Comment on Bonobos can "play pretend"

FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

• Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  When have you seen your dog or cat pretend to interact with an invisible object, like a toddler having an imaginary cup of tea?

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  • FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

    They pretend they have toys when they have nothing at all, sometimes. And I’d argue that even playing with toys the way they do is major make-believe. Which is also something they already do in the wild - practice hunting on dead animals or inanimate objects.

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  • Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

    I’ve known multiple dogs that put items in a spot, then brushed their noses over them, as if burying them with invisible dirt.

    However, I figure that’s an instinctual behavior, similar to digging/burying food. Not evidence of imagination. Just evidence of dogs interacting with invisible objects.

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• jwiggler@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago

  Cats pretend aggression when playing with each other

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