Cats and dogs: who are the smartest?

For some people, the supreme question is "what is the meaning of life?" But for many pet owners, there's a much bigger debate: Which, cats or dogs, are smarter? In summary, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Both exhibit similar intelligence traits – they are able to recognize vocalizations and are mentally stimulated by toys. That said, they are very different in so many other ways that direct comparison is impossible.

Therefore, it is more appropriate to focus on the unique ways in which their intelligence expresses itself. Cats, for example, have learned social skills, while dogs can be trained for all sorts of tasks. So let's take a closer look at what's going on in their little heads.

Cats are aware of the presence of objects, even if they cannot see them

Studies conducted by Canadian researchers indicate that the principle of object permanence does not only apply to humans, but also to cats. The felines knew that an object existed and that it had to be sought, even if it was hidden behind a screen.

Cats are able to learn and imitate human behaviors

"They have the ability to learn more complex behaviors (like 'sit' or 'peep there') through very simple techniques," says Lucy Hoile , Certified Animal Behavior Specialist.

Cats understand (partly) human language

“  They can pick up many words from human language and associate them with specific behaviors ,” says Hoile. For example, many of them will learn to return to their owner when called by name. The number of words they can understand depends on the number of behaviors you want them to learn.

However, Ms. Hoile points out that their understanding of language extends beyond words. “Cats are sensitive to the tone and emotional state of the person talking to them,” she continues. They will know if their owner is in a favorable mood and choose to approach or not.

Cats recognize their owner's voice

As part of a study on the ability of domestic cats to recognize the voice of their owner, 20 kittens were made to listen to different voices. Their reactions (such as vocalizations or head movements) demonstrated that cats are able to distinguish humans by voice alone.

Cats have not always been social animals

According to the evolutionary approach, cats are solitary animals that love to wander around in nature. However, their cognitive abilities allow them to adapt to domestic life. Experts say kittens are friendlier – to humans and other cats – if they are used to being handled and socialized before they are seven weeks old.

Brain anatomy of cats and dogs

Did you know that the brains of cats and dogs are very similar in structure to humans? For example, they have an amygdala , which allows them to recognize threats and react to them, and a hippocampus , which plays a fundamental role in learning and memory.

Their brain also has a frontal lobe, which is involved in voluntary movements and vocalizations. However, while this region takes up 25% of the human brain, FirstVet says it only makes up about 3% in cats. In dogs, it occupies about 10% of the brain.

And what about neurons, these cells that ensure the transmission of information? The researchers found that the average dog brain houses some 500 million neurons, compared to about 250 million for the cat. The same study also noted that the size of the brain and the quantity of neurons are not necessarily correlated. Dogs, for example, have the same number of neurons as brown bears!

How is the intelligence of cats and dogs manifested?

Dogs and cats demonstrate their cognitive abilities in many ways, and often they turn out to be much more gifted than we imagined.

Dogs can interact with computers

No, you won't see your dog typing an email tomorrow the day before, but research in older subjects has shown that performing touch screen activities (with the tongue) allowed them to maintain their cognitive faculties. Following training, the canids showed greater motivation, a willingness to explore, and better memory abilities.

Dogs learn to work

Dogs have long helped us with a variety of tasks, from guiding the blind, detecting substances, rescuing mountaineers, and delivering messages. Scent detection is a testament to their formidable cognitive abilities , says Daniel Shaw , a certified canine behavior consultant. "To [do this], a dog must learn to respond in a specific way to a particular scent or scents in order to obtain a reward," he explains. This is a remarkable skill considering how well developed his sense of smell is and how many smells he is supposed to recognize.

Dogs understand human language

Since they learn to sit when we tell them, does that mean dogs recognize the words we use? Not quite , says Shaw.

“Their understanding of language is different from ours,” he adds. However, they associate words with particular results if these make sense to them. We don't really know how many words an average dog can understand, but… it's probably more than we think.  Mr. Shaw cites the case of Chaser , a border collie who learned no fewer than 1,000 words in his 15-year life. Meanwhile, a German study observed a dog named Rico learn the names of around 200 objects, while a Canadian study of 165 dogs reported an average comprehension of 89 words.