[henry quirk]

The cat was hungry, you are its source of food, you overslept (I presume past its normal feeding time), it wanted food, it went to the source.

Don't underestimate the complexity of the animal or downplay the intricacies of instinct. I don't. I also don't mistake instinct and training for 'self', or person-hood.

Your animal can learn, can adapt, is relatively intelligent, but it doesn't self-reflect, has no consciousness of self, isn't an 'I'.

Your cat didn't say to itself, 'gee, I'm hungry...Sky is dragging ass this morning...I best go and rouse her'.

Instead: the animal is hungry...habit and routine say food should be in place...it's not...you are the source of food...cat goes to the source of food...cat taps you on the face, not to rouse you, but to get food.

Seems to me a perfectly reasonable chain of events having nothing to with understanding, or 'I'ness.