Cats Are Just as Smart as Dogs, Study Suggests

[Judi Lynn]

Cats Are Just as Smart as Dogs, Study Suggests
Julia Zorthian
1:37 PM Central


Cats may be just as smart as dogs (and humans), a new study suggests.


Japanese scientists tested to see if 49 domestic cats could remember which containers they ate food out of following a 15-minute delay, and said container was emptied, according to the study's abstract. Having an episodic memory is often associated with having a degree of self-awareness, and separate researchers had already determined that dogs displayed use of an episodic memory.

The results revealed that cats could "retrieve and utilize [the] 'what' and 'where' information" they encoded from a single past event; in this case, the container they ate from. The researchers also said cats performed comparably to dogs in tests about understanding human gestures and facial expressions, the BBC reports."Understanding cats more deeply helps to establish better cat-human relationships," study author Saho Takagi, a psychologist at Kyoto University, told BBC. “…Cats may be as intelligent as dogs, as opposed to the common view of people that dogs are much smarter."

http://time.com/4650638/cats-dogs-memory/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Fscienceandhealth+%28TIME%3A+Top+Science+Stories%29

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CATS ARE AS CLEVER AS DOGS—THEY JUST CHOOSE NOT TO SHOW IT
BY ANTHONY CUTHBERTSON ON 1/26/17 AT 12:03 PM


Cats might not sit on command or fetch a thrown stick but it’s not because they don’t understand, it’s because they just don’t want to. This is according to a study by Japanese researchers that found cats perform as well as dogs in certain intelligence tests.

Scientists at Kyoto University conducted tests on 49 domestic cats in an attempt to better understand how their brains work. Their findings suggested that felines have an episodic memory, meaning they recall past events in a similar way to humans.

“We examined whether cats could retrieve and utilize incidentally-encoded information from a single past event in a simple food-exploration task previously used for dogs,” the paper’s abstract states. “The results suggest that cats retrieved and utilized ‘what’ and ‘where’ information from an incidentally-encoded memory from a single experience.”

The researchers found that cats are as good as dogs at responding to human gestures, facial expressions and emotions. It is hoped the study will contributeCats and dogs don’t have many things in common, but according to this study, their ability to remember events might be one of them. Here, the researchers tested whether cats could remember information from a single past event. To do so, the scientists first let the cats explore several containers, some of which contained food. Fifteen minutes later, when the cats returned to the containers, they spent more time at the food containers where they had not yet eaten, suggesting they remembered the ones they had already eaten from. A previous study performed with dogs had similar results. So move over, Rover – you’re not the only one with a good memory. to better understanding between humans and felines, as well as lead to new studies exploring cats’ memories.

More:
http://www.newsweek.com/cats-clever-dogs-intelligence-iq-548593?piano_t=1

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Cats’ memories may be as good as dogs.
By Seriously Science | January 26, 2017 9:59 am





Cats and dogs don’t have many things in common, but according to this study, their ability to remember events might be one of them. Here, the researchers tested whether cats could remember information from a single past event. To do so, the scientists first let the cats explore several containers, some of which contained food. Fifteen minutes later, when the cats returned to the containers, they spent more time at the food containers where they had not yet eaten, suggesting they remembered the ones they had already eaten from. A previous study performed with dogs had similar results. So move over, Rover – you’re not the only one with a good memory.


More:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/seriouslyscience/2017/01/26/cats/#.WIrAmhsrKyI

[TexasTowelie]

1. Having owned both

I already knew that.

[True Dough]

2. Dog owner here

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Well, yeah.

After all, they now own the Internet.

[braddy]

4. Once you see cats as smart, then you can have a much better relationship with them and better

control/training, you have to be able to see through their act, to really be in charge, and to really deeply connect with them.

[MrPurple]

6. It depends on the breed of dog, too

The difference in intelligence between border collies and pugs is like between humans and apes.

[Mister Ed]

7. Not so fast. Here's some conflicting research:

[TDale313]

8. I have had cats and dogs over the years.

Love them both, and there's no question in my mind cats are as smart and affectionate as dogs. They are more independent and tend to want things on their terms, though, so their motivation may not be you telling/asking them to do something 🙂 That said, most of the cats I've had usually came when called and my current one plays fetch. As in bringing the toy I threw back and dropping it near my hand and doing a butt-wiggle waiting for me to toss it again. But not always. He has to be in the mood 🙂

[Afromania]

9. I like both cats and dogs

Most people do I think but there is this strange notion that cats aren't intelligent. Given a choice would you do tricks for scraps of food? Would you show up every time somebody called you all the time or would you just look at them, say "what", and go on about your business. I don't have a study or anything but I get a feeling the more intelligence an animal is the greater it's penitent for autonomy.

[Bayard]

10. The difference between cats and dogs

If you come in, and find your dog eating your dinner, he will hang his head in shame. A cat will grab one more bite before running.

[spooky3]

11. I think cats (probably dogs too) vary in intelligence.

I have had (and fostered) some who understood some phrases and could problem solve and knew how to get attention. Others appeared to have one working brain cell. But all were loving and good companions.

[3catwoman3]

12. One of our current 4, a female, is very good at fetch...

...when it is her idea. Long attention span, too. She brought back her favorite item, a large plastic spring, 30 times one day before tiring of the game. When she wants to play it, she will find a spring and drop it near me, as if to say, "OK - let's go!" I am quit sure she understands the words "cat treats."

One of our others has taught himself how to pull down the lever on the Hinckley Springs water dispenser to get himself a drink. He watched us, and would run over any time we got water to lick the last drops from the spout. We saw him stand on his back legs and paw around, trying to figure it out. It took him about 3 days. Initially, he pulled on it with his teeth, and finally his paw. Everyone who has seen him do it wants to know how we taught him. W didn't. He puzzled it out for himself.

Our other female definitely has a memory. We have a large tub of toys in our family room. I will hear her rooting around in it, looking for just what she wants. She doesn't always want the same kind of toy.