Is it true that cats are smarter than dogs?

Anna E

No, that is a rumor perpetuated by cat lovers. Not really, but you can't really compare them in terms of intelligence because they are totally different species of animals. I have cats and dogs and both are intelligent but in different ways. Cats can figure out how to get doors open (as can dogs) but you cannot train a cat to do something consistently. Dogs you can. If I was to be alone and need a companion, I would choose a dog.

Nekkid Truth!

Incorrect. Its been proven that dogs are smarter. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/dog-cat-brains-neurons-intelligence-study-spd/

Land-shark

Only at doing cat things. Dogs just seem to persevere more at trying to win the human over.

Jennifer

No. Cats are like two year old homebodies.

J C

You can't compare two different species. Both animals are very smart but in totally different ways as they have evolved to require two different means of survival. I will say that most animal intelligence tests are developed by dog people, and so of course are biased towards dogs. We could go on and on, and there will never be a real answer to this one. Which is smarter? A pig or a parrot? And owl or a deer? A horse or a goat? The definition of 'smarter' depends on what is asked on the test. And there is a ton more to defining intelligence than counting neurons in the brain. Even in human intelligence tests - what if you gave a brilliant French physicist who spoke only French a human IQ test written in Mandarin Chinese? Clearly that person would fail the test. And so it is with tests that measure the intelligence of an animal vs. a different kind of animal. They really are pretty meaningless. And to quote Charles Darwin who is the authority on how species evolved: 'Intelligence is based on how efficient a species became at doing the things they need to survive,' and so one might argue that by this definition all species that stay healthy, remain numerous and avoid extinction are equally intelligent. This would put humans then at the bottom of the list of intelligent species.

foxprojoy

If you are only asking about intelligence, dogs are smarter. If you are looking at temperament, cats are probably more interesting.

Ocimom

In some things yes, in some things no. Its like trying to compare apples to oranges.

audrey

Cats and dogs are smart about different things. Of course cat people (me lol)think cats are smarter, but truthfully I think it's about even.

rick29148

animal lovers can argue THAT point all day ................................

Tide

Cats are stupider than crows

Laura

This depends on how you define 'smart'. Dogs have more neural transmitters than cats. These are the things in the brain that connect the different parts. IF you use this, then dogs are smarter than cats. Each animal is an individual though, and different dog breeds are commonly more intelligent than the average dog. I have seen cats who understand commands and listen to their owners. I have seen dogs who can't understand the concept of potty training and going outside to poop. I have seen super smart cats, and cats who are lucky they are cute because they are just dumb. I can say the same for dogs. Each animal is an individual. Intelligence is also very hard to measure. What I consider being smart isn't the same for everybody. You might think you have a super smart dog, but i could think he is just average.

John Alden

Cats behavior is very different then dogs. My cat and dog are both smart for animals.

.

Cats and dogs are intelligent in different ways. But as far as training them to do useful things, dogs are much better. Dogs learn and respond to human commands; cats usually don't.

sara

Stoopid I’m not gonna let you get the chance

Blue nose

Who knows!

tham153

on average probably true, although I've had or known some dumb ones, like Licorice. But dogs are much more motivated to do as humans wish

Elaine

You can't compare the intelligence of the two species as each specie is intelligent in its own way. That being said cats tend to be more independent than dogs. The major difference between cats and dogs is that dogs choose to live with us and cats let us live with them.