My cats are mother and son, but do they realise this?

Question

Ok, so I have 2 cats, which are mother and son. The son will turn 1 in late October. The mother turns 2 in early October.

They get along really well, they play fight, sometimes getting a little bit rough.

They eat from seperate bowls, but share water bowls and they are very happy to use the same litter box as they have been since the son got toilet trained.

So my question is, do they actually realise or remember that they are mum & son? Because he is way past the milk feeding and learning the life lessons off her. So do they actually know that they are related or that he is hers? Or are they just good friends and don't remember how they became friends?

I am really curious and I am just thinking about it now as they are asleep together and cleaning eachother's ears.

thanks

J C · Accepted Answer

Cats do not have the same concept and importance of "family" as humans do.  To you, they are mother and son, but to them, they are two cats who have been raised together and like each other very much.  Nature made it so that cats drive off their litter in the wild, so they can have another.  They don't choose to have a family - they mate out of instinct.  It's an entirely different thing than with us humans.

? · Answer

Kittens are born with the same scent that their mother has so that they can always find each other and identify their families. They still have that scent now. They will know they are family, but if you have no other cats in the house they will just have a really good bond.

cosmosclara · Answer

Yes, they know they are mother, son. 

They can live together well -- that's good.  They have become friends, as well (as related).

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My cats are mother and son, but do they realise this?

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