It's an age-old debate, and one that pet owners just can't seem to agree on – which are smarter: cats or dogs? If you're a pet owner (or even if you're not!) you probably already have an opinion on the matter. Many pet owners are convinced that cats are more intelligent as they tend to be more independent and self-reliant than dogs. Others argue that dogs are smarter as they are quick to learn and can perform complex tasks. But what exactly does the science say? In this mini-article, we'll take a look at the evidence.
Counting Cortical Neurons
In a
2017 study
, researchers at Vanderbilt University counted the number of cortical neurons in the brains of various animals. According to the researchers, "[cortical neurons are] 'little gray cells' associated with thinking, planning and complex behavior -- all considered hallmarks of intelligence." The study found that dogs have around 530 million cortical neurons compared to 250 million for cats. Because of this, the researchers concluded that dogs are significantly more intelligent than cats. Here's a quote from Suzana Herculano-Houzel, one of the researchers involved in the study: "Our findings mean to me that dogs have the biological capability of doing much more complex and flexible things with their lives than cats."
Is It Really That Simple?
So, dogs have more than twice as many cortical neurons as cats. But does that mean they're twice as intelligent? According to some scientists, it's not quite that simple. A
2018 study
published in the Journal of Learning and Behavior compared dogs with a variety of other animals, including cats. The results showed that dogs may not be quite as smart as we think. In fact, the authors of the study concluded that "there is no current case for canine exceptionalism."
The Problem of Measuring Intelligence
Measuring intelligence in animals is not easy. After all, we can only see intelligence from our own human-centric perspective. This poses a problem when it comes to comparing cats and dogs. Brian Hare, the founder and director of Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center puts it this way: "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." It's also true that dogs are far
more willing test subjects than cats
. So much so that scientists have a notoriously hard time studying our feline friends!
So, which are smarter: cats or dogs? We think the jury's still out on that question!
