Cats are very uncooperative subjects for behavioral research. Some interesting if sparse evidence is discussed in What Are Cats Thinking? Cats have performed as well as dogs on the “pointing test,” which demonstrates “an ability to understand what another animal is thinking.” I’ve had some pretty smart cats over the years, but it’s hard to appreciate a cat’s mind without living with it. My cat Diego is very sociable and he often tries to initiate games with me. Among other signs, he gives me an upward jerk of his head, as if to say, “Come on, gimme your best shot!” Still, as the article notes, there is no denying that cats are often simply “surfing other channels….”