Which Are Smarter: Cats Or Dogs??
Which Are Smarter: Cats Or Dogs??
There's really not much in it. The
ratio of brain to body size is slightly higher for dogs than cats, which may be
because dogs are a social species and have evolved some extra brain to handle
more complex communication and interaction.
Dr Susanne
Shultz, who led the research, said: "Dogs have always been regarded as the
more social animals while cats like to get on with their own thing alone. But it appears that interaction is good for the brain and
extends to other species, like ourselves".
But cats have
almost twice as many neurons in their cerebral cortex, the area involved in
memory, attention and perception. Cats are harder to train, and won't fetch
things or guard their owner. But does that mean Dogs are smarter or Cats are?
Dogs have better social
smarts, but cats are more attentive.