Are Cats Really Smart? Unveiling Their Intelligence!

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Cats are undoubtedly intelligent creatures. They are learners, capable of adapting and making timely improvements based on their discoveries, as Dr. Nicholas Dumas, the Director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, explains.

According to Dr. Dumas, the structure of a cat's brain is remarkably similar to that of humans. Cats possess frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, just like us, and these brain regions are composed of gray and white matter. These areas are interconnected in a manner that mirrors human brain function, utilizing the same neurotransmitters to transmit data. Functionally, they share similarities as well. Cats seem to think in a manner akin to humans, processing information from the same five basic senses and handling it in a similar fashion.

However, cats have a more limited color vision than humans, unable to appreciate contrasts as vividly, says Dr. Valerie Clayton, a veterinarian in Thousand Oaks, California. "But on the flip side, cats don't actually need fullcolor vision. They are far superior at tracking moving objects. On a white wall, a cat might not see a tiny black fly, but it can effortlessly track it as it flies away."

Like humans, cats also possess both shortterm and longterm memory capabilities. They can remember where the litter box was moved recently (shortterm memory) and also recall things they learned long ago, such as the purpose of the litter box (longterm memory).

Playing in the animal kingdom is not just a simple source of enjoyment and fun. It establishes social order, enhances hunting skills, and hones survival abilities.

"Kittens are joyful when they play," Dr. Dumas notes, "but beyond that, they are also exercising their bodies and minds, rehearsing for their adult roles."

The first two to seven weeks are a critical period for cats during which they can form strong bonds with their companions. For wild cats, this critical period often passes without human contact, leading to a lifelong distrust of humans.

Cats can be trained, but it's a more challenging task than training dogs, says Dr. Clayton. "They're not as concerned with pleasing others as dogs are. To train a cat to perform tricks, like jumping through a hoop or fetching an object, you need to find a cat that genuinely loves food and use treats as rewards."

While wild cats are often solitary, some experts suggest their loneliness may stem more from a lack of opportunities rather than a lack of motivation. Unlike dogs, cats pick up objects only when they feel like it, for their own enjoyment rather than to please their human companions.

Cats learn by observation. For instance, they can learn how to open doors by watching us. Phyllis Cambria of Coconut Creek, Florida, shares that her cat "Muffin" loves to open cabinets. Besides the one filled with cleaning supplies, "Muffin" has also opened the apartment door. She was often found curled up on the broomstick in the closet. The doorknob needed to be turned and pulled out with force to open the door. One day, when Phyllis found "Muffin" crouching at the corner, she leaped for the doorknob, grabbed it with both paws, and fell to the floor, turning the handle while lying down. She repeated this six times before the door finally clicked shut. It was then that they realized just how clever "Muffin" was.

Cats and dogs don't differ much in their learning methods, but they do have their unique strengths. Each species excels in learning within its ecological niche. Dogs are quick to dig holes in the snow to escape the cold wind, says Dr. Dumas, but cats may never learn to dig, as it's not something they are naturally inclined to do. However, cats excel at covering up their urine and feces, something dogs are not as adept at.

Training cats to perform small tricks requires active reinforcement and a great deal of patience. Cats can be trained to follow commands, such as sitting, lying down, and jumping through a hoop. Clicker training is an effective method for this purpose.

Carole Moore of Jacksonville, North Carolina, shares that her cat "Rosie" won the "Smartest Cat" award. "Rosie" can turn doorknobs to open doors, pull out drawers to search for desired items, and even open the pantry to retrieve bags of cotton candy by standing on her hind legs.

As cats age, much like humans, they may start to slow down, sleep more during the day, and even forget the location and purpose of the litter box.

A syndrome known as Feline Cognitive Dysfunction (FCD) has been reported, which is similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans, and includes disorientation, decreased social interaction, sleep disturbances, and a loss of house training. In such cases, there are degenerative changes in the brain that lead to functional impairments.

So from kittenhood to old age, it seems that cats possess complex brains that help them evolve into intelligent beings. Just as we do, they may eventually experience a decline in learning and memory abilities, with the negative impacts on their lives being similar to those experienced by aging humans. With all this evidence supporting their intelligence, who could say that cats are not intelligent creatures?