Which pets are smarter? Dogs or Cats?

[kkamyk]

Not sure. I've seen pretty smart cats and dogs.
Cats aren't social though, so it may seem that dogs are smarter because they socialize more.

 

[Mrs. Bob Loblaw]

I remember when I was growing up, my stepmom was teaching our dog to sit. Over and over again, they'd repeat the command and action. Simply from watching the dog, our cat learned to sit on command. That same cat also learned how to use the people-toilet by watching my dad..

Having said that, my answer is definitely bunnies.

 

[Ember]

The answers here are all a lot of fun! Interestingly, the science needed to answer this question is pretty complicated as comparing the intelligence of animals of different species is difficult. What evidence we do have suggests that dogs win out. (As much as my cat-loving self hates to admit it!)

I thought this was fun (From: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38433950/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/how-science-measures-cats-dogs/#.UPNY6olevvM)

Parents of 2-year olds might want to keep their enthusiasm over their toddlers' intellectual prowess in check. Turns out, they're likely no smarter than the average dog, according to a series of intelligence tests run by canine researcher Stanley Coren at the University of British Columbia.

A language development test, for example, reveals that the average dog can learn about 165 words, similar to the capacity of a 2-year old child.

In a math test where researchers lowered treats one at a time behind a screen, dogs were bewildered when the screen was lifted and the number of treats they correctly counted weren't there because the researcher deliberately swiped one or added an extra. This suggests the dogs grasp basic arithmetic.
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For an overview of the science, this is also good: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201012/are-dogs-more-intelligent-cats

Of course, perhaps the more controversial questions is who is smarter, cat owners or dog owners? More university graduates own cats...

 

[gojoe]

Did you know Dogs are the only animal that will look to where you are pointing instead of just looking at your fingers.

Just Googled this.

Based on the encephalization quotient, the brightest animals on the planet are humans, followed great apes, porpoises, and elephants. The dog is close behind elephants in its EQ. Descending down the list we find cats lower than dogs, followed by horses, sheep, mice, rats and rabbits. As a general rule, animals that hunt for a living (like canines) are smarter than strict vegetarians (you don't need much intelligence to outsmart a leaf of lettuce).

 

[kaligal]

Cats are smarter.

Mine is the smartest.

 

[Aurora63]

I think they're about equal, but since I've only had cats for a very long time, then I have to go with cats...most of the time.

My cat Spotty....he knows what time it is, as most do. Before my alarm goes off, he's up in my face, tapping me with his paw, as if to say, "Hey lady, get up. I'm hungry." Later, when he's thirsty, he'll go to the bathroom sink, puts both paws in, and look back over his shoulder at me. He can very well communicate his needs and wants. He does this when there is a perfectly good bowl of water on the floor, mind you.

They are definitely creatures of habit, though. They prefer everything to be "just so," and do not appreciate any alterations to the routine.

 

[ChrisFL]

I remember when I was growing up, my stepmom was teaching our dog to sit. Over and over again, they'd repeat the command and action. Simply from watching the dog, our cat learned to sit on command. That same cat also learned how to use the people-toilet by watching my dad..

Having said that, my answer is definitely bunnies.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It is really very simple:

Dogs have Owners

Cats have Staff

 

[Jen12573]

It is really very simple:

Dogs have Owners

Cats have Staff

Love this!!!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Rabbits. One of mine jumped into my lap the other day, snagged a piece of apple out of my hand, and took off running with it! He's a bit of a criminal, but he's no dummy!

 

[IheartMickey]

My dog is pretty smart, we trained her ourselves. She's a shih tzu and the breed is one of the most stubborn there is. It can take up to 50 repetitions for her to learn a new task, not because she's stupid but simply she doesn't think it's important. She has taught herself to fetch clothes for my mom because she knows she needs them in order to take her for a walk. Her favorite thing ever is to go for a walk or just sit with us outside on the porch.

In fact, that's how she's become a master manipulator. She realized when she was a puppy that if she whined or whimpered I would bring her outside. She's trained to relieve herself both outside and on puppy pads but I figured the whining meant she wanted to go out. Now that she's grown up if you don't take her outside as soon as she wants to go she will whine continuously for hours until she goes. It's not that she has to relieve herself, because she'll go on the puppy pad. She just likes being out. The whining drives my mother absolutely batty. But, she always gives in which reinforces the fact that it works.

If you ask my dog a question, she'll tilt her head in response which I find adorable. She also knows when she's being bad. She knows she's not supposed to take our cats toys so she'll run away with one in her mouth and when you tell her "Bad girl! That's Timba's!" She'll lay down and lower her head with the toy still in her mouth, her eyes looking up guiltily. If you stop looking she'll start playing with it again, tell her she's being bad and she puts her head down again. It's really cute.

My cat on the other hand is the most stubborn creature I've ever known. He's smart, but only in ways that benefit him. Somehow he's managed to figure out the sound of cold cuts coming out of the drawer in the fridge. That drawer holds other stuff, but he only comes out when cold cuts do. He also loves the chocolate milk left over if you eat a bowl of cocoa pebbles. He sits in front of me, and occasionally tries grabbing the bowl and pulls it towards him if you're not eating fast enough. He will also come running when you call his name, but only if he's in the mood.

Most of the time he's scared of the dog which is half his size, so he's not THAT smart.

 

[macraven]

 

[PollyannaMom]

We train dogs, cats train us.

 

[Princess Dolly]

Cats as they have trained us to serve them.

 

[SarahC73]

I was talking to my DH about this the other day, it amazes me that a cat can go out all day and find it's way home, but if a dog wandered off, they'd get lost (please corret me if I'm wrong about that).

We have two gorgeous cats and I'd say their both pretty smart and sometimes very cunning!!

 

[SarahC73]

Cats as they have trained us to serve them.

lol, that is so true!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I've seen smart dogs and dumb cats.

My dog was dumb as a rock. My cats are usually smart. USUALLY.

 

[Hardy]

I've never met a dumb cat but I'm sure they exist. I've known really dumb and really smart dogs. My current dog is as dumb as a rock but she's also my best behaved dog ever. She's happy to stare at a wall all day and it has never once occurred to her to run away from home.

 

[Fly4free]

Rabbits. One of mine jumped into my lap the other day, snagged a piece of apple out of my hand, and took off running with it! He's a bit of a criminal, but he's no dummy!

I second rabbits! Until you have really spent time with one (loose outside of the cage) you just can't appreciate them. My rabbit is a thief too. There's nothing funnier than watching a tiny dwarf rabbit run off with a pizza crust that was left out by an unsuspecting child while she was trying to eat and play x-box. Bunny is also nuts about goldfish crackers. He can hear/smell them immediately when you are snacking on them and will crawl all over you till he snags one or more.

Between dogs and cats, I'd have to say dogs, but it certainly depends on the breed. As previously stated, not all breeds are of equal intelligence. Some dogs are too smart for their own good.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Hmm, my one dog is really smart. Then I have another that is as dumb as a post. Idiot dog.

Same thing with the cats. One is really smart. He taught himself to pee in the toilet!!! The other, not so much...

Horses are not as dumb as you think. DH trained one from birth (it was our profession) and there was a flood, DH takes horse out to try and lasso stranded people. Horse decided it was too dangerous to wade any further in the water despite DH's prodding. The horse was smart enough to know not to go in even if DH was not.

We used to board at a barn that would sometimes flood in very heavy storms (10 inches of rain in one day type thing). The stallion at the farm would not leave his stall until all the horses were removed. They tried to move him first during one flood and he refused. Pretty expensive breeding stallion so they were upset. They would have to move all the other horses in the barn and leave the doors to the stalls open. They would then walk him all the way through so he could check out all the stalls. Only then would this stallion leave the barn. It was really weird and these people had horses their entire life. I think horses are pretty darn smart!! BTW, this barn flooded several times in their tenure at the farm so this wasn't a one time only thing. I think they probably evacuated at least 5 times.

And I love my horses, but they rank pretty low on the IQ scale.

Come visit my DD's horse. She is too smart for her own good. Gets herself in trouble all the time. No wonder she ended up in a rescue.