Why kittens are competent, and human babies helpless

Have you ever watched a young cat? Many of these creatures are not “brought up” by their parents—they tend to get separated from their mothers at quite tender ages. Yet they seem to know exactly how to get into hunting positions; exactly how to eat, and how much; exactly how to clean themselves; exactly how to hide from enemies.

No parenting, no training, no schooling, no mentoring…and yet. A perfectly attuned being is present from a very young age. How can this be?

The answer lies in what we call animal instinct—the innate behaviours that are hardwired into an organism’s biology, passed down through evolutionary processes. I was interested, though, in the details. How exactly does this instinct work? Where does the knowledge about living as a cat reside, and how is it passed on? I did some research, so you don’t have to.

These behaviours require no learning or external teaching; they are pre-programmed patterns of action that an animal performs under specific circumstances. The “knowledge” that young cats have—how to hunt, clean themselves, or survive—is not knowledge in a human sense but rather a complex interplay of genetic programming and biological mechanisms.

The three magic letters: DNA. That is where instinct is encoded in an animal, and it governs the structure and function of the brain and nervous system. Over countless generations, natural selection has favoured traits and behaviours that increase the likelihood of survival and reproduction. Those behaviours have become instinctual because animals that performed them successfully passed their genes on.

When a cat “knows” how to hunt, for instance, what is happening is not conscious reasoning but a series of instinct-driven behaviours initiated by certain environmental triggers. The brain’s neural circuitry—shaped by evolutionary pressures—activates these behaviours. For example: movement triggers stalking behaviour; sudden motions trigger pouncing; a caught prey may trigger the “kill bite” mechanism.

The hunting “instinct” is thus a response to external stimuli, performed in a sequence that evolution has optimized. It resides in the brain’s neural circuits, which guide sensory organs and motor responses, reinforced by the brain’s reward system.

But wait: so what happened to human babies? Our own offspring are notably helpless and hapless for a long time. Without a mother’s presence, they would learn next to nothing about their own basic survival. We as a species seem to possess markedly less instinctual behaviour. I was relieved to discover that there is a good reason for this.

Humans have evolved for extreme adaptability rather than reliance on pre-programmed responses. This trade-off has occurred because we have evolved as a species with advanced intelligence, culture, and the ability to deal with uncertain environments—and adapt to them.

Our babies are born helpless because their brains have to be smaller to get through a human pelvis; they develop more after birth. This neurological immaturity is compensated for after birth, when humans respond to experiences and stimuli. This extended period of immaturity gives humans unparalleled flexibility to learn, adapt, and build behaviours suited to their specific environment, rather than relying on fixed instincts.

Instincts are advantageous in predictable environments, like those of cats, whose prey and conditions have remained consistent over millennia. Humans, by contrast, evolved to prioritize learning over instinct to thrive in ever-changing, complex environments. This adaptability enables humans to master intricate skills such as language, tool use, and social cooperation; adjust to diverse conditions, from building igloos in the Arctic to weaving huts in the tropics; and transmit knowledge culturally across generations. By relying on culture and learning, humans replaced rigid instincts with a flexible survival strategy suited to dynamic challenges.

Human helplessness at birth is the price we pay for being the most adaptable species on Earth.

So do you know what would be really dumb? For humans to not exploit these gifts—of the ability to learn, of adaptability, of building cooperative cultures—in their lifetimes. A human thrives by growing into their full potential through curiosity, resilience, and connection. The ability to adapt means engaging with change as an opportunity rather than a threat, learning from both history and present challenges, and actively participating in building a better world. Thriving requires a willingness to explore new perspectives, rethink old habits, and commit to lifelong learning—not as an obligation, but as a privilege. 

A thriving human invests in the self, in others, and in the future. A human neglecting their evolutionary gifts drifts through life, trapped by outdated habits and unexamined beliefs. Stagnation is chosen over adaptation, dogma over learning. So ask yourself: have you stopped learning? Are you stuck in superstition? Does every change in your life throw you for a loop? Are you failing to relate to others and have impact through them? Then the gifts of evolution are being forsaken.

Equally, let’s not forget our best instincts: curiosity, social bonding, and the desire to protect. We could turn these into deliberate habits that bring meaning to our days. We have inbuilt instincts around empathy, kindness, and proactive care. Add intention to instinct, and we become superhumans who can learn and adapt and teach, but also be great protectors of people and planet.

(Sunday Nation, 19 January 2025)

Like it? Hate it? Engage here