We all love cats, they fascinate us – they’re so independent, mysterious and agile. But are they really as smart as we think? 

Cats are mysterious and smart creatures and through evolution and domestication they have developed a range of skills and behaviors. In this article we will take an in-depth look into the intelligence of cats and explore how smart cats truly are.

Understanding Cat Intelligence

Like humans, cats possess an impressive level of intelligence. To truly understand a cat’s intelligence and compare it to that of other animals, we must understand the different types of intelligence and how cats measure up in each.

Types of Animal Intelligence

Before we can really measure the intelligence of cats, we first need to understand the different types of animal intelligence:

Adaptive Intelligence
This is the ability of an animal to recognize and adapt quickly to the changes in its environment.

Spatial Intelligence
This type of intelligence relates to an animal’s ability to learn and remember where things are and manipulate physical objects.

Social Intelligence
This type of intelligence refers to an animal’s ability to interact and communicate with other animals.

Robotic Intelligence
This type of intelligence relates to an animal’s ability to use technology and manipulate robotic machines.

Cats and Adaptive Intelligence

Cats have an impressive capacity to learn and adapt to their environment. They are able to recognize their owners, react and form connections with them, and even understand our emotions. Cats can also learn to manipulate their environment to their benefit. For example, they’ve been known to open doors and cupboards, and even figure out how to open pet food containers.

Cats and Spatial Intelligence

The intelligence of cats is truly remarkable when it comes to spatial intelligence. Cats have excellent navigational skills, allowing them to find their way home from distances of up to 12 miles away! In addition, cats can accurately anticipate and dodge obstacles, showing that their spatial intelligence goes beyond just navigational skills.

Cats and Social Intelligence

Cats have much to offer in the social intelligence aspect. They can easily read our expressions and body language, which helps them understand our wants and needs, and also develop a stronger bond with us. They can also learn from other cats, copying behaviors which have been seen to have positive effects.

Cats and Robotic Intelligence

Though cats are not known for having a lot of robotic intelligence, they have been known to deploy some when it serves them best. For example, cats have been seen playing with robotic pet toys and actively trying to figure out how they work.

Though cats might not be able to match the intelligence of a dog, they are far from dim-witted. Cats possess a great capacity to learn and adapt, an exceptional spatial intelligence, strong social intelligence and even some robotic intelligence. It can be concluded that cats are indeed incredibly smart creatures, and a lot more intelligent than we give them credit for.