Are Cats Smarter Than Dogs? [Study]

Since there are times, dog and cat owners try to find out who is smarter. As you may think, every dog lover will take the dog side, while cat lovers suggest that cats are smarter. You need to understand that this isn't a simple yes or no question. To determine if cats are smarter than dogs, we will have to put a lot of things into the equation.

To answer this question, many scientists have joined the discussion to help determine who is smarter – dogs or cats. Let's look at what they found.

Different types of brains

After they finished the study, researchers reported that dogs have around 550 million neurons in their brains, while cats have around 250. This would indicate that dogs are smarter than cats but stay still. We still need to go through some of the stuff to determine who is smarter.

cat and dog

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Cats vs. Dogs

When we talk about different animals, we can expect different levels of intelligence, but this could be pretty hard to determine. Since they are different animals and were created for different purposes, it is very hard to compare their intelligence.

For example, dogs can be trained to do a lot of things, but they are in general dependent on people, while on the other hand, cats are more capable of looking after themself. Does that mean that our cats are smarter than dogs?

That said, cats and dogs are smart in their own way, depending on what they need to do. You want to compare which is better – a car or a motorcycle. They both have some similarities, but it is impossible to compare them since they were created for different purposes.

How do humans measure pets' intelligence?

People will, in most cases, associate intelligence with how easy it is to train someone. If we consider that, dogs are known for being easy to train, indicating that dogs are smarter. However, it is also possible to train cats; you just need to have the right approach. But this also isn't a correct way to measure the pet's intelligence.

cat and dog

Why can't we just simply measure their intelligence?

The main problem with measuring cats' and dogs' intelligence is that there are no universal instruments. There is no something that you can just do that will let you know who is smarter.

In most cases, things that will work for measuring dogs' intelligence will not work for cats and the other way around. We should focus on the pet's unique ability to do and perform something.

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So are cats smarter than dogs?

If we decide purely on the number of neurons in their brain, it is the other way around. But comparing these two species is not recommended since they were created for different purposes. Both cats and dogs are smart and intelligent in their unique way, capable of doing amazing things.

A much better comparison would be comparing cat breeds and determining which is more intelligent. Since they are the same species, it will be much easier to determine their intelligence.

To occupy your cat's mind, you should provide your cat with fun and mentally stimulating games. You can keep your cat's brain sharp and in shape.

cat and dog

Conclusion

Dog and cat intelligence vary, and both species are fairly intelligent. They use their intelligence for different purposes. Comparing cats' and dogs' intelligence is like comparing apples and oranges. Cats are smarter for some things, while dogs are for others. Rather than comparing your cat with someone's dog, you should provide your cat with enough love and activities and spend more time together.

World Cat Finder Team

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