Is Schrodinger’s Cat Dead or Alive?

Is Schrodinger’s cat dead or alive? That’s probably the first question you’ll ask when you hear Schrodinger’s theory, which goes something like this: If a cat is in a box with a deadly substance that has a 50/50 chance of killing it within a given timeframe, until we open the box to find out is the cat both dead AND alive?

This may sound kooky, and that’s because it’s a mistake to ask if the cat is dead or alive in the first place, even for us cat obsessed people. It turns out that in actual fact there is no cat in the box.

Yet Schrodinger, being a lovely old chap (and BTW also a good friend of Einstein), had absolutely nothing against cats.

Never in a million years would he have done such a nasty experiment on one. Although he was a physicist he wasn’t doing a physical experiment, he was doing a thought experiment.

What is Schrodinger’s cat trying to prove?

What is Schrodinger’s cat trying to show us? As we mentioned before, Schrodinger’s cat in the box theory is about two possible outcomes existing at the same time. And it turns out Schrodinger devised this theory to make a standpoint (backing up his good pal Einstein) in opposition to the ‘Copenhagen interpretation‘.

The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum theory is all about two possible outcomes physically existing at the same time. It’s well and good if we’re talking about subatomic particles simultaneously existing in more than one state and settling into one definite state when you interact with them by measuring them.

But Einstein and Schrodinger felt the theory was incomplete. They poked holes at it by using the example of a large scale object, namely a cat, to show how absurd and impossible the idea of a cat simultaneously existing in two states is.

In 1933 Schrodinger won the Nobel Prize in Physics. And next to Einstein, he’s possibly one of the biggest scientist celebrities to circulate the internet.

Schrodinger’s cat is popular with Google

Whether or not we’re interested in science and quantum mechanics it appears we internet users have a penchant for Schrodinger’s cat.

For example, here’s Google’s doodle for Schrodinger’s cat:

Why a cat in a box?

If Schrodinger’s thought experiment questions the very fabric of reality, why use a cat in a box? Well, why not?

We love cats and cats love boxes (read understanding cat behaviour to find out why). In other words it’s a win-win frame of reference. And many of us will agree that domestic cats have an air of mystery too.

One thing’s for sure if you’re a cat mum or dad the main question is how to keep your cat safe, happy and healthy. A simple answer is love, diet, playtime – plenty of boxes – and a pawsome cat insurance plan to help pay for pet healthcare costs like vet visits for treatments, surgery, medicine and more.

Did you know you’ll receive one or more months of pet insurance absolutely free when you sign up with PD Insurance online? Click below to get your furry friend a pet plan for a softer landing!