Are cats or dogs smarter?
ramble warning LOL. I researched cats, dogs, and thylacines as pets and the differences between them at one point so I know way more than I should about this subject
it really depends on your definition of smart since both animals are smart in their own ways. they were domesticated very differently and are therefore very different from each other ^v^
dogs have been bred for centuries to perform tasks and follow human instruction. they learned early on in their domestication process to please people in order to receive food, to become nearly entirely dependent on us to not have to fight to survive anymore. it was a smart move that no other animal had done at that point in time.
cats, on the other hand, are incredibly independent as they never had to 'bow' to us during their domestication. we kept their presence around and provided them shelter and food because they kept rodents out of farms/storage areas/docks/etc. we never trained them to perform tasks like we did with dogs, only asked them to hang around, and this makes cats much harder to warm up to unfamiliar humans and to train.
while dogs are often more than willing to perform tasks for their owners, cats are usually not. dogs can even solve puzzles and learn to detect changes in blood sugar, making them perfect service animals. cats on the other hand,,,,,they're picky. the few who will do tasks will typically not perform them unless their reward (food) is //right there// and they can see/smell it, unlike dogs who can task without reward simply to please their owners. I have only been able to train one of my five cats (to give high-fives and to sit) and he's very picky LOL
this isn't necessarily a bad thing for cats, however, since it means that they can think for themselves, that they prioritize their own best interests, and that they have little desire to please others without a very clear gain for themselves. cats and dogs clearly have two different 'survival smarts' - dogs work for others in order to gain protection, while cats work for themselves and their own best interests/immediate needs.
in comparing cats and dogs, one of the biggest things that stands out is independence vs a pack mentality. cats will flee in the face of danger, wanting to save themselves above all else and putting the most priority on that, while dogs will often fight to the death to try and save their owner or their pack.
cats also take very calculated, intelligent steps. they don't jump over a hill/ridge without analyzing what's on the other side first, meanwhile a dog will run blindly after prey or to follow fellow pack members without question.
it's mainly personal preference in which one we find to be smarter, and it says a lot about what we value and our own personalities. loyalty? independence? bravery? caution?
buuut I personally think that thylacines are the best ;) they're a perfect mix of both cats and dogs: loyal, calculating, smart, protective, inquisitive, and amazing x"D
it really depends on your definition of smart since both animals are smart in their own ways. they were domesticated very differently and are therefore very different from each other ^v^
dogs have been bred for centuries to perform tasks and follow human instruction. they learned early on in their domestication process to please people in order to receive food, to become nearly entirely dependent on us to not have to fight to survive anymore. it was a smart move that no other animal had done at that point in time.
cats, on the other hand, are incredibly independent as they never had to 'bow' to us during their domestication. we kept their presence around and provided them shelter and food because they kept rodents out of farms/storage areas/docks/etc. we never trained them to perform tasks like we did with dogs, only asked them to hang around, and this makes cats much harder to warm up to unfamiliar humans and to train.
while dogs are often more than willing to perform tasks for their owners, cats are usually not. dogs can even solve puzzles and learn to detect changes in blood sugar, making them perfect service animals. cats on the other hand,,,,,they're picky. the few who will do tasks will typically not perform them unless their reward (food) is //right there// and they can see/smell it, unlike dogs who can task without reward simply to please their owners. I have only been able to train one of my five cats (to give high-fives and to sit) and he's very picky LOL
this isn't necessarily a bad thing for cats, however, since it means that they can think for themselves, that they prioritize their own best interests, and that they have little desire to please others without a very clear gain for themselves. cats and dogs clearly have two different 'survival smarts' - dogs work for others in order to gain protection, while cats work for themselves and their own best interests/immediate needs.
in comparing cats and dogs, one of the biggest things that stands out is independence vs a pack mentality. cats will flee in the face of danger, wanting to save themselves above all else and putting the most priority on that, while dogs will often fight to the death to try and save their owner or their pack.
cats also take very calculated, intelligent steps. they don't jump over a hill/ridge without analyzing what's on the other side first, meanwhile a dog will run blindly after prey or to follow fellow pack members without question.
it's mainly personal preference in which one we find to be smarter, and it says a lot about what we value and our own personalities. loyalty? independence? bravery? caution?
buuut I personally think that thylacines are the best ;) they're a perfect mix of both cats and dogs: loyal, calculating, smart, protective, inquisitive, and amazing x"D