Comments on: Dogs Are Smart - How about Cats?

By: Jeff Doehring

Jeff Doehring — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:33:43 +0000

The one thing that researchers here are not mentioning is that cats and dogs are motivated differently. In a dogs eyes, the main purpose in life is to please their master. Cats are not motivated by this desire, but rather, they are motivated by their own instincts, that being survival. Cats do learn very quickly by trial and error, and cats do have long and short term memory very similar to humans. In this area, cats are for more bright than dogs.

By: Don

Don — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:50:08 +0000

But dogs don’t purr.

By: Ben Cawley

Ben Cawley — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:17:14 +0000

i have met many cats and dogs because almost all my friends have them. I believe the dog to be more empathetic, more cunning, more resilient(minded and physically). Also they are less lazy, have a better temperament and are more useful in groups than cats. The dog is the superior species in every way except perhaps beauty.

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:43:13 +0000

Regardless of which is smarter, cats have no worth beyond being cute and mildly entertaining when they chase a string/shoelace.

I think they are adorable, but having a good dog around is comforting in all the same ways as a cat and then some. All in all I think it comes down to the people. Less social folks tend to like cats, because cats are not very social. Dogs being pack animals are social by nature. If you don’t like going for walks, you won’t like a dog either, because they love/need them. In general dogs are just more work then cats, especially initially.

I had never owned a dog until recently (four cats growing up), and am so grateful for the experience. She brightens up my days that’s for sure. Though one of my cats was very important to me, most of the others we jerks. I loved them, but in a more wary way, as they seemed to care less about whether I lived a happy life or just spontaneously combusted.

I used to be a huge proponent of cats. However, now that I have owned a dog, I can almost assuredly say I will own dogs for the rest of my life, and leave the cats to themselves. Which is where they seemed to want to be the whole time I knew them anyway.

By: Rossy

Rossy — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:50:23 +0000

“Our cat is VERY smart; she has staff (us) waiting on her day and night, and all she has to do is eat, sleep, poop and play . . . and be cute once in a while”

about time to decide which one is the inferior species? just maybe.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:10:33 +0000

This article is really a testament to the persistence of anthropomorphic thinking. The researchers in the article propose to test how “intelligent” an animal is (that is, how much human-like behavior it demonstrates) by putting it in a series of highly artificial situations. How often in nature is either a cat or dog required to remember which box had a signal light?

By: galessa

galessa — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:43:15 +0000

your cat is hardly stupid. he just won’t bother trying to communicate with inferior species if they don’t make a effort first. just try it. you’ll be amazed. =D

By: jayessell

jayessell — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:37:40 +0000

Just wait until Caturday!

By: Don

Don — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:27:15 +0000

Our cat is VERY smart; she has staff (us) waiting on her day and night, and all she has to do is eat, sleep, poop and play . . . and be cute once in a while.