Are cats smarter than dogs?

C'mon - what contest is there? Cats are smarter! They got staff!

(Although mine DO let the side down somewhat by retrieving, coming when they are called, rushing to the door oto greet me and stuff like that..... )

i think dogs are smarter.

you can't find too many dogs who will let you pick it up by the tail, swing it round your head and then fling it.

or, stick it in a dryer to to see the static electricity stand the fur up. btw, if you throw a bounce sheet in for a bit, the static will go away. not that i know any of these things first hand..........

Dogs eat cats. Don't know what that means. My dog and cat get on just fine - though both would be embarassed if you saw them gettin' on just fine!

(listing pueo for termination with extreme prejudice......)

You can tell a dog to do something. You can put a suggestion to a cat as a reasonable proposition

I think dogs are smarter than cats in some ways and cats are smarter in others. For example: a dog will chase a skunk until the animal sprays it and you're left giving several tomato baths to doggie, while a cat knows better than to chase the skunk in the first place. Sure, a dog will do all kinds of cool tricks, but a cat is smart enough not too. I love all animals and feel that either a dog or cat can be man or womans best friend. They are both loving animals that can bring lots of joy to people.

I agree with Gezzy - kinda like comparing apples and oranges.

Er, is pueo really SkwerlX?

BBQ thread coming up!

Dogs think that they are human; cats think that they are God.

Incidentally you cat lovers I've noticed that dogs learn some things that are to their won benefit faster than cats do.

Cat learn what they want to learn..dogs learn whatever you teach them...shows some sort of intelligence there..dont it ?

really though...apples and oranges

I think the differences mentioned have a lot to do with the temperment and not the intellect. Cat's don't do tricks because they don't care to make us happy.

I think cats are more than willing to make us happy, just not at our whim
My cats do tricks but, mostly for their own enjoyment..I have nothing to do with it...am not part of the equasion, generally at least

I saw an hilarious video once. The guy with the camcorder was obviously standing a few feet from the back deck of the house, and the viewer could see that the screen had been removed from the screen door. A cat approached the door, sat down, and began mewling piteously. A woman entered the scene, stepped through the door, stepped back outside, stepped back in, and said: "Go on, honey . . ." The cat continued to mewl. Finally, the woman opened the door frame, and the cat trotted right out. Almost immediately, another cat appeared on the deck, sat down, and began crying to be let in. The woman repeated her exercise to demonstrate that the cat could walk right in, and the cat continued to cry. Finally, you hear the man (likely holding the camcorder) laugh, and tell her to let the cat in. She opens the door frame, and the cat trots in.

I rest my case.

Well theres just something wrong with those cats!!!
I think they are much like people, depending on how much education and possibilities of experiences in their lives depends on how intelligent they actually are. As cats though, they probably wouldnt let you know however...and Id say..good slaves to the story above..idiots..let the cats figure it out eventually they'll gie up hoping you'll serve their every whim..those are some smart cats with some silly owners.
Just my opinion...still its hysterical...I could see a cat doing that

YES!

Maybe cats are also less curious? And maybe that will make them figure things out at a slower rate than dogs?

I'm living with 4 cats now. The young one likes me to chase her and she'll run under the bed. Another cat runs but jumps on top of the bed and crouches. I catch her every time and I wonder if she's daft.

I have four dogs and two cats....two of the dogs are very large...an Irish Wolfhound and the largest retired racing greyhound I have ever seen. The other two dogs are Border Terriers. Guess who rules? Yes, the cats rule this household because they are intimidated by two 7-10 pound kitties! The cats don't have claws, but they know how to use their intelligence to keep the dogs in their place. Both the dogs and cats are smart...and my cats do try to please. Why just the other day, one brought me a choice piece of a mouse and laid it at my feet! And they do some herding too...when I am at the computer at night and they want me to go to bed, they actually sit at my feet and tell me to get going upstairs to bed. As soon as I get up out of my chair, they are at my side directing me up the stairs with their meows!

Perhaps it is the amount of attention you give to your animals that determines just how they respond and how advanced their learning development. With my dogs I find the brighter the are, the less they want to do what they consider "silly obedience" tricks for me. They will do the basics, but they do not want to jump hoops and work for advanced Utility Dog degrees!