Feline intelligence cannot be denied — cats are among the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. One might think that, because of all the studies done on dogs, this animal’s intelligence, memory, and cognitive abilities must be superior. However, the amazing cats simply have not been studied as thoroughly as dogs.
The reason: Cats are harder to study because they prove a bit more difficult to work with. A dog wants to please; a cat has an attitude of indifference. Often he becomes so uncooperative that he is removed from the study entirely.
DEFINITION OF INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence refers to the ability to learn from an experience, retain what one learns, and use that new knowledge to solve a different problem. Though the cat’s brain is small — it’s about the size of your little finger — it is not the brain size that’s important. Instead, consider the cat ‘s brain structure and surface folding, which is 90 percent similar to that of humans.
In humans, the cerebral cortex, which controls thinking and rational decision-making, contains 21 to 26 billion neurons, or nerve cells. Cats have 300 million of these neurons, while dogs have only 160 million neurons. This brain power of the cat fuels feline intelligence.
Cats can learn from observation and doing, just as we do. They learn such things as how to open a door, making a bell ring, and turning on a light switch. Research shows that these memories can last 10 years or more.
A cat can also hold an image in mind and reason where it might be. If you stash toys in a cabinet or treats in a drawer, so they are out of sight. However, they aren’t out of the cat’s mind — he still knows they are there.
This small animal has a superior ability to learn new information and then mesh it with what he already knows. When needed, he can recall it and use it in other situations. To have this cognitive ability means he can be placed into a class of highly intelligent beings.
In my many posts on this website, I’ve described in detail many facets of the cat’s make-up. In the remainder of this post, will try to add some new cat skills to our knowledge base. Here goes:
CATS CAN CALM THEIR OWN ANXIETY
If kitty becomes nervous, afraid, or anxious, he licks his coat. That coarse tongue, being tough and abrasive, can help calm him when he needs such soothing. That sandpaper tongue can distract him from his anxiety.
CATS HEAR SOUNDS UP TO 65,000 HERTZ
We have discussed this phenomenal hearing in other posts. I got excited when researching for this post, as one of my references said cats could hear electrical current. I researched further, and unfortunately, that is not true.
Because their ears are on top of their heads and swivel up to 180 degrees, they pick up sounds from all directions. They simply swivel their head toward the sound; then it funnels into those perfect hearing machines, their ears.
SOME CATS CAN SMELL CANCERS
In 2011, German researchers discovered that cancers produce an odor that animals can smell. There’s a story about a 52-year-old woman whose cat kept sitting on her right breast.
She finally went to see her doctor, and he discovered a cancerous lump in her breast about the size of a pea. If it had not been diagnosed, her life would have ended. She credits her cat for finding the problem.
A CAT’S PURR CAN HELP GET RID OF A MIGRAINE
Just lie down with your purring cat, and let the steady rhythm of that wonderful sound get rid of the pain. Often a cat will know when you don’t feel well, and curl up next to you to help relieve stress.
Resting together not only relieves stress, but it can lower blood pressure. You may lose your headache without having to take medication.
SOME CATS CAN PREDICT DEATH
Oscar, a cat who lived in a Rhode Island hospice, visited patients and family members on a daily basis. The staff noticed that he would curl up on a bed of a patient, and that patient would often die within a few days after Oscar napped with them.
Staff felt it was no coincidence. Oscar might have been especially attracted to a scent produced by someone in the process of dying, so the cat offered his comfort. Some animal behaviorists believe that cats like Oscar might have a psychic ability that we do not understand.
ANOTHER CAT TALENT: DETECTING EARTHQUAKES
Cats don’t have a monopoly on this one, as other animals also seem sensitive to the changes in the earth that signals an earthquake. You can find many stories of cats alerting their families to some danger that they sensed; later it proved to be an earthquake.
In Haicheng, China, before a 1975 earthquake, about 150,000 people were evacuated. Scismologists who gave their reasons for the evacuation said that unusual cat behaviors combined with seismic evidence gave them cause. Residents did not realize the danger.
Because the scientists paid attention to the cats, they saved many lives.
LEARN MORE FROM READING THIS WEBSITE
If you have read many posts on this website, you will realize that the information above includes only a few of a cat’s amazing talents. Read about their senses, and how they compare to ours. Study the ways they use various body parts to communicate with us.
Keep a record of the things you observe your cat doing, and you could discover still more kitty talents. It’s too bad they become so uncooperative in a scientific study, as I’m sure there’s still a lot to learn about this little animal.
However, over time I’m sure our knowledge about our feline friends will grow, and eventually perhaps we will understand exactly how a cat operates. Meanwhile, enjoy your kitty and marvel at his accomplishments.
References I used for this post : kittentoob.com/20-special-abilities-show-smart-cats/ http://petmd.com/cat/behavior/4-facts-about-your-cats-brain http://vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/the-9-amazing-abilities-of-cats katzenworld.co.uk/2018/02/05/11-superpowers-make-cat-hero/ fearfreehappyhomes.com/feline-intelligence-how-your-cats-brain-works/
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