Cat and dog lovers continue to have the debate of who’s smarter? Is it dogs or cats? We won’t have to look far for an answer and we’ll let science explain it all.
Researchers from Vanderbilt University declared that dogs were, in fact, smarter than cats. Canines had significantly more cortical neurons in the brain than felines, which means that they have more of those “little gray cells” that are largely associated with “thinking, planning, and complex behavior – all considered hallmarks of intelligence.”
The study, which has been published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, concluded that dogs have about 530 million cortical neurons compared to 250 million for cats. The analysis also revealed that racoons are among the smartest of animals, as they have as many cortical neurons as dogs.
However, Anna Foster, DVM from the Veterinary Emergency Group said dogs might win when it comes to social connection and bonding, but cats are the smartest when it comes to hunting in the wild.
An article published in the journal Learning and Behavior explained the comparisons between dogs and cats, mostly noting that although pooches are unique, “there is no current case for canine exceptionalism.”
In associative learning, dogs do not exhibit any unusual advantages over other animals. Dogs also have an excellent scene of smell, but so do cats.
But experts would like to remind pet owners to stop questioning who’s smarter than dogs or cats, as these facts do not necessarily prove or determine the hierarchy of animal intelligence.
“Asking which species is smarter is like asking if a hammer is a better tool than a screwdriver… Each tool is designed for a specific problem, so of course it depends on the problem we are trying to solve,” said Brian Hare, founder and director of Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center.
You might want to read:
– You think your dog understands you? Science says they don’t
– Can science be applied to mythical creatures? The curious case of cryptozoology
– Science says pets can keep you productive and healthy while working from home
