Memory is a tricky thing; a patchwork of events all haphazardly stitched together, in seemingly no particular order. And, it seems, the older you get, the less memory you have to work with. Why did I walk into this room? Where the HECK did I put my keys? You know, the usual things that make you feel like your brain is made out of swiss cheese.

But what about cats? Do they remember each day to the next? Do they remember who their owner is, or each person they meet? Is their long-term and short-term memory like ours? Of course, our hope is always that they remember us and who we are, just as we remember them. But how good is a cat’s memory, really?

Pavlov’s Cat

First, let’s talk about the different kinds of memory. Animals have a distinct type of memory called associative memory. Associative memory is what they remember feeling about a certain person or situation. It helps them to learn about their surroundings and is vital for survival in the wild. This can be very useful when you’re trying to train an animal. For instance, if you want to get your fidgety puss to settle down when it’s time to get their nails clipped, you can inure them to it by consistently feeding them a treat afterwards. Just like how Pavlov’s dog associates the ringing of a bell to getting a treat (and salivating as a result), your kitty will associate getting her little mani-pedi with a reward, which will hopefully help her to garner a positive feeling about the whole debacle.

Long-term And Short-term Memory

When it comes to dogs, our pupper friends have a very – ahem, very – limited amount of short-term memory, clocking in at about 5 minutes. A cat’s short-term memory, on the other hand, dwarfs that of their canine friends; about 200 times over.You see, kitties’ short-term memory spans a whopping 16 hours, which is pretty impressive. So, yes, Mr. Whiskers definitely remembers the fact that you were .07 seconds late in feeding him breakfast this morning, and you should definitely expect some sort of retaliation, because honestly? How dare you.

When it comes to long-term memory? Well, that’s a bit more difficult to determine. Long-term memory is pretty much defined by how much of an impact something had on a human or animal. In this way, cats are much like humans. They remember things and people that they have a very strong bond with (or wariness of, as the case may be). So, does your kitty remember who you are? Definitely. Does she remember your connection? For sure! It’s vital to an animal’s survival to remember where their bread is buttered. Cats do love their owners, and they know we love them too.

A Matter Of Survival

Unsurprisingly, memory is essential to an animal’s survival in the wild. Cats in particular are known for their ability to adapt, survive, and flourish – and a good memory is invaluable to all that. So, cats remembering who we are for the simple reason that we give them food and shelter may be all well and good, but knowing that they remember the way we make them feel is the kind of stuff that can really make a crazy cat lady feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Warm and fuzzy, like a little kitty noggin filled to the brim with memories of all the dinner times and snuggle sessions they’ve had with us over the years.

For further proof that our sweet baby animal compadres truly do remember us, even years after we’ve been gone, consider the story of John Rendall and Ace Berg. The two men found a baby lion cub who was born in captivity and rescued him. They named him Christian and raised him, brought him back to good health, and later released him into the wild once he was fully grown. Many people warned them not to try to visit Christian, as they were convinced he would not remember them. Ignoring the warnings, they flew to Africa to be reunited with their beloved (big) kitty friend. Not only did Christian remember them, he was overjoyed to see his old friends again! Take a look for yourself…