[SamBam]

We had an automated feeder with two chambers, each held down by a rotating, ticking timer switch. You rotate the switch to, say, 12 hours in the future, and 12 hours later the slot lines up and the lid pops over.

After many months, my cat learned to stand on top of the lid and use both paws to rotate the switch forward until the lid popped open.

This blew my mind. The switch was separated from the lid. I could imagine the cat attacking the lid itself, but this separate mechanism, requiring a motion completely distinct from the motion of an opening lid, and requiring patience without instantaneous reward or even evidence that it was going to work.... I just couldn't believe it.

[jstarfish]

Never underestimate captive animals (or humans). They have nothing but time to observe your patterns of behavior and learn from them...