The question of who is smarter – cats or dogs – is a subject of eternal debate among dog breeders and cat owners, and also the reason for numerous studies by biologists.
The intellectual abilities of cats
A consequence of cats' high intelligence is sometimes stubbornness.
Cats have more developed sensorimotor intelligence abilities than dogs. This means that these predators are more sensitive and precise in their movements, making them excellent ambush hunters.
At one time, it was believed that cats were dumber than dogs due to their smaller brains. However, years later, scientists proved that domestic cats have almost twice as many neurons, which is why their brains are more active. Furthermore, cats have better short-term memory.
Cat intelligence hasn't been studied as much as canine intelligence. This is because dogs are more social animals, making them more interesting from a practical perspective.
What are dogs capable of?
Some scientists believe that a dog's intelligence is equivalent to that of a two-year-old child.
Dogs have more developed communication skills. The ancestors of domesticated dogs hunted in packs, meaning they had to interact and negotiate among themselves, properly assigning roles. People find it easier to understand dogs because they are more intellectually similar to us than cats.
Dogs perform tasks faster and better than cats in experimental settings. This is why scientists long believed they were smarter. It was later discovered that properly motivated cats perform just as well on tasks as their competitors.
Who is smarter?
Dogs are biologically adapted to much more complex mental processes than cats."
There is no single answer to this question. When using the standard concept of intelligence, we mustn't forget the unique characteristics of each species. The difference in cognitive abilities between cats and dogs doesn't mean one is dumber, but rather that they are different.
Cats and dogs are intelligent animals. They have strong intuition, adapt well to their environment, and analyze and use incoming information, but they do so in their own unique way.
