Are Cats Just as Intelligent as Dogs?

A question that cat & dog lovers have thought over like, well, cats & dogs for a long time. But has recent research finally given us the answer?

Japanese scientists earlier this year performed at study which involved 49 cats to test their memory. It is already known that dogs can recollect specific non-immediate events, an ability known as episodic memory. 

The results from this study showed that cats can perform just as well in memory tests compared to their dog counterparts. The tests further showed that cats, like dogs, were able to respond to facial expressions, human gestures & emotions.

The researchers further believed that cats may remember for much longer periods than the short time tested.

Saho Takagi, a psychologist at Kyoto University said the research may have practical applications.

"Understanding cats more deeply helps to establish better cat-human relationships," she said.

"Cats may be as intelligent as dogs, as opposed to the common view of people that dogs are much smarter."

The same team of Japanese scientists previously found that in similar tests, dogs had memories of food bowls from which they had eaten. Last year, a team from Hungary found that dogs were able to recall their owner's actions, even when they were not specifically instructed to do so.

The research is published in the journal, Behavioural Processes.