Intelligent Pets

I agree animals are quite intelligent, expecially when they want something. My cat can hear the canopener from the other side of the house and out of a sound sleep. He can open every door in the house, and has opened the door for the dog to come inside.

My pets are smarter than me. That's the problem, lol. Saturday night we had a few tornadoes in the area. The wind got up and the power went off and I told my Mom and husband "lets get in the hallway" (the safest place we have in a tornado). Well my dogs all ran and sat down in the hall too. It was kind of funny if it hadn't been so serious at the time.

It's kind of strange how people do see animals as having way lower intelligence than us. I have 2 cats and i've seen them out smart me a couple of times! My cat Fry (named after the guy Fry on Futurama) can outsmart my husband after doing something bad. He knows my husbands normal route of chase attack and can head him off at certian points and escape! Actually i think my cat rather enjoys the chase... He also is incredibly gentle with our 19 month old baby girl. He understands when she is upset and will either try to entice her into playing or go and cuddle on her, maybe give her a kiss on the head, to make her feel better. I think he has really taken a liking to her! Your cats sound adorable! Lucky for me, mine havent figured how to open the cabinets yet!

Hi wooitsmolly, Your cats are obviously smart - they trained you to feed them, didn't they? I've seen some pretty smart cats in my time - but each one is different with a unique personality too. They're all quite individual. I have a bias against cats because they are instinctive killers and generally slaughter every cute little furry or feathered thing that they lay eyes upon, even if they're not hungry. But even that has exceptions - my family has had a few cats that were as placid as lambs and seriously wouldn't hurt a fly even if it came and landed on their nose. Those cases also seemed to be the most intelligent feline specimens that I'd ever seen. One in particular figured out how to open the back screen door to the house when it was just a tiny kitten, on the very first day that its mother brought it out to show off to everyone. As for how smart animals can be, I think they can be very smart indeed - way more so than Western tradition would have us believe. Most dogs can acquire a vocabulary of a couple hundred words, so that they can understand full well what people are saying to them or about them. But I believe pigs are about the smartest domestic mammal around - smarter than a chimpanzee, anyway. And there are a variety of bird species which are also exceptionally intelligent - including crows, ravens, magpies, currawongs, parrots and cockatoos. All of these birds are damn smart - about equal to a 4 year old human child, generally speaking. The really good thing about the parrots and cockatoos is that not only can they learn a substantial vocabulary if someone takes the time to teach them, they can also articulate their thoughts as well. So people who have a pet parrot can and do engage in meaningful conversations with them. My Dad used to get into arguments with his pet budgie over what they were going to have for breakfast - the budgie would sit on the edge of the breakfast plate and share breakfast with him. Horses aren't really renowned for being too smart, but the smartest horse I ever saw learned how to line-dance and took part in the annual Country Music Festival line dancing at Tam-bloody-worth. The horse's owners taught the horse the same way that they taught other members of the family - they just told the horse how to do it, and the horse joined in with them. And apparently this horse was never ridden - it goes for walks with the rest of the family like a pet dog. On the subject of speaking animals, I've seen a dog that could speak English sentences - for example, it would clearly say "I want it" when offered food by it's owner (at least, more clearly than Scooby Doo). It couldn't quite get its tongue around the hard "t" sounds, but there was no mistaking what was being said. Another well-known example of animal smarts is the sheep trained to be a sheep-dog (or a sheep-sheep, I guess). I've seen and read about a few cases of this being done - and it demonstrates that sheep really aren't as dumb as they seem, they just don't usually have to show it.

That has to be the cutest thing. You have GOT to get a video of that moonwalk. I am cutting and pasting this from I response I made yesterday to another discussion: As for your question, I once had a dog that would take things from me just to be facetious. I was a teenager at the time and I enjoyed doing homework and other things while sitting on the floor. My dog would come and move things just out of my reach like a notebook or a pen by moving it with his nose. Or when I would be doing laundry he would come take just one item out of the basket and carry it to the end of the hall and leave it. It was the funniest thing and I would laugh my head off. Dogs are so sensitive to our feelings.... I swear sometimes he would do it when I needed to laugh the most. I believed that dog was very intelligent and a bit intuitive.

I think there are times when animals are dumb but there are also times when animals are really smart,our cat will sit there and paw at a door until it opens so she can get into where she wants.

Two of our cats learned how to open the internal house doors by jumping up and swinging on the handle and I saw one cat trick my mother into getting up from the chair that the cat wanted to get on. She (the cat) went to the door as though she wanted to go out and then when my mother got up to let her out, the cat dashed back and jumped up onto the chair and was comfortably curled up by the time my mother got back. Needless to say she promptly chucked the cheeky feline off

I don't have any pets now but the pets I have had in the past convinced me animals are far from being dumb. The dog that my husband and I had years ago was very intelligent. My husband and I and my son and Fluffy would go for long rides on our days that we had free. Well, this one particular drive my husband got agitated with Fluffy and made the remark to him that it he didn't stop his nonsense he would be left behind. Well, we all got in the car and didn't really pay attention to the fact that Fluffy wasn't in the car. All of a sudden my son made the comment that look Dad Fluffy is beating it down the path behind the car. Well my husband stopped and Fluffy got in the car and let me tell you something whenever my husband got out of the car, Fluffy would get out of the car if my husband climbed back in the car--you guessed it Fluffy climbed back in the car. There were so many things that Fluffy did that there was no doubt in my mind that animals are intelligient. Look at the programs on television that show a animal saving a person. There is proof all around us.

My cat does the same thing we keep the toliet paper under the sink in the bathroom, he opens the door and gets it out and shreds it in the floor. we have a pekingese and I swear it can understand just what you telling him. He is the smartest animal I have ever seen, I will go in the bedroom and tell him now you watch daddy and don't let him come in here and he will lay in front of the door and if my hubby tries to come in he will bite him. When hubby goes to the store or out someplace he will tell him now you watch mommy till I get back and he will lay in front of the door till he returns. I had to laugh I have a pair of slippers that has ears and looks like a rabbit with big eyes. I put them on and came out into the living room and he went wild, he had to have them slippers and he beat them on the floor like he was killing them. When he wants water he will go to the sink and bark till you get up and get him some. And if the phone ringing he will run to the bedroom barking like hey this thing ringing, same thing with someone coming to the door, he runs to the bedroom barking and if I don't get up he runs back barking like come on. animals are really smart and my daughter brought a big bunch of flowers for mother's day yesterday. I put them in water and set them on the table, well Mr. Kitty found them he was up on the table and when he seen that if he put his paw on them they moved, he was swatting them flower petals was just a flying. I could not get rid of my dog no matter what, after the hurricane we was in a motel room where some of the people was just letting their dogs tear up every thing and we was told we would have to get rid of the dogs to stay. i left my daughter sent my son after me. My dog is like having a 2 year old, but he is good he has never torn up any thing in the house. It will be the same as losing a child if something happens to him. Glad to see you still here and keeping things going.

Sometimes before I go to walk my dog i'll turn on the outside light. Well, I guess I wasn't moving fast enough one day because my dog put his front paws on the table and turned the light on for me! it was freaking awesome! lol he still does it sometimes too. it's cute I think my dog is pretty smart. The way he trys to use his paws sometimes you'd think he was human.

Its been a long time since I lived where I could have a pet. but when I was in my twenties I worked at a hospital about forty miles from my home on the farm. I would take a bus home on the weekend and get off the bus at the highway and our own little road leading into our farm. My dog Pat seemed to know just when that bus came by and would fuss til my mom let her out. When I got off the bus to walk the quarter mile to our house,here 'would come my dog Pat and always she would meet me' half way home. she would then run in circles around me til I would stoop and pet her, then she proudly would escort me the rest of the way home. She never failed once and we all wondered how she knew when that bus would come as it was not always on time,but she did know. She lived to be twenty years old and finally was in such poor health she had to be put down I cried and cried because she was always one of my best friends.

animals are always smart, more like street smarts because they live on instincts to survive, especially the wilder version who have to live on the wild streets to survive. but the domesticated animals are spoiled and pampered like little babies and are enjoying the human life. even though my adopted cat is spoiled indoor cat, he still likes to explore the townhouse, open cupboards, snoop through my closets, under beds, inside boxes and containers, checking everything out like a private eye looking for something but not really finding anything, just having fun exploring. but his favorite places are the window seats, couch and my bed. i always thought all my pets are smart...they even look at me like they are trying to communicate with me in their own way..then i play 20 questions with them trying to figure out what they are trying to say..charades animal style...ongoing game at my house...i think Gumby is winning... people just think animals are dumb because animals are smaller than them like their kids and some sick people like to push them around and mess with them because they can handle them, rather messing with someone their own size where they can actually get beat up...some humans are just plain chicken sh**!

cats are brilliant. but some are smarter than others. just like some people are smarter than others. this is how it goes. human, monkey, cat , dog. cats are smarter than dogs, sorry dog lovers. i saw my cat today and she was so happy, she sences that i'm going to find a home for us really soon, so she won't have to be in my mother's garage. i brushed her, gave her creme played ball with her. set up a special bed with MY martha stewart pillows, sigh , vacuumed and cleaned and she was helping me out. she has forgiven me for becoming homeless and living far away in motels because nobody will rent me an apt and there is no room for me any where, and she knows this. there has been an invasion of illegals, and everything got too expensive. it's not america anymore where i.m at. so. ca. i come from a bad family, had bad husbands, and now in a very bad postion, but very shortly i'll be fine. i love my cat she makes me happy . but beware she is really really mean and trusts no one. she knows what has happened to us. she is a master ratter, and mouser and birder and gets into fights w/ other females. it's cat season now. she loves having male company tho. next door to her there are 27 cats, so she likes her territory. cats are very very territorial, they become emotionally upset if they are moved away from a place they love. dogs can be moved anywhere. not cats. btw, they love opening caboinets and hiding in there, it's one of their favorite things. they are mountain lions, that like to hide, and to climb. some go on the roof.

I think most animals are as smart or smarter than a lot of humans. Dogs will run into danger to protect it's human alot quicker than a human will put their life on the line. Dogs are can learn to let a diabetic know when they are about to have adverse glucose situation, they are many peoples eyes and never leads them into danger. They can hear for the deaf and protect children from a multitude of dangers while they are outside at play,they can find help when you can't do it for yourself. They use pet therapy to lower blood pressure and help relive anxity. Their services are used very effectivly to assist with chores on ranches and farms.

I don`t have any pet but as they are living creature with a brain I am sure they can memorize or learn techniques they can use when they face a specific situation...

Let's face it, our pets have a warm place to sleep, free food, medical care, loving and petting, exercise, their own beds, permission to sleep where they want (at least in my house) a chauffeur, a limo without having to pay for it, a house-again without having to pay for it, treats, back scratches, no chores, no gardening duties, and they don't have to work...and we call our companion animals dumb. Makes you think doesn't it??(LOL) They come up with the tricks to keep us amused so that we will continue to pet and love them...which we would do even if they didn't do the amusing stunts that keep us entertained. I love my herd of companions but I get amused at the fact that I am the one that takes care of them and they just kick back and purr or snuggle close and bark occasionally to keep me happy. I think that's why I love animals as much as I do, because they allow us to think that they are "dumb", yet they have us doing things for them. Don't get the idea that I am dissing animals- I am always in awe and deep respect for the creatures entrusted to my care and wouldn't be without a companion animal in my life.

I've always had animals around and always known that they are far more intelligent than humans. Cats train their owners to obey their every whim and if we don't respond as expected are very quick to 'shout' about it! Who can refuse to find the tin-opener when they start 'meowing'? I've never met one yet that couldn't open a door or two! Dogs use emotional blackmail on us! I'm sure they are born with the instincts to know that most humans can't resist a soulful face. If not born with it, they learn it pretty quick. My dog certainly knows I'll forgive her almost anything, if she looks guilty enough! She also is very good at playing the clown and grinning at me to get attention! She occasionally allows me to think I'm Alpha, but we both know the truth. My cats have taught her other tricks and she them, and if they want a door opening between the two cats and the dog, one of them will know how to do it. Only locked doors are safe in this house!!! So OK they don't know the square root of 49 or Einsteins theories or even that 1 + 1 = 2 but they don't need to! I don't know the first two either and I'm no longer sure about number 3!

I agree that animals are really clever. I used to have a cat. When she tried to get something to eat from the table, she sat there and pretend to be calm. While we warn her from time to time, she just turn her head aside. And then all of a sudden, she take her action and got the food. She also know how to tell us to open the door for her to go in and out. In summer, she enjoyed sleeping with us in the room with air conditioner. There are a lot more of this kind of things. She was just so smart!

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Maybe that is one of the reason why so many persons love cats:)