Smartest Pet ?

[gdb]

Just read an article in the online Guardian.

It seems CATS are not as smart as their owners seem to think and may be "dumber" than DOGS. But then, as someone says on there, "Dogs have owners, cats have staff!" Which I thought - as a person owned by a cat - was very true.

But the article made me wonder - what 'pet' is the smartest?

For my money, the pet RAT is just about the most intelligent animal on earth.

Of course others may know different...

[StripyPixieSocks]

Parrots... hands down in my humble opinion.

Also Corvids: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8023295.stm

Any animal that can formulate and use tools are winners in my book!

[Derry]

Rats defo, the last few we had learnt how to open their cage =]

Our cats are well stupid.. but at the same time not. But yes, they defo do have staff

[RobHed]

Our back door has a catflap in it, and when the door is open our cat STILL comes in through the catflap. How daft is that ?

[sleepyowl]

I would sday rat also. My cats are really quite stupid.

[mrsflibble]

guineapigs are not at all in the running for smartest pet, but they are fluffy and adorable...

[gdb]

Looked after a guinea pig once.

It was like looking after a cushion!

[MuddyWitch]

Pigs are pretty bright, but would you class summat that you are going to eat as a pet? Hummmm

MW

[Annpan]

I used to think my Cat was dumb, 'till I got chickens... my lord, Cat looks like she could be on the verge of splitting the atom in comparison.

No, I think an animal that manages to control it's keepers so well (let me in, let me out miaow - get me food miaow - I want to play paw,paw - etc) spends most of its day sleeping but every now and then decides to show off by bounding onto a 6 foot fence with the greatest of ease... Cat's are definitely have their priorities right.

Whereas my next door neighbour can't stop their dog from eating it's own (and everything else's) fecal matter.

IMO between cats and dogs, cats win hands down.

[Millymollymandy]

I used to think my Cat was dumb, 'till I got chickens... my lord, Cat looks like she could be on the verge of splitting the atom in comparison.

No, I think an animal that manages to control it's keepers so well (let me in, let me out miaow - get me food miaow - I want to play paw,paw - etc) spends most of its day sleeping but every now and then decides to show off by bounding onto a 6 foot fence with the greatest of ease... Cat's are definitely have their priorities right.

Whereas my next door neighbour can't stop their dog from eating it's own (and everything else's) fecal matter.

IMO between cats and dogs, cats win hands down.

That wins my Post of the Month award.

[sleepyowl]

Just because cats are selfish doesn't mean that they are intelligent just look at the Hollywood it girls, case & point.

Any animal that roles over to be stroked ending up with them falling down the stairs or off the washing machine, gets his head stuck in a cookie bag, falls in a bath full of water because he is playing with the bubbles, does a kamkazi dash for your feet as you are walking through the door whilst you are carrying laundry and eats half a christmas tree is not intelligent

[Cloud]

Our back door has a catflap in it, and when the door is open our cat STILL comes in through the catflap. How daft is that ?

Our cats appear to loose all understanding of cat flaps and how they work when you are in the room, and we have to open the door for them. Then, late at night when you're trying to sleep they in and out of it, ka-clunk ka-clunk, every five few minutes.

A lot of what makes a dog appear intelligent is its training (applies to humans too I think) and instinct. I've never owned a dog, so I can say for sure but I'm not that convinced that dogs are that much more intelligent than cats.

Cats will learn for themselves (like how to open a door), they just can't be bothered most of the time. They can be very patient, and very lazy, mostly preferring to wait until the door is opened for them. is that lack of intelligence?

[Derry]

Cats will learn for themselves (like how to open a door), they just can't be bothered most of the time. They can be very patient, and very lazy, mostly preferring to wait until the door is opened for them. is that lack of intelligence?

nah, its a 'you think im ganna open that when i have you to do it for me?' thing. our old cat, she was left pawed, so couldnt open the living room door =[ but her brother could, and she'd just lie there looking at him as if to say 'how dyu do that?!' cute ^-^

[Annpan]

Any animal that roles over to be stroked ending up with them falling down the stairs or off the washing machine, gets his head stuck in a cookie bag, falls in a bath full of water because he is playing with the bubbles, does a kamkazi dash for your feet as you are walking through the door whilst you are carrying laundry and eats half a christmas tree is not intelligent

It is clearly all an elaborate ruse so that we think they're daft, and don't suspect them when pieces of cheese go missing from a closed fridge.

[wolfsong]

a couple of friends have a Pharaoh Hound (yet again spelling ), that dog is probably the smartest animal I have met. Some people think an animal like a chimp is smart, but most of it's down to natural conditioning... an animal with opposable thumbs is made to make tools and stuff. But this dog has got a scientific mind... observe humans do something, work out how they do it, and then do it ... oping doors, its cage/bed (despite it being one that 'can't' be opened... cupboards...