Cats' and dogs' intelligence

"Ed_Heathcliff" wrote in message
lkaboutpets.com...
I'm surprised more people don't seem to agree that cats are way beyond
dogs. I came across findings that say cats have the 3rd hightest IQ of
all
land animals, topped only by the monkey and the chimp. A lot of people
aren't very fond of cats and therefore just notice it laying around. I
totally agree with all the cartoons I have seen in how the dog is no
match
for a cat.. not even close! poor dummy of a dog


I don't agree. . I kept dogs before I kept cats and I think dogs are
more
intelligent. Cats are crafty and self-interested and that's an entirely
different thing. They do things only if it benefits themselves.

I love my two, don't get me wrong, but cats are in the kindliest possible
way "parasites" They take all, and give not much.
Now, when you can tell me you can train a cat do a mountain rescue, lead
the
blind, act as a hearing cat, herd sheep etc, etc then tell me cats are
best.
I don't wish to be contradictory, but there is no comparison in
intelligence, as far as I am concerned.
My dogs understood a lot of language.
My cats understand only a little. "Out or in" when they are standing in
the
doorway. If they didn't make their minds up, the door would push them
outside, so they soon learned that one.
"Do you want anything?" they know that one too, and also "Grub up!"
"Pack it in" they haven't quite got the hang of (this when Kitty is
spitting
at Boyfriend (she's very jealous) or vice versa when he is trying to
stick
up for himself.
Kitty boxes his ears regularly and sometimes - only sometimes - he
retaliates.
Cats have a very different sort of intelligence compared with dogs.
--------------------------------------------------------

I like dogs also but I don't consider being willing to do a command having
anything at all to do with intelligence. A cat's self centered nature also
is not a way to measure intelligence. Intelligence is the ability to
retain information and figure out complex things or situations. Like a
mouse would get shocked with electric a thousand times before he learns
not to go to the left while the cat and dog would get shocked only once.
When a dog becomes a "seeing eye dog" it was simply trained, it doesn't
mean the dog actually understands the situation. The ability to retain
information and solve complex situations, I think a cat is light years
beyond a dog.. just like they show on cartoons

"Christina Websell" wrote

I don't agree. . I kept dogs before I kept cats and I think dogs are more
intelligent. Cats are crafty and self-interested and that's an entirely
different thing. They do things only if it benefits themselves.

I love my two, don't get me wrong, but cats are in the kindliest possible
way "parasites" They take all, and give not much.
Now, when you can tell me you can train a cat do a mountain rescue, lead
the
blind, act as a hearing cat, herd sheep etc, etc then tell me cats are
best.
I don't wish to be contradictory, but there is no comparison in
intelligence, as far as I am concerned.

While I think it's pretty unproductive to argue about which animals are more
'intelligent' than others, I can't resist a few comments. Please bear in
mind that we on rpca have a long tradition of being able to discuss even
very controversial issues without flaming or name-calling.

The main clue to the differentce in cat and dog behaviour is that dogs are
pack animals and cats are not. This means that dogs have an instinctual need
to submit to a leader, which makes them infinitely more easy to train than
cats. Most cats hunt alone (though I've heard of cats who hunt in pairs),
and so do not have the instinct for co-operation in the same way as dogs do.
This has nothing to do with intelligence.

And what is intelligence, anyway? Before even starting this conversation, we
would need to define that. As I see it, figuring things out for yourself is
more intelligent than just following orders, and I certainly see my cats
figuring things out for themselves every day. That's not the whole
definition of intelligence, of course. I don't even pretend to have the
answer to the question, "what is intelligence?"

As to the claim that dogs 'give' more than cats; maybe you haven't spent
enough time with cats? If you expect them to fawn on you like a dog, don't
hold your breath. ;o) I think you have to interact with a cat on much more e
qual terms, but then I have never lived with a dog, just watched others with
their dogs and how there is a definite master-underling quality in that
relationship. However, I have lived with cats all my life, and I know my
life would have been very poor and barren without the company of cats. They
have certainly given me a lot and I couldn't imagine living without them.

YMMD

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

"Christina Websell" wrote

I don't agree. . I kept dogs before I kept cats and I think dogs are more
intelligent. Cats are crafty and self-interested and that's an entirely
different thing. They do things only if it benefits themselves.

I love my two, don't get me wrong, but cats are in the kindliest possible
way "parasites" They take all, and give not much.
Now, when you can tell me you can train a cat do a mountain rescue, lead
the
blind, act as a hearing cat, herd sheep etc, etc then tell me cats are
best.
I don't wish to be contradictory, but there is no comparison in
intelligence, as far as I am concerned.

While I think it's pretty unproductive to argue about which animals are more
'intelligent' than others, I can't resist a few comments. Please bear in
mind that we on rpca have a long tradition of being able to discuss even
very controversial issues without flaming or name-calling.

The main clue to the differentce in cat and dog behaviour is that dogs are
pack animals and cats are not. This means that dogs have an instinctual need
to submit to a leader, which makes them infinitely more easy to train than
cats. Most cats hunt alone (though I've heard of cats who hunt in pairs),
and so do not have the instinct for co-operation in the same way as dogs do.
This has nothing to do with intelligence.

And what is intelligence, anyway? Before even starting this conversation, we
would need to define that. As I see it, figuring things out for yourself is
more intelligent than just following orders, and I certainly see my cats
figuring things out for themselves every day. That's not the whole
definition of intelligence, of course. I don't even pretend to have the
answer to the question, "what is intelligence?"

As to the claim that dogs 'give' more than cats; maybe you haven't spent
enough time with cats? If you expect them to fawn on you like a dog, don't
hold your breath. ;o) I think you have to interact with a cat on much more e
qual terms, but then I have never lived with a dog, just watched others with
their dogs and how there is a definite master-underling quality in that
relationship. However, I have lived with cats all my life, and I know my
life would have been very poor and barren without the company of cats. They
have certainly given me a lot and I couldn't imagine living without them.

YMMD

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

"Christina Websell" wrote

I don't agree. . I kept dogs before I kept cats and I think dogs are more
intelligent. Cats are crafty and self-interested and that's an entirely
different thing. They do things only if it benefits themselves.

I love my two, don't get me wrong, but cats are in the kindliest possible
way "parasites" They take all, and give not much.
Now, when you can tell me you can train a cat do a mountain rescue, lead
the
blind, act as a hearing cat, herd sheep etc, etc then tell me cats are
best.
I don't wish to be contradictory, but there is no comparison in
intelligence, as far as I am concerned.

While I think it's pretty unproductive to argue about which animals are more
'intelligent' than others, I can't resist a few comments. Please bear in
mind that we on rpca have a long tradition of being able to discuss even
very controversial issues without flaming or name-calling.

The main clue to the differentce in cat and dog behaviour is that dogs are
pack animals and cats are not. This means that dogs have an instinctual need
to submit to a leader, which makes them infinitely more easy to train than
cats. Most cats hunt alone (though I've heard of cats who hunt in pairs),
and so do not have the instinct for co-operation in the same way as dogs do.
This has nothing to do with intelligence.

And what is intelligence, anyway? Before even starting this conversation, we
would need to define that. As I see it, figuring things out for yourself is
more intelligent than just following orders, and I certainly see my cats
figuring things out for themselves every day. That's not the whole
definition of intelligence, of course. I don't even pretend to have the
answer to the question, "what is intelligence?"

As to the claim that dogs 'give' more than cats; maybe you haven't spent
enough time with cats? If you expect them to fawn on you like a dog, don't
hold your breath. ;o) I think you have to interact with a cat on much more e
qual terms, but then I have never lived with a dog, just watched others with
their dogs and how there is a definite master-underling quality in that
relationship. However, I have lived with cats all my life, and I know my
life would have been very poor and barren without the company of cats. They
have certainly given me a lot and I couldn't imagine living without them.

YMMD

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

SUQKRT wrote:
Except for agreeing with Yowie, humans are 4th, I'm staying outta
this one. Suz

No you're wrong, dolphins are 4th, humans are 5th. ;-)
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
A house is not a home, without a cat.

SUQKRT wrote:
Except for agreeing with Yowie, humans are 4th, I'm staying outta
this one. Suz

No you're wrong, dolphins are 4th, humans are 5th. ;-)
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
A house is not a home, without a cat.

SUQKRT wrote:
Except for agreeing with Yowie, humans are 4th, I'm staying outta
this one. Suz

No you're wrong, dolphins are 4th, humans are 5th. ;-)
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera)
A house is not a home, without a cat.