Creative Intelligence in pet cats, feline creative expression

Creative Intelligence in Pets

What is it all about? Is it something about having an inside insight?
And… what does that really mean?…
And.. how does that help me and my cat?

Introduction
This short article will make an attempt to briefly highlight and explore some facets of what is meant and understood by the term creative intelligence. It will attempt to help pet owners to try and evolve their cat's sense of creativity.

Other articles in this series will focus on specific observations and studies of both, the display of creative intelligence and intelligent behaviour in animals as witnessed and recorded by renowned ethologists.

As you already must be aware, ethology is the study of animal behaviour. Several eminent scientists have received Nobel prizes for some of their outstanding observations on animal behaviour.

Why do I need to know about my pet's behaviour?
A question that may arise in the reader's mind is about why should one want to know the significance of specific behaviour traits in animals. The answer lies in a simple truth, that when we love our pets and truly wish to understand and explore their world, then it helps when we can understand the meaning and significance of their behaviour. For you cannot truly understand and love your pet if you cannot understand your pet's behaviour and help your pet to derive from being able to express and evolve certain behaviour traits.

What does it mean to be creative? Is creativity a skill that can be learnt or taught and what do we mean by the word creative ?
Creativity is certainly a skill that can be taught, evolved and improved upon. Before, this article is continued further, it may be helpful to get some concepts clear at the beginning of what is meant and understood by the term creativity and creative intelligence.

The word creative is often associated with human ability & intelligence. It may be understood that concealed within the meaning of the word creativity is the understanding that implies, there are:

However, the broader understanding and application of creativity would mean the interpretation and application of creative intelligence to a diverse range of situations and condition.

When we use the word creative, what is really meant and understood by most of us is, that specific ability or skill one has, of being innovative…being able to present information in a new way…being able to create or form anew! Ideas, concepts, image, inventions, abstractions…so on and so forth.

The reader may have noted that to be creative means to cover an entire spectrum of behaviour and application of ideas in diverse fields of human endeavor.

Moving away from the broad understanding of the term " to be creative as applied to human behaviour " to a slightly focused understanding of the term creative animal intelligence, would mean having a slightly altered viewpoint.

Creative expressions in the animal world
To be creative in the animal world would mean having a slightly different observation and point of view. More specifically, this article limits itself to understanding the term, creative aesthetic expression.

When we use the word, creative with reference to animal behaviour, we need to understand that aesthetics within the framework of animal intelligence would have parameters of judgement and appreciation that would be a little different from that seen in humans.

Talking about creativity and aesthetic sense in animals, it is interesting to know that just as chimps can be taught to draw, cats too can be taught to draw. Yes! That's some delightful good news for cat lovers all over the world. Cat lovers and cat owners all over the world may be pleased to know that their pet may have many creative skills buried beneath those hyperactive claws and paws.

This short article merely explores the surface currents of feline creative intelligence. Perhaps, the interested reader may be stimulated to embark on a voyage of discovery in to an appreciation of feline art and aesthetics. Subsequent articles will make the reader familiar with the basics of feline aesthetic sense and methods to test feline creative expression.