Problem:
I've been looking at this Ted talk on interspecies internet, and it appears that they have selected a small number of species of animals (dolphin, elephant, and some ape(?)) and are intent on developing interfaces for these animals to be able to connect with other animals over the internet.
From the talk, it appeared as if one of the criteria for animal selection was whether or not an animal recognizes itself in the mirror. This got me thinking - there are many more cats that have access to technology like the internet or TV or cats that have been interacting with touch screen displays. Yet apparently cats cant recognize their own reflection as themselves.
Required:
Question: What is so special about being able to recognize one's own reflection?
Question: Is it a true measure of self awareness?
Question: Does it only appear in animals with larger brains?
Explain thoroughly.