Our expectations can have a huge effect on the world around us. We often create our own realities – whether we mean to or not – by developing a set of expectations. These ideas can alter our behavior, starting a chain reaction that brings us into situations we never would have dreamed of.
When people adopt pets they change their expectations of the newcomers based on their species. Most dog owners try to train their dogs to do tricks, while cat owners often don’t see the value in this option. So here we have it: a world where dogs know tricks on command and cats don’t.
Humans have kept cats and dogs as pets for many generations, so we are used to thinking of these animals as being domesticated. The truth, however, is that we much teach each new generation to behave in this way as we raise them.
When we adopt puppies and kittens they are simply animals who are curious about life. We are the ones who teach them how to behave based on our expectations of them. If we change the environments our pets grow up in, they will behave in fascinating new ways.
One cat grew up in quite the unique situation, and it has had a major impact on her life. Didga was raised by her owner, Robert Dollwet, who is a professional dog trainer. He owns multiple cats and dogs, and he trains his dogs diligently. Usually Robert lets the cats go about their own business, but Didga is special.
From the time she was young, this kitty always took an interest in her owner’s training sessions. Having been adopted from an animal shelter, she was used to being around other animals – especially those who were bigger than her. She would watch from the sidelines as the dogs sat, stayed, and rolled over. It must have looked fun to her because soon she wanted in on the action.
It is hard enough to teach a dog new commands; you would think a cat would lack the obedience necessary to perform these tasks on cue. But Didga proved herself to be much more extraordinary than the typical house cat.
She was learning the dogs’ tricks in no time. She would rush into each training session that her Rottweiler siblings participated in, never stopping to question whether or not she belonged in this group. She confidently and proudly performed each trick, stunning her human leader.
Didga is good at many tricks, but her all-time favorite is rolling over. She just can’t get enough! It seems like it would be super difficult for a cat to understand this concept, but this witty kitty is challenging everything we know about keeping cats.
Didga has shown that she is exceptionally intelligent and talented. It takes a lot of discipline to listen to an owner like that – I’ve never seen a cat do it before.
As you watch her master each trick in the video below, you will be blown away by this cat’s focus and listening skills. She completes each task expertly, almost as if she were born to do it.
We often think of cats and dogs as being extremely different, but maybe that is just how we see them because of the expectations we put on them. Animals, like people, are unique individuals with varying strengths and passions. Didga is certainly a little dog-like, but that doesn’t make her any less of a stellar cat.
When we give others room to grow, they often surprise us. Didga is able to amaze the Internet with her awesome tricks because she was given a chance to learn. If we all expected the most out of each other, we might see some real change in this world.
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