Research overview: invisible displacement and object permanence in cats

Building on early comparative work, a series of studies probed how far cats can track objects hidden by invisible displacement, where an object is concealed in a container that is then moved behind a screen. This overview surveys the evidence that cats readily solve visible displacements but struggle with the most complex invisible ones, performing at a Piagetian level below that often claimed for great apes. It discusses methodological debates about associative versus representational explanations and the relevance of these abilities to tracking hidden prey. The topic clarifies the boundaries of feline spatial cognition and how cats represent objects that vanish from sight.