Dogs are trained to respond to commands. Cats are curious and good hunters. So, the endless argument of which animals are smarter, dogs or cats, was put to a neuroscientist, Suzana Herculano-Houzel, by PBS in April 2018. Her studies focus on neurons in the gray matter
Which Has More Nerves?
The renowned neuroscientist, Suzana Herculano-Houzel, studies animal intelligence by digging deep into the gray matter. She liquifies animal brains to count their neurons. The liquefaction is done to separate the free-floating nuclei, of neurons, for measuring in leading-edge research. The results are “brain soup.” With this, a researcher has a way to isolate the nuclei of neurons.
To explain, the sending and processing of data or information throughout the central nervous system occur with neurons. Suzane Herculano-Houzel’s tactic is to puree a subject’s brains and count the neurons. As a result of her approach, she proves dogs have twice as many as cats.
Her team counts the number of neurons in the wrinkly outer layer of the brain, the cortex. In her studies, she also compares the neuron counts between eight mammals.
The Results
Dogs possess twice as many neurons in the cortex as cats, or to clarify, 530 million versus 250 million. As a comparison, the human cortex contains 16 billion neurons. The scientist suggests smaller dog breeds also have a more significant number of neurons than felines. Above all, this implies that canines are far more capable.
The other mammals’ brains tested are providing surprises. For example, bears are neuron equivalent to cats. Animals with physically larger brains are not more intelligent, as theorized for years. Herculano-Houzel’s team proved this with analysis of hyena and lion, too. Ultimately, bigger is not better.
Research on the raccoons, those wily campground bandits, is stunning. It explains their crafty, determined behaviors. Surprisingly, the ratio of a raccoon’s neurons to brain size is on par with some primate brains. These imaginative little creatures are geniuses at problem-solving and finding food, said the researchers.
Startling for the scientists is the comparison between herbivores and their carnivore counterparts. Even with less energy for grazing, the neuron counts are relatively equal. This balance applies with a view of domesticated versus wild animals.
Answers
So, thinking brain size is the measure of intelligence to smartness is incorrect. Apparently, breeding nor evolution favors a species or body size for neuron count. Intelligence is available in multiple sized packages.
The answer as to which is smarter is the dog, from a scientific viewpoint. However, to be fair, people love their dogs and cats as a preference, and they adapt to a given family. Are you a dog lover, cat lover, or both?