I once watched a programme where two big cats (leopards I think it was) were play fighting. It said that the oldest remembered that the other was one of her offspring, as she wouldn't have let it go as far as it did otherwise.

I, however, once took my cat back to the house where she came from when I went on holiday. She immediately started hissing at her mother (I think her mother remembered HER as she remained silent, even though it was her territory).

When I went to collect her afterwards, they had made up and were playing in the garden...

Who knows but it is believed they have a racial memory of family members. Their memory is also better than dogs.

I've wondered that about my kittens- I got them from my neighbour whose cat had five kittens in June- she kept two of them, I had two and the other one went to another friend. I often wonder if my two recognise their mum and brother and sister if they see them when they are out.

I think hey do. A cat we took in Maisey had 4 kittens in August. They are 19wks tomorrow i couldnt split a family up at all so we kept them(there little sods now though). When Maisey meows they come running they do know who she is and didnt stop feeding of her until they where 14wks. They dont go up too her much but will eat with her. We took a little kitten in november and he never has gone to her at all.

When we got our two kittens they left their mum at about 8/9 weeks old from a cats protection league lady who had taken them in with their mum & brother.
a couple of weeks after we got them they saw my neighbours cat who is all black like their mum on the window ledge outside our front room and they both started meowing & scratching on the window - so i assume that they thought he was their mum as they didn't do this when they see the black & white cat who lives next door.

So maybe it's the case that cats can't tell the difference between male and female just by looking at each other?

How on earth do they mate!

Whenever I say the name of the mother of my two cats, they stop whatever they're doing and stare. I think they do know.

My cat remembers me

I always wondered this.

Before Princess passed away, I always wondered if Sylvester (her son) knew that she was his mum. They never really got on very well (Princess' mum brought both of Princess' litters up as well as her own!) until they were older.

This thread actually leads me to a subject I've been thinking about seriously for a couple of days. We have had a kitten for the past three weeks, he is 16 weeks old now. We know his brother is still available and we are seriously thinking of having him too. However they have been apart for three weeks now. Were we to re-introduce them would they remember each other or would we have to go through the whole acclimatising two cats thing again?

I wouldn't hesitate, and am sure they'd know one another. They'd probably size one another up for a day or two but would soon be rolling around the floor playing with one another. I'm glad I got my two. I set out to get one but they were so attached, I felt that I couldn't leave the other one behind. They are so close and always cuddling and washing one another. They have the odd rough and tumble but they are like each other's right hand. I think they'd be lost without the other one.

awwww go get his brother hehehe

I agree. They it is one year for every 7. Is it the same for cats?

If so, they been apart 21 weeks in their time. I think a cat would remember it, but as you say, they will want to size each other up in case the other cat has changed.

Funny you should say that, but my subkect is different. Seriously, Richard, are you OK?

I'm fine thanks.

Hmmm ... maybe there's cats ... and then there's cats!

Our cat, Sasha, was unwanted - she'd been returned to her breeder when she was about a year or so old, and then all hell was let loose.

Sasha's mother couldn't bear to have this 'new' cat in the house with her, and certainly didn't recognise Sasha as her daughter.

Poor Sash ended up living in an outdoor kennel in the garden, until we offered her a permanent [and very cushy!] home.

I wonder if they do, they are so young when they leave them. Ella and Effie are from different litters but the same age and have kown one another since they were 8 weeks old. theya re more sisters then there real sisters and brothers I suppose.

I do wonder what happened to both their litter mates and if they got good forever homes and are spoilt bi-atches like my two.

Yes, I I sometimes wonder what happened to mines brother and sisters, If any got a bad home it was only a matter of luck that it wasn't her,

I sometimes ask her if she misses her brothers and sisters too when i'm cuddling her"