Love Animals

Bust

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Dogs have been invaluable to humans, used in war time as messenger dogs, guard/patrol dogs, mining dogs etc. We have dogs commonly used as police dogs and in search and rescue and as service dogs for a variety of different purposes such as guide dogs, hearing dogs, seizure alert dogs, diabetic alert dogs, and allergy detection dogs. They're also used for mobility assistance and even autism and psychiatric support. You're not finding any cat that can provide all these services a dog can or even just a very small percentage of these services that dogs are capable of.

tru dat

no cat can pull this off . . . WOW! Complete loyalty, thought his master was drowning
 

ijustposthere

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:ROFLMAO: Edgelord, I like that much more than contrarian.

Your posts usually make a lot of sense but there's always that 1 or 2 claims that are completely inaccurate. There has never been a study that says cats have more neurons than dogs. It's nothing that is just guessed at. The neurons are actually counted in the brains of deceased dogs, cats and animals that have passed away and been donated to science. It is a plain simple fact that dogs have more than twice the amount of cats.

I think the study you are trying to remember is an earlier one that actually was more of just an estimate and said cats had greater "neuron density", but that's only cause their brains are much smaller than dogs and the more current science says density is of no matter as it is the total absolute number of neurons an animal has, especially in the cerebral cortex, that determines their degree of intellect and range of capabilities. Dogs also had more neurons than any other of the other omnivores studied, even more than those with much bigger brains. Science has also shown their brains have been growing bigger as compared to their ancestors.

It is all to say dogs have the biological capability of doing much more complex and flexible things with their lives than cats. It all makes perfect sense if you think of all the things dogs can and have been trained to do. Think of the different breads that have been bred to perform certain tasks so as it's an innate thing with that breed.

Dogs have been invaluable to humans, used in war time as messenger dogs, guard/patrol dogs, mining dogs etc. We have dogs commonly used as police dogs and in search and rescue and as service dogs for a variety of different purposes such as guide dogs, hearing dogs, seizure alert dogs, diabetic alert dogs, and allergy detection dogs. They're also used for mobility assistance and even autism and psychiatric support. You're not finding any cat that can provide all these services a dog can or even just a very small percentage of these services that dogs are capable of.
As usual, you completely missed the point, which was there are studies that are skewed one way or the other depending on the source. They're pretty much similar intelligence. Not to mention most of this post has to do with the fact that dogs have been domesticated and bred to be compatible with humans for far longer than cats, which are still relatively feral. So it's easier for dogs and humans to read each others cues. We tend to misread cats because we try to treat them like dogs.

Dogs have a higher social intelligence than cats because they are pack hunters, it's how they survive. A dog exiled from the pack is going to die. Cats have been proven to have higher spatial awareness and better problem solving skills because they generally hunt by stealth & ambush. Dogs seek approval from the tribe, and is willing to do whatever for that approval. Cats seek food. You can teach a cat to rob a bank if you give it a treat. Basically, a cat is better at doing cat things, and a dog is better at doing dog things. It's not like a dolphin compared to a hamster.

Honestly, until I got a cat, I thought the same as you. I didn't even think I'd really like this little SOB. Figured he'd just sit off in the corner, but dude follows me everywhere like a fucking dog. Maybe I just got lucky.
 
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Warrior Spirit

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As usual, you completely missed the point, which was there are studies that are skewed one way or the other depending on the source. They're pretty much similar intelligence. Not to mention most of this post has to do with the fact that dogs have been domesticated and bred to be compatible with humans for far longer than cats, which are still relatively feral. So it's easier for dogs and humans to read each others cues. We tend to misread cats because we try to treat them like dogs.

Dogs have a higher social intelligence than cats because they are pack hunters, it's how they survive. A dog exiled from the pack is going to die. Cats have been proven to have higher spatial awareness and better problem solving skills because they generally hunt by stealth & ambush. Dogs seek approval from the tribe, and is willing to do whatever for that approval. Cats seek food. You can teach a cat to rob a bank if you give it a treat. Basically, a cat is better at doing cat things, and a dog is better at doing dog things. It's not like a dolphin compared to a hamster.

Honestly, until I got a cat, I thought the same as you. I didn't even think I'd really like this little SOB. Figured he'd just sit off in the corner, but dude follows me everywhere like a fucking dog. Maybe I just got lucky.
I think it's you who missed the point. Dogs can be trained to do all these things a cat never could. They've been far more useful to humans. There's such a wide range of skills they are capable of. They can be trained to do just about anything. Yeah, dogs have been domesticated for longer but cats have still been domesticated for thousands of years so let's not act like they're new at this. And, ok pal, you're not going to train a cat to rob a bank. ?

Not trying to say cats are completely stupid but they are not as easily trained as dogs nor anywhere near it. They mostly just rather keep to themselves. I know many cat owners and I'd say you're more of an outlier whereas you're able to interact with your cat more.

Think of recall and memory type skills too. You can call a dog to come and it always will. Cats are much more isolated and aloof with humans. You can also see it when these type animals are separated from their humans for long periods of time. If a cat sees you after not seeing you for weeks or months, it's more likely to run away than recognize you. Dogs can see owners they haven't seen in months or even years and still recognize them and that is undeniably shown by the level of excitement they show.

The only real draw of cats as pets, rather than dogs, is they require virtually nothing but a litter box and bowl of food from humans. Dogs are more reliant on their owners and look to them for leadership. You can certainly find those type that could be trusted to stay home by themselves most of the day without wrecking your home but they definitely require more human companionship than cats and are likely going to choose 1 person of the house to connect with more so than others.
 

ijustposthere

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@Spartan Training a cat to rob a bank is obviously hyperbole. Not to mention, most of the training/working you mention vastly depends on the breed of dog. We're generally talking about highly intelligent breeds like shepherds and collies, who I'd easily put above any house cat breed (though I know little about specific cat breeds). There's a reason you aren't seeing bulldogs doing the same type of tasks.

It's funny, because cats have also been proven to have a better memory than dogs. And the only reason they'd run from you after not seeing you is because they aren't bonded to you. Mine comes out an hour before I get home and waits for me in the window. My uncle's cat used to wait for him on the corner, hated my aunt though. My buddy has two cats (and a mastiff), one cat prefers him, the other loves his son.

Cats were domesticated, but not the same way as dogs because their only job was to keep away rodents from food. They weren't even kept in the house. Most of the reason they seem more aloof and independent is because people try to train them as dogs. Train them like a cat and they will pick things up far quicker than most dogs. Like I said, maybe I got lucky, but my cat learns commands in a couple repetitions. And I have no issue calling him to me, but generally, a cat will ignore you without a reward. You're not understanding they have different motivations, and I'm not gonna keep repeating on why.

Honestly, until you actually have owned both, you're just speaking out of ignorance.
 

Warrior Spirit

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@Spartan Training a cat to rob a bank is obviously hyperbole. Not to mention, most of the training/working you mention vastly depends on the breed of dog. We're generally talking about highly intelligent breeds like shepherds and collies, who I'd easily put above any house cat breed (though I know little about specific cat breeds). There's a reason you aren't seeing bulldogs doing the same type of tasks.

It's funny, because cats have also been proven to have a better memory than dogs. And the only reason they'd run from you after not seeing you is because they aren't bonded to you. Mine comes out an hour before I get home and waits for me in the window. My uncle's cat used to wait for him on the corner, hated my aunt though. My buddy has two cats (and a mastiff), one cat prefers him, the other loves his son.

Cats were domesticated, but not the same way as dogs because their only job was to keep away rodents from food. They weren't even kept in the house. Most of the reason they seem more aloof and independent is because people try to train them as dogs. Train them like a cat and they will pick things up far quicker than most dogs. Like I said, maybe I got lucky, but my cat learns commands in a couple repetitions. And I have no issue calling him to me, but generally, a cat will ignore you without a reward. You're not understanding they have different motivations, and I'm not gonna keep repeating on why.

Honestly, until you actually have owned both, you're just speaking out of ignorance.
Yeah, I'm thinking you probably got lucky. Have had a couple cats before while growing up but never saw them to be on the same level as dogs. Honestly don't know much about the different cat breeds myself. I'm sure there are those who connect more with humans than others but even just speaking of your average cats and mutts, in general, think dogs are just so much more diverse, intuitive and eager to please and can even figure things out easier than cats. That want to please makes dogs more easily motivated and there's just a ton more things they can do as mentioned before. Cats have nothing close to the repertoire of dogs.

Come to think of it though, the dogs I've had over the years have been of those breeds people would recognize as being the smarter breeds. Had a couple of German Shepherds during childhood. I remember a time a neighborhood collie went mad and attacked every dog that was left outside in the neighborhood. Back then, people had no issues leaving their dogs tied up on long leads in their yards. The attacks ended when he got to ours though. Have also had labs and a Golden Retriever since, both intelligent breeds.

Now we have a husky mix and a labradoodle. The husky came with some serious issues as he was rescued by us after being in a kill shelter and having his teeth shaved down. Was very wary of men, in general, and bothered by loud noises and such. Makes for a good guard dog as he'll sound the alert when anyone's anywhere close to the house. Wouldn't attack a person though, still kind of wary of them, but has an aggressive enough bark that could scare them away and has no qualms about attacking other aggressive dogs as my wife found out when taking him to the dog park before. He doesn't go there anymore unless I take him. The Labradoodle loves everyone but migrates more towards me. He has 100% recall with me but not so much the others and, unlike the husky, cannot be left alone. He'll rip shit up and plays too rough with that other dog. LMAO. Very smart dog though. I give them bottled water and when he's thirsty, he'll go grab a bottle out of the case and hopefully someone will see him do it and pour it into his bowl before he opens it himself and gets it all over the place. He's very good at communicating at what he wants and responds to commands real well when focused. Better with that than the husky but it's not cause huskies aren't as smart, they just don't give a fuck. Both are real driven by food though so can get either one to do just about anything you want with food rewards.
 
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Urblock

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Yeah, I'm thinking you probably got lucky. Have had a couple cats before while growing up but never saw them to be on the same level as dogs. Honestly don't know much about the different cat breeds myself. I'm sure there are those who connect more with humans than others but even just speaking of your average cats and mutts, in general, think dogs are just so much more diverse, intuitive and eager to please and can even figure things out easier than cats. That want to please makes dogs more easily motivated and there's just a ton more things they can do as mentioned before. Cats have nothing close to the repertoire of dogs.

Come to think of it though, the dogs I've had over the years have been of those breeds people would recognize as being the smarter breeds. Had a couple of German Shepherds during childhood. I remember a time a neighborhood collie went mad and attacked every dog that was left outside in the neighborhood. Back then, people had no issues leaving their dogs tied up on long leads in their yards. The attacks ended when he got to ours though. Have also had labs and a Golden Retriever since, both intelligent breeds.

Now we have a husky mix and a labradoodle. The husky came with some serious issues as he was rescued by us after being in a kill shelter and having his teeth shaved down. Was very wary of men, in general, and bothered by loud noises and such. Makes for a good guard dog as he'll sound the alert when anyone's anywhere close to the house. Wouldn't attack a person though, still kind of wary of them, but has an aggressive enough bark that could scare them away and has no qualms about attacking other aggressive dogs as my wife found out when taking him to the dog park before. He doesn't go there anymore unless I take him. The Labradoodle loves everyone but migrates more towards me. He has 100% recall with me but not so much the others and, unlike the husky, cannot be left alone. He'll rip shit up and plays too rough with that other dog. LMAO. Very smart dog though. I give them bottled water and when he's thirsty, he'll go grab a bottle out of the case and hopefully someone will see him do it and pour it into his bowl before he opens it himself and gets it all over the place. He's very good at communicating at what he wants and responds to commands real well when focused. Better with that than the husky but it's not cause huskies aren't as smart, they just don't give a fuck. Both are real driven by food though so can get either one to do just about anything you want with food rewards.
You are insane. Seek help.
 

Warrior Spirit

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You are insane. Seek help.
I'm insane for being the only sane one who recognizes the obvious facts that dogs are smarter than cats and have been of far more use to man than the cats?

Oh, brother.

What this country needs is another holiday to celebrate man's best friend!
 

KittiesKorner

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go find your kindred asshole
 

BearFanJohn

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I'm insane for being the only sane one who recognizes the obvious facts that dogs are smarter than cats and have been of far more use to man than the cats?

Oh, brother.

What this country needs is another holiday to celebrate man's best friend!

Stop digging.
 

Warrior Spirit

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@Spartan thinks all dogs are border collies and german shepherds and thinks dogs are smarter because they delivered letters like pigeons.
You act like they're all well below those dogs, most commonly thought of as of the smartest, and they're not. It's all perception and the studies that counted the neurons were not seeking the breeds believed to be the smartest. All breeds were mutts. Even the labradoodles have been used as guide dogs. Any breed of dog can be trained to be a service dog.

Then you do what defeated people do and try to minimize their usefulness to man by pretending they've just been used as carrier pigeons. Weird when anyone of average intellect knows they've been used to do dozens of important jobs. That's weak, bro.
 
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ijustposthere

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You act like they're all well below those dogs, most commonly thought of as of the smartest, and they're not. It's all perception and the studies that counted the neurons were not seeking the breeds believed to be the smartest. All breeds were mutts. Even the labradoodles have been used as guide dogs. Any breed of dog can be trained to be a service dog.

Then you do what defeated people do and try to minimize their usefulness to man by pretending they've just been used as carrier pigeons. Weird when anyone of average intellect knows they've been used to do dozens of important jobs. That's weak, bro.
Cool story bro. Yeah, you're not gonna find many pekingese being service dogs. There's just no point in arguing with you because you misunderstand the simplest points in an effort to get the last word in, and everyone just ends up repeating themselves.
 
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Warrior Spirit

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Cool story bro. Yeah, you're not gonna find many pekingese being service dogs. There's no point in arguing with you because you misunderstand the simplest points in an effort to get the last word in, and everyone just ends up repeating themselves.
Isn't it you who misunderstood the simplest points as I merely stated the obvious, that dogs, in general, have been shown to be smarter and far more useful than cats, in general. OOOOOOOOh, but you can get your cat to sit so all cats are as smart as dogs even though science says otherwise. LMAO

There you go again, mentioning 1 breed that makes up less than 1% of the dog population and acting like it is representative of all dogs. Weak, bro, but the pekingese was actually bred to be tiny guard dogs in palaces.
 

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