgotmypw17 2y ago

From my experience, you can add sparrows, pigeons, and other birds to this list. And if you include things I've read on Facebook, even jumping spiders.