Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was reading on AOL the other day that some dogs are as intelligent as a two year old child. Although my cats don't do tricks or anything like that, they do understand a lot of what I say to them and sometimes they follow commands from me. For example, Simba (my lovely darling himalayan kitty cat), for some reason thinks that he's a lion, and usually acts like one to all animals, big and small. He'll challenge any animal by puffing himself up to look big and stong. This is dangerous to him in some cases because there is no difference to him between a tiny bird or a large dog. Since he stays in the fenced in back yard, he's safe in his fantasy world. However, in the house, when he gets bored, he likes to pick on the girls by threatening them by holding up one paw like he's going to strike. They just sit and meow for me to come in and make him stop. If I'm at work when it happens, a fight ensues. I've come home from work and seen evidence of a cat fight, usually Samantha and Simba, and one of them is usually injured in some way. Samantha usually gets it in the eye and I have to take her to the vet or if it's Simba, Samantha has bitten him on the held- up arm when he's threatening her with his paw. I've had to rush him to the vet cause he's limping from a Samantha self- defense bite. The other day, I was busy in the bathroom and Samantha was in there with me. I could hear KatyKatt crying for me to rescue her because Simba was picking on her again. "Meow, meow, meow." I kept telling Simba to stop but he ignored me. I was tied up, so told Samantha to go chase Simba away. The door was open.... "Go get Simba, Samantha." To my surprise, she took off like a cat out of hell and he went running. I could only laugh, amazed at how much she understands.

So I'm just wondering, how smart are cats?

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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!

I think that dogs and cats can be equally smart.

My cats are experts when it comes to playing innocent.

Chessie, for example, knows where he is not allowed to be (on top of the bookshelves, on top of the TV cabinet to play with the blinds on the window, etc.). I'll be going down the stairs to the living room and hear him jump down from wherever he is and then find him laying stretched out on the floor like he's just waking up.

Casey often tries a more obvious approach. If I am about to walk in on something he's done, he'll come running up to me and turn sideways in my path to rub against my legs and stop me.

They will also team up to watch out for me as well. One evening, I was heading towards the kitchen. Chessie was sitting on the floor looking up towards the countertops. He turned, saw me, and took off past me into the living room. At the same moment, I heard Casey hitting the floor as he jumped down from the countertops (he knows he's not supposed to be up there), and he then came over acting all innocent.
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Chessie and Casey Jones relaxing together.

Hi There,

My opinion is that cats are not only smarter than dogs, but they are smarter than humans also! Think of all the ways they manage to have us cater to them.

The saying, Dogs Have Owners, Cats Have Staff is very true

Plus, many dogs will eat out of a litterbox..........how smart can that be? I like dogs but cats have them beat as far as intelligence.

PHKitkat

My cat Foudini makes an air raid type scream when one of the males even looks at her. She actually has a different tone for the two usual suspects and I usually yell for the offending one to leave her be and sure enough that particular male will come strolling in the room like I wasn't even touching her Mom. She also has a particular meow for Riley, the dog. And the dog comes to her she she calls. Even if all she wants to do is bop her for the fun of it, the silly dog always goes to her when she calls her. Now who is smarter?? The cat who calls the dog or the dog who comes even though she might just get bopped (claws in though).
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Tessa Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo,Salem, Wicca, Marmalade, Amelia, Rocket and Turbo (we iz NOT fosters) and the 5 porch kits, Mocha, Tigger, Cali, Torti and Smudge also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Onyx,Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts & together again//Fly free Penny 12/12/07
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

fur shame, how can you even ask such a question, have your cats let you out of jail yet?
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Franci, Oreo, Caleb an Willow...da Pepsicola Thwee plus one

I dont know if I would say either is smarter than the other. I have never met a dumb animal.. but I can say that I taught my cat to sit in two sessions (total of 5-10 minutes) flat where as I will say I have met dogs that take more time.