Do animals understand blankets?
 

Random question. Do your cats or dogs understand the concept of blankets? I.e. of crawling under a covering to get warm? Or do they rely on their fur and simply getting out of the rain or wind?

I thought about this because my cat likes to get under the bedcovers, but she doesn't stay there long, nor does it seem related to whether the room is cold or hot.

I think they do, at least some of them. They get into burrows and hollows and out of the way because they know they'll be warmer. They probably don't understand the theory behind why a blanket works, but they probably do it based on some instinct and then realize that it does.

I used to have a hairless cat, he would climb under the covers to get warm, he also knew his sweaters would keep him warm. When it would start getting cold, and I grabbed one of his sweaters, he would run over for me to put it on him. I have a Black cat and when the temps drop, he climbs under the covers too.

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Our dog whines and moans at night until we cover him up and tuck him in with his fleece blanket on his dog bed. He is from Mississippi (adopted hurricane victim now in Idaho) and has short hair, but still... he's covered in fur! Of course we acquiesce. : )

Yes

Some do

I'd say they get it:

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:D

Our little schnauzer will crawl under the blanket on his bed in a cold night. And if you out one over him he leaves it.

I have two cats I picked up over time.
Different times, both strays, both about dead.
They act very appreciatively.
By this I mean the older one goes out for a little while summer months. But never more than a 1/2 hour and usually a lot less.
Runs right back in. He has had enough.
Winter he might go out for a minute ..lots of times he just sticks his head out the door , smells the snow and turns right around ! Enough! LOL
To the point - he jumps up on the bed and roots around like a pig, gets his nose under a blanket and under he goes!
Turns around and sticks just his nose out. Kind a cute really. He knows how to stay warm!

My dog will arrange blankets/pillows in his bed to make a place to rest his head.

That's the same thing my sister's dog does. My cats used to understand blanket usage. When it was cold, they would climb in and sleep on my feet.

Our three daschunds all love to be under a blanket whether it be at night or napping during the day. Our largest male gets excited anytime my wife pulls a dog blanket out of the dryer he dives right under it.

Our two dogs don't go to bed without their "blankies". They don't like being covered, just lay on them. Did that since they were pups...

Our last short hair Dachshund sure understood. She could root around and cover herself up quickly. The long haired Dachshund thought that was nuts and would lay on top of any blanket sprawled out upside down trying to stay cool.

Our current short hair Dachshund is not quite smart enough to figure out how to cover himself. If you cover him up, he is a happy camper.

This wasn't posed...Jack did this all on his own.

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my friend had a Pug.

that dog would wad the blanket up underneath him and commence vigorous humping. any blanket. even the one on my friends bed. it was eye tearing up funny the first time i saw it. the time with my sleeping bag was much less funny.

not so sure this helps us understand the original questions tho.

It seems preposterous to me that a domesticated animal would not understand blankets. At least enough to know, 'Hey if I got under this thing, I'd be warm!'

Our dog fully understands that, he is just not quite smart enough to figure out how to get under a blanket and still turn in a circle a few times and dig at the bedding first. I don't think he can just lay down without first turning in a few circles. Besides, there is usually a human nearby to cover him up. It is a good thing he is not spoiled or anything.

I think they just learn that under a blanket is a warm environment, just as the area over a heat register, or a sunbeam.

Mine steals the comforter as soon as I get up and wraps it around herself.
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