Japanese scientists have questioned the idea that dogs are more intelligent than cats.
According to the researchers, in certain memory-related experiments, cats performed just as well as dogs. They say that cats can be just as intelligent as dogs.
The study involved 49 domestic cats and found that cats remember pleasant experiences, such as their favorite food. This ability had previously been observed in dogs and is known as “episodic memory” or “sequential memory.”
On the other hand, humans consciously try to remember events that happen in their lives, such as what they had for breakfast, their first day at work, or a wedding in the family.
These memories are linked to individual events, which is why they are unique to each person.
Kyoto University psychologist Saho Takagi says that, like dogs, cats also remember past experiences, indicating that they possess episodic memory similar to humans.
Speaking to the BBC, Saho Takagi said, “One interesting speculation is that they may also enjoy memories of their experiences, just like humans.”
In the research, experiments were conducted on all 49 cats to test their ability to remember their food bowls. During these experiments, it was observed whether, after a 15-minute interval, they could remember which bowl they had eaten from and which one they had not yet touched.
Scientists found that cats remember information such as “what” and “where” in relation to the food bowls.
According to the researchers, cats can remember things for much longer than the duration of the experiment.
They believe that cats are equal to dogs in many intelligence tests, including responding to human cues, facial expressions, and emotions.
Saho Takagi added, “Understanding cats better will help build a stronger relationship between them and humans.”