Who is smarter, a cat or a dog? Differences in social intelligence.

Your favorite dog may sit on command and give a paw as a greeting, but at the same time is prone to chewing shoes and chasing its own tail. Cats are rarely trained, so they cannot often follow any commands. But all people who have cats are familiar with the feeling of feline superiority over humans. So who is still leading in this race of the mind?

Who's smarter?

According to research conducted by scientists, the championship in this area belongs to dogs.

During the scientific experiment, neurons in the brain of pets were examined, which are responsible for cognitive abilities, thanks to which the brain can perform complex functions related to memory and attention.

It turned out that the dog brain has about 530 million neurons, called cortical neurons. While the cat's brain contains less than half of this amount - 250 million. You can compare these numbers more clearly if you know that there are about 16 billion of them in the human brain.

Of course, everything will depend on the pet itself. Your beloved cat can show amazing abilities if you dedicate a lot of time to training it.

However, it has already been scientifically proven that dogs have a greater predisposition to exhibit mental abilities due to their biological characteristics.

The question of who is smarter, cats or dogs, is the subject of eternal debate between dog breeders and cat owners, as well as the reason for numerous studies by biologists.

Intellectual abilities of cats

A consequence of cats' high intelligence is sometimes stubbornness.

In cats to a greater extent than canines, the sensorimotor abilities of intelligence are developed. That is, these predators are more sensitive and precise in their movements, so they are excellent at hunting from ambush.

At one time it was believed that cats were dumber than dogs due to their smaller brains. However, years later, scientists have proven that domestic cats have almost twice as many neural cells, so their brain activity is more active. In addition, in felines short term memory works better.

Cat intelligence has not yet been studied as much as that of dogs. This is explained by the fact that dogs are more social animals, and therefore are of greater interest from the point of view of their practical use.

What dogs can do

Some scientists believe that a dog's intelligence is equal to that of a two-year-old child.

Dogs have more developed communication abilities. The ancestors of domestic bobcats hunted in packs, which means they had to interact and “negotiate” with each other, correctly distributing roles. Dogs are easier for people to understand because they are intellectually more similar to us than cats.

Dogs are faster and better than cats perform tasks under experimental conditions. That's why for a long time scientists thought they were smarter. As a result, it turned out that properly motivated cats cope with tasks no worse than their rivals.

Who's smarter

Dogs are biologically adapted to much more complex mental processes than cats."

There is no clear answer to this question. Operating with the standard concept of intelligence, we must not forget about the characteristics inherent in each species. The difference in the thinking abilities of cats and dogs does not mean that one is dumber, but only that they are different.

Cats and dogs are smart animals. They have good intuition, adapt well to environmental conditions, analyze and use incoming information, but they just do it in their own way.

Pet lovers continue to argue - who is smarter than a cat or a dog, why the answer to this question so worries not only the owners of these animals, but also scientists? Signs of intelligence include the following factors:

1. Brain size;
2. Memory;
3. Intelligence;
4. Tendency to learn (train);
5. Perception and reproduction of human speech.

About the brain size and memory of dogs and cats

Cat lovers will clearly be pleased by the fact that cats, despite their smaller size, have twice as many neurons in the cerebral cortex. But brain size also matters and most dogs benefit in this regard. Cats have a developed cerebellum, which is responsible for coordination, thanks to which they always land on their feet. Let's consider other factors - dogs can be trained and this would seem to be a plus, but there is a catch. If a dog is taught to eat on command, in the absence of a command, he will sit hungry in front of a full bowl of food, while the cat will be guided common sense and satisfy your hunger. In addition, there are individual cases when cats perfectly follow the instructions of the trainer, an example of this is the cat theater. The difference in training between cats and dogs is that the dog requires a firm and authoritative approach. A cat will never tolerate disrespectful treatment.

Who has a better memory, a cat or a dog?

To understand who is smarter than a cat or a dog and why it is so difficult to find out, you can conduct an experiment - hide a treat in one of five boxes in front of the animal to test their memory. Cats are quicker than dogs to forget which box contains a treat. But cats remember insults much longer, and can “sulk” for a long time and take revenge on the person who offended her.

Experience for intelligence: a screen is placed in front of the animals, behind which food moves. The animal must figure out which side to go around the screen to get food. A similar experiment was conducted by Professor Krushinsky and in it the dogs showed themselves to be more intelligent. Although the result could be influenced by the fact that dogs have a more developed sense of smell than cats. The advantage of cats is excellent vision, the ability to see in the dark.

An important indicator of intelligence is that dogs, unlike cats, can understand human gestures. If you show the dog in which direction the object is located - a ball or a stick, it will understand the gesture and run in that direction. No other animal has this ability.

Interesting facts about who is smarter than a cat or a dog

• Dogs recognize their reflection in the mirror, but cats do not.
• Dogs can remember up to 170 words.
• Dogs may not recognize their owner if he is wearing new clothes with a different smell. Cats always recognize their owner.
• Both cats and dogs are able to understand human speech, but not so much the words as the intonation.
• Among cats and dogs, there are individuals that can reproduce sounds similar to human speech.
• Cats and dogs express their feelings in different ways - the moving tail of a dog expresses joy, and that of a cat expresses anger, a dog greets its owner by barking, a cat by purring. But there is a gesture that equally expresses devotion and trust in a person - both a cat and a dog show this by turning over on their back and showing their unprotected belly, thereby letting the owner know that they completely trust him.

So, in a debate about who is smarter than a cat or a dog, it is impossible to draw a final conclusion, the results are too contradictory. In some ways cats are superior to dogs, in others it’s the other way around. Actually, the subject of the dispute itself is not correct, because initially cats and dogs are completely different animals, they are related only by their historical closeness to man and their famous dislike for each other. The owners of these animals should not behave “like a cat and a dog” and just love their pets for who they are!

There are many tests to evaluate mental development a person, but one can hardly talk seriously about measuring the intelligence of a pet. Especially if we are talking about a cat - an independent, self-sufficient and, in a sense, elusive creature. Many cat lovers are confident in the extraordinary intellectual abilities of their pets, but there is also a whole army of cat owners who do not consider cats too smart, but still adore these purring creatures. You can analyze which cat breeds are more likely than others to deserve admiring reviews of their intelligence, and on this basis try to build a rating of the “smartest” breeds.

Rating of the smartest cat breeds

They say that a cat is smart, but a dog is simply loyal. It looks like science is ready to refute this claim.

Scientists from Vanderbilt University in the USA decided to find out who is smarter - dogs or cats. They compared the neurons of the animals and learned that there are twice as many of them in the cerebral cortex of dogs... There are approximately 530 million neurons in the cerebral cortex of dogs, while in cats there are about 250 million. Scientists are confident that it is the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex that influences an animal’s ability to draw conclusions based on its own experience. For example, humans have about 16 billion.

Scientists have found out who is smarter - dogs and cats

https://tvzvezda.ru/

The question of who is smarter: a cat or a dog has been worrying people for a long time

But if you compare cats not with dogs, but with each other, then the intelligence of some individuals is truly amazing. Therefore, we present ten breeds, among which, judging by the reviews of the owners, the most common are “smart and clever”.

Let us emphasize: this is a non-scientific study. We did not try to determine which breed is smarter, nor did we assign them a place. Each of the named breeds has every reason to be considered “primus inter pares” - first among equals.

Norwegian Forest (Skogkatter)

This cat, from our point of view, has two main advantages necessary for a pet:

1. The “author” of the Norwegian Forest cat is nature itself; these cats were not bred by people by crossing representatives of different breeds or artificially fixing random mutations. Such animals always have good health, they are organic and natural.
2. Despite their name, Norwegian Forest cats are absolutely domestic cats; they have lived among people for many centuries and have long managed to adapt socially.

Norwegian forest cat- a real Scandinavian miracle

Once upon a time, these predators lived in the Scandinavian forests, where, according to one version, they came from Turkey in the 16th century (a “Scandinavian” version of the Turkish Angora), according to another, they were brought even earlier by the Vikings from Scotland. However, as forests become populated wild cats gradually took root on farms, where they earned the reputation of being excellent hunters of mice and even rats, and therefore quickly found common language with people.

Once upon a time these cats really lived in the forests

Skogcat is a fairly large animal; an adult cat weighs from 5 to 9 kg.

Externally, the Norwegian Forest cat is very similar to the Siberian cat, as well as the Maine Coon. The main feature is a very thick double coat with a dense, water-repellent undercoat (Skogcats have always been excellent fishermen) and long guard hairs hanging down the sides.

In the Norwegian forest you can’t do without such a fur coat

Almost all Skogcat owners speak enthusiastically about both the character of their pets and their mental abilities. These cats are brave and independent, but also intelligent, friendly and affectionate. They understand perfectly what is wanted from them, easily remember the “rules of the game” and follow them with discipline. They do not show causeless aggression, but they do not treat obsessive tenderness well. First in such a situation there is a warning hiss (“a shot in the air”), but if the hint was not perceived, it will be followed by a more intelligible explanation of the state of affairs using teeth and claws.

Maine Coon

Everything that has been said about the benefits of the Skogcat fully applies to the Maine Coon - a raccoon cat from the northeastern state of Maine, USA.

Maine Coon is a large cat from North America

Legends call the ancestors of these giants the raccoon (because of the striped tail) and the North American lynx (because of the tufts on the ears), but in reality the Maine Coon is the original North American cat, like the Skogcat, which found its way into human habitation many centuries ago.

By the way, the mythical relationship between the Maine Coon and the raccoon in the light of the topic of our research looks especially interesting, considering that, according to the above-mentioned scientific research, in the cerebral cortex of a raccoon there are almost as many neurons as in a dog, and in terms of their density, a raccoon can compete even with a monkey. Although a raccoon, according to scientists, could not “crossbreed” with a cat, it is still surprising that the cat, in whose veins supposedly raccoon blood flows, is almost unanimously considered by its owners to be one of the smartest!

The raccoon is the mythical ancestor of the Maine Coon, one of the smartest animals in the world

Maine Coons are much larger than their Norwegian counterparts, the weight of males ranges from 7 to 10 kg, otherwise the appearance of these animals is very similar. In terms of mental abilities, Maine coon cats are distinguished by:

• a penchant for thoughtful contemplation;
• consistency and logic in actions;
• intelligence;
• excellent memory;
• the ability to distinguish the owner’s intonations and even his facial expressions (in tests of cat intelligence, it is assessed as “aerobatics”);
• willingness not only to understand, but also to carry out commands (also rare for a cat).

Friendly Maine Coons very easily find a common language with all family members and, as the owners note, are happy to babysit children, while demonstrating serious attitude to the point and great responsibility.

Maine Coons are great with children

Siberian

The Siberian is another wild northern cat that became domesticated a long time ago. The external similarity of Siberians with Norwegians and Maines is so great that felinologists are forced to compile special comparison tables, allowing one breed to be distinguished from another.

The Siberian cat is very similar in appearance to the Norwegian Forest cat.

But we don’t need these subtleties. It is enough to know that we are talking about the so-called “forest-type cats.” They do not have clear breed characteristics precisely because humans have nothing to do with the creation of these breeds.

Siberian cats are smaller in size than Maine Coons, but they are quite comparable to Skogcats. Like their European and North American counterparts, Siberians are distinguished by their large, muscular bodies and thick, double-coated fur that adorns their necks in a huge collar.

Lush and thick wool is a mandatory attribute of life in Siberia

As a rule, these cats have a lively mind and learn easily and with pleasure. They like games that require them to solve some kind of riddle (find an object, get out of a maze, etc.) or learn a new trick.

However, like Norwegian Foresters, Siberians highly value their independence and do not tolerate excessive coddling. And such a cat will easily exchange the opportunity to hunt in nature for communication with its “dearly beloved” owner.

Bengal

The one who doesn't need a person at all is the Bengal cat.

Unlike the three breeds described above, this one was bred artificially, and a real wild predator took part in its “creation” - the Asian leopard cat (living, among other regions, in Bengal, a historical territory in South Asia, hence the name of the breed).

Wild ancestor bengal cat- Asian leopard cat

Bengals are amazing beautiful cats medium in size, with a strong athletic body and smooth fur of a characteristic leopard color that plays in the sun.

Of course, all domestic cats were once wild, but the ancestors of Bengals, even if only along one line, had practically no experience of communicating with people, much less living with them. This circumstance, no matter what breeders say about the friendliness and affection of their pets, is very clearly reflected in their character.

The leopard color of Bengals can be golden or silver.

If a Siberian or Norwegian cat tries to get away from obsessive affection or with a dissatisfied hiss to explain the inadmissibility of such an attitude towards itself, then the Bengal can easily do without all these unnecessary conventions. We are not talking about inadequate unmotivated aggression, it’s just that ideas about what behavior is normal can differ greatly between humans and wild animals.

Bengals don't really like to be cuddled.

Bengal cats, of course, have high intelligence (there is no way to hunt without this!), however, these animals are more likely to direct their mental abilities to expand their own space and get what they want (the ability to open doors, windows, cabinets or, say, a refrigerator) than to accomplish some commands that a strange two-legged creature for some reason is trying to teach them.

Once, a woman who had a Bengal lived with her bought an Abyssinian kitten from me. The owner said that this is a very active and smart animal, but completely wild in character. It wasn’t that the cat attacked people, no, she simply ignored them. And the household really wanted a pet that would come up, look into your eyes, jump on your lap and generally show your love in some way! Nothing like this could be expected from a Bengal cat.

Abyssinian

But Abyssinians will willingly devote all their mental abilities to their loved one!

Abyssins are absolute extroverts

The history of this breed is shrouded in mystery, but apparently no one bred it on purpose. Abyssinia is the old name of Ethiopia, although, most likely, the ancestors of Abyssinian cats were still brought from somewhere in Southeast Asia or, possibly, South America, where pumas live - the only one wild representatives cat family, who have a ticked color, a kind of " business card» Abyssinians.

The ticked color of the puma is exactly the same as that of the Abyssinian cat

What's important is this. Abyssins became domesticated a long time ago; in any case, at the world's first cat exhibition, held in London in 1871, this breed was already presented.

No matter how beautiful Abyssinian cats are, their main feature is still their character. Despite the obvious resemblance to the puma, there is nothing wild about the Abyssinians. These are full-fledged companions! It seems that their whole being is “trained” for living together with a person. And even the independence so characteristic of cats is not at all inherent in this breed. All Abyssinian owners unanimously say that their pets happily and willingly participate in all household chores, just to be with their beloved owner.

Abi always follows his owner with his tail

When my daughter takes her adoring Abyssinian in her arms, the animal’s gaze becomes misty, and the look on its face - you can’t believe it! - the thought is quite clearly readable: look and envy, God has paid attention to me! It’s not difficult for a daughter to teach her “friend” any commands: the cat grabs everything on the fly, remembers it once and for all and willingly demonstrates its skills, sincerely rejoicing that the owner is happy. One caveat. Love and devotion are meant for one person only. The attitude towards the rest is polite and friendly, they say, a friend of my friend is my friend. This is in the presence of the hostess. When my daughter leaves and we come to feed her little girl, best case scenario she graciously allows herself to be stroked, and if she’s not in the mood, an eloquent hiss: move away, I don’t like you! If the intelligence of an animal is determined by its ability to convey its feelings and desires to a person, then for me Abyssinian cats are definitely the smartest.

Abyssinian cats are good at communicating their feelings to humans.

Siamese

The history of these long-legged blue-eyed beauties, unlike many other breeds, is well known. The Siamese cat's homeland is Thailand, which was called Siam until the mid-20th century. In 1884, these animals were first imported into Great Britain, and there is a rather funny story associated with this circumstance.

The Siamese cat came to Europe from Thailand

At the court of the Siamese monarchs there lived very beautiful cats, which were considered a national treasure and could not only be exported outside the country, but even belong to someone who was not a member of the august dynasty.

And so, in an oriental way, the cunning Thai King Rama V presented the British representative with several of these cats as a gift and even allowed him to take them home with him. Cats instantly became popular, first in Britain and then throughout Europe, they were called Siamese and, of course, as befits a “royal animal,” they were very expensive. And only several decades later it became clear that under the guise of precious cats of the Kao-Mani breed, which are very rarely found today, the British were given ordinary aboriginal animals that were quite accessible to almost anyone.

The true precious royal cat of Siam is called kao-mani

Yet this historical anecdote does not make the Siamese cat any less interesting. These animals are distinguished by good health, they are proportionally built, athletic and graceful.

Siamese cats are very active

In addition, Siamese cats are rightfully considered one of the most smart breeds. Their high intelligence is noted by almost all owners. As soon as they became acquainted with these amazing creatures, the British were amazed by their ability to walk on a leash, like dogs, perform various commands (for example, fetch objects in their teeth) and acrobatic tricks, even a backflip.

Many people think that Siamese cats are angry and aggressive, but this is not true at all. The breed is distinguished by incredible activity and perseverance, and it is these traits that sometimes force the animal to do things that do not delight the owners. A resourceful mind and excellent powers of observation allow Siamese to detect weaknesses in people’s behavior and use them for their own purposes, using any methods for this - from open blackmail to roundabout maneuvers.

However, in a strong, balanced and, very importantly, consistent owner, the Siamese cat will readily recognize the leader and will respect and love him all his life.

Balinese

The Balinese cat is a long-haired version of the Siamese, a very beautiful animal, in character and temperament almost no different from its long-haired relative.

Balinese - long-haired Siamese cat

Incredible activity, playfulness and sociability give the Balinese the reputation of being very intelligent creatures. It's simple: a cat that warms its sides on a radiator all day long looks a little stupid. When a pet’s eyes sparkle with genuine interest in everything that happens around it, when the animal is constantly captivated by something, its natural intelligence is much more noticeable.

An interested look always seems meaningful

British

The British cat is perhaps one of the most popular breeds in the post-Soviet space. It is very easy to identify by its massive, broad-boned body, thick plush fur and round head with characteristic cheeks.

It is difficult to confuse a British cat with another breed

The character of these animals is quite consistent with the country of origin (the British are indeed aboriginal cats that have lived for many centuries in the territory of the United Kingdom). The breed is characterized by restraint, equanimity and even a certain stiffness. You should not try to grab such a cat in your arms or pester it with unceremonious affection. However, the Briton will most likely respond to such behavior not with an aggressive hiss, much less use his teeth and claws, but will simply walk away with dignity, having first showered the impudent person with an icy look full of contempt.

The British don't like to be picked up unceremoniously.

If active Abyssinians and Siamese acquire new skills, so to speak, by trial and error, then the British learn by observation. Their principle is measure twice, cut once. But this approach gives its results: you will not have time to understand how your pet learned to open doors or turn on and off the light. It is only important that the cat herself needs such a skill; training it, forcing it to indulge the whims of the owner, is completely useless.

The British learn by watching

As you know, the main thing for an Englishman is not to lose self-esteem. Look into the eyes of a British cat and you will understand: this is a true child of his country!

Sphinx

Hairless cats do not exist in nature. Lack of fur is a strange mutation that sometimes manifests itself in the form of birth in normal domestic cat a naked kitten, doomed to soon die from the cold.

Canadian Sphynx - a cat from another planet

People (first Canadians, then French, Americans and Russians) found this unusual appearance interesting, and they not only allowed the unfortunate creatures to survive, but, through long and not always successful experiments, fixed this mutation, thus creating a new breed. Actually, not even one, but three: today it is customary to distinguish between the Canadian, Don and St. Petersburg sphinxes.

Photo gallery: types of sphinxes

The Canadian Sphynx is the first recognized breed of hairless cats. Petersburg Sphynxes, or Peterbalds, are bred on the basis of the Don cats, but differ somewhat from them
The Don Sphynx has a narrower head shape

It is difficult to deceive nature. A Sphinx in the house is always a problem. The lack of hair makes these cats freeze in winter and in the off-season, and in summer they instantly burn in the sun, as soon as they settle down to warm themselves by the window. For this reason, many owners note that their pets spend almost their entire lives hiding under a blanket, and only come out to desperately demand food (the increased metabolism necessary to maintain the temperature of a body unprotected by fur generates constant feeling hunger).

Sphinxes are cold almost all the time

Yes, sphinxes can be affectionate. As soon as the owner takes a comfortable sitting or lying position, the cat immediately settles down at his side. But, as my friend subtly noted, in such moments she clearly reads in the eyes of her pet: I hate you, but you are warm.

With such a life, it is difficult for sphinxes to demonstrate to people the wonders of intelligence. And yet, fans of the breed speak with delight about the mental abilities of their pets, noting their remarkable memory. True, the ability to quickly remember one’s name is given as an example, but, let’s agree, for a cat that is constantly forced to overcome so many difficulties, this is already a lot!

This breed has Russian roots, but was bred in Britain, where sailors brought the first breeding material from Arkhangelsk.

Russian blue cat won the hearts of the British

Russian Blues are distinguished from the British of the same color by a more graceful body, a slightly elongated muzzle without the famous “Cheshire” cheeks and - mandatory feature! - emerald eye color.

Fans of the breed note in these cats a light and easy-going disposition, amazing charm and even some sense of humor. For example, having received at full disposal a comfortable house and a set of expensive toys, a gray hooligan, as if in mockery, will rush in pursuit of a mop moving merrily across the floor, and will climb into a basket with dirty laundry. Needless to say, he will definitely prefer the collection of violets that has been spotted on the windowsill for a long time to the grass that was prudently planted especially for his beloved pet - a subject of special pride for his beloved housewife.

Russian blues are hooligans and fidgets

A Russian Blue cat once lived in our house. I remember very well that the little robber very quickly learned to open all the interior doors. He jumped up, turned the handle with one paw, and managed to push the door with the other. True, this skill once played a cruel joke on a cat. Having sneaked unnoticed into the bathroom and found himself locked there, the little miscreant decided to act in his usual way. However, the lock on the door was designed differently and instead of turning the handle, the cat clicked the latch with its paw. At first, when we heard a characteristic sound and made sure that the door to the bathroom was closed from the inside, we thought: an intruder had entered the house. But everything was put into place by a gray paw with extended claws, which poked its head out from under the door in an attempt to make a dig. In a word, I confirm: Russian blues are definitely not lacking in intelligence!

Cat intelligence: let's look soberly!

Looking for a relationship between the level of intelligence of a cat and its breed is chauvinism. In any breed there are both very smart and completely stupid individuals. As for the objectively existing relationship between the breed and the number of admiring reviews regarding the cat’s intelligence, there is an explanation. It can be assumed that the whole point is what meaning we give to the concept of intelligence when talking about a cat. Perhaps, those animals that seem smart to us are those that understand us well, and even better, follow the rules we set (commands, requests). But here, really, a lot depends on the breed. The average cat walks on its own; in general, it does not need a person, but this does not mean that it is stupid.

Still, there are cats that need communication.

The owner of the Abyssinian cattery told me that Persians used to live with her for many years. She decided to start Abyssins exclusively as a business project; initially there was no talk of any special love. But when the first pair of abies appeared in the house, in addition to their own cat, the owners simply forgot about the existence of the Persian. The fluffy goof appeared near the refrigerator in the morning and evening, ate indifferently and went back to sleep, while the red lightning bolts constantly scurried around the house and poked their noses into everything. The Persian cat has always been lazy and passive, just before people They didn’t know it could be different. It is quite possible that if the Persian needed to show remarkable ingenuity to get food, he would have done it. But this animal does not consider it necessary to amaze its owners with miracles of intelligence.

This cat doesn't have to try to look smart

Evaluation criteria

Oddly enough, tests to determine the IQ of cats exist, and anyone can check the “intelligence quotient” of their pet at any time. True, after skimming my eyes long list questions and tasks (the first for the owner, the second for the cat), I came to the conclusion that all the cats that lived in my house were geniuses. And this only confirms the theory I put forward: I don’t like passive and lazy animals, and our pets, even mongrel ones, have always been a little hooligan.

Cats are not trainable because they are not smart. Any of these animals is quite capable of understanding what they want from it, it’s all a matter of motivation.

The cat plays a game that interests her

If you watch a cat, you will see that it performs some tricks on its own. Your task is to fix these tricks so that she does them constantly. This will take a lot of time and love.

How Kuklachev trains cats

https://sviridenkov.livejournal.com

In order to understand whether your cat is smart, you need to stop comparing it to a dog. Cats have their own outlook on life, their own needs, their own instincts. For example, cats in wildlife They do not hunt in packs, which means they need socialization to a lesser extent. On the other hand, a cat alone can track down and kill large animal, that is, to complete a task that the wolves solve together, and this cannot but inspire respect.

Cats hunt alone, so they don't need company as much.

In short, let scientists count the number of neurons in the brains of different animals and compare their intelligence based on the numbers obtained. But we cat lovers know for sure: harmony cannot be measured by algebra. Cats are no more stupid than dogs. They're just different.

Innate ability or acquired skill

It is impossible to raise a smart cat. But if the animal sits cooped up all day long, and all the attention paid to it by the owner is limited to issuing the prescribed portion of food, pet very quickly turns into a limp rag, an additional fluffy pillow on the sofa. Or he finds an opportunity to leave a boring home if such a lifestyle is incompatible with his active nature.

Idleness causes loss of mental acuity

The brain, like muscles, atrophies without constant training. The cat needs to be taken care of. But if dogs can be trained according to a uniform, clearly developed and known in advance program, then an individual approach must be sought for independent cats.

Watch your pet, choose an activity that interests him and not you, forget about the vain desire to “show a trick” to friends and acquaintances. Accept the cat for who it is - and this animal, regardless of breed, will never allow you to doubt its intelligence and intelligence!

Video: the smartest cats

Dogs have twice as many neurons as cats in their cerebral cortex, the area responsible for thinking, planning and complex behavior, scientists have found. The results of the work were published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroanatomy .

“In this study we wanted to compare different types predators and find out how the number of neurons in their brain correlates with its size,” the researchers explain.

A predatory lifestyle is one of the factors believed to contribute to the development of an animal's intelligence, the authors of the work write. High intelligence is required to outsmart prey.

One way to characterize an animal's intelligence is to determine the encephalization coefficient, the ratio of brain mass to the animal's body mass. However, although it allows an approximate assessment of the development of an animal’s intelligence and can be used to identify development trends and potential capabilities various types, it does not provide an accurate picture of intellectual ability.

"I believe that total quantity neurons in an animal’s brain, especially in the cortex, determine the richness of its intellectual abilities and the ability to predict events based on past experience,” explains professor of psychology and biology Suzana Herculano-Ouzel, one of the authors of the study.

Scientists compared the brains of several species of animals - ferrets, mongooses, cats, dogs, hyenas, lions and brown bears. As it turns out, dogs have about 530 million neurons in their cerebral cortex, while cats have only 250 million (for comparison, there are about 16 billion neurons in the human cerebral cortex). According to the researchers, the number of neurons in this area determines the animal's ability to draw conclusions based on past experience.

"Our discovery suggests that dogs are biologically adapted to much more complex mental processes than cats,"

However, according to scientists, cats are probably not stupid, they are just more difficult to study. So, at the beginning of 2017, Japanese scientists came to the conclusion that cats are no more stupid than dogs - they are able to remember what happens to them and, if necessary, retrieve the necessary information from memory.

The researchers also found that the number of neurons in the brains of predators does not exceed the number of neurons in herbivores, as they initially assumed. This hypothesis arose from the assumption that a predatory lifestyle requires greater intelligence from the animal. However, the number of neurons in herbivores and carnivores of similar sizes turned out to be approximately the same. Probably, in the process of evolution, herbivores had to put in no less mental effort in search of a safe place where they could hide from predators.

Brown bears turned out to be the least intellectually gifted. Although their brains were 10 times larger than a cat's, they had about the same number of neurons.

And in general, the larger the animal was, the fewer neurons it had in its brain - for example, the golden retriever had more of them than hyenas or lions.

Hunting requires a lot of energy, especially for large predators, and the intervals between successful hunts are unpredictable. Therefore, large predators, such as lions, rest most of the time. The brain is the most energy-consuming organ, and these costs increase in proportion to the number of neurons.

“Eating meat largely solves the problem of providing energy. However, it is clear that predators are forced to maintain a delicate balance between body size and brain performance,”

- scientists explain.

The researchers also disputed the widespread belief that domestication contributed to the stupefaction of animals - ferrets, cats and dogs were not much different from their wild relatives, mongooses, lions and hyenas, in terms of the number of neurons.

And researchers recognized the raccoon as the most “brainy” animal - despite its modest size, the number of neurons in its cerebral cortex turned out to be almost the same as in dogs. According to the researchers' calculations, the density of neurons in the brain of raccoons is approximately the same as that of primates.