Are Tuxedo Cats More Clever? This Door-Opening Feline Thinks So

Written by: Kelli Brinegar
For more than five years, Kelli Brinegar has been using her ability to write and her passion for research to tell the tale of what cats are thinking and why. She has provided care to more than 30 cats in her lifetime.Read more
| Published on July 21, 2022

Oh, we humans think we’re so clever with our fancy thumbs and doorknobs. But one tuxedo cat wants us all to know that he’s got the door thing figured out, and he didn’t even need opposable thumbs. Just the motivation of some food to steal!

The well-dressed gent’s escape abilities were caught on camera because his family couldn’t understand how their cat was getting out of the shed when the door was closed and latched. Sharing the video of the tuxedo cat on Reddit opened a discussion on the merits of the finely-dressed feline!

 

When Food Is Involved…

Reddit user u/foflexity shared a video of his clever cat on the subreddit r/cats with the caption, “I couldn’t comprehend that this was how he was getting out, so I setup my phone and he did this right away.”

The clip clocks in at only twenty-three seconds in length, but the tuxedo cat didn’t even need that long to make the escape happen! After hopping up on a work counter, this sly boy jiggles the knob with his paws a couple of times, and the door opens right up. The video ends with the kitty leaping out the door to sweet freedom and the possibility of stealing a snack!

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The surprised cat parent explained the kitty man was in the shed because the family was dining on the patio, and they already knew the cat being out meant doom for their dinner.

“Last time we ate on the patio he quickly hopped up and walked away with a slice of my pizza in his mouth.”

Fans of the tuxedo escape artist quickly upvoted the video, and the comments came alive with fun. While many compared this clever cat to Jurassic Park’s clever girl, Blue, others shared how their own tuxedo had genius quirks too!

Tuxedo Cat Love

Tuxedo cats are known for their spirited personalities, intelligence, and their sense of fashion. Loving a Tux is a fun adventure full of laughter and cuddles, and fans of u/foflexity’s post couldn’t help sharing praise for their own black and white felines!

u/curveoftheuniverse shared, “My vet once mentioned that tuxedo cats are known for opening their eyes sooner after birth than other ‘patterns’ of domestic shorthair cats. I guess this gives them a cognitive head start that contributes to greater intelligence. (So far, that seems to check out. My tuxedo is smarter than me.)”

Putting it simply, u/HalDimond commented, “Tuxies, man! They are smart little buggers.”

“I have a tuxedo cat. They are incredibly intelligent, hard-headed, and mischievous. Good luck,” said u/obscene_planet. 

Laughing at the kitty’s cleverness, u/BecciRenee also offered a tip to thwart further escapes, writing, “Murder Mittens has a really good grip! Tuxedo cats are super smart. I have 2 Tuxedo cats, one black and one grey. Get you some of those doorknob covers that spin unless you put your fingers in the holes.”

Cat parent u/USAF_Retired2017 had to make some changes because of their furry genius, explaining, “My fat tuxedo Steve is why we had to change all the doorknobs to the round instead of the handles. He figured out if he jumped up and held on, the door would open. He’s smart, not your cat smart, but smart. Ha ha.”

RELATED: 5 Facts About Tuxedo Cats

And this exchange sums up the whole of the feline species…

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Feature Image: u/foflexity/Reddit