The Implications of Dogs Being Smarter Than Cats

You think cats are smarter than dogs? Really?!

Okay cat lovers, let's face it, dogs are just a lot smarter than cats. This isn't what I think; it's what research shows. And the insight offered by this research reveals a path that we should also walk.

Researchers at Oxford University say dogs are much more intelligent than cats, and the reason why they have become so is their social nature. Intra-species evolution is not a controversial topic (one species evolving into another is where the controversy lies.) And according to these Oxford researchers the fossil record shows unmistakable signs of a greater degree of brain-size growth for social creatures than for non-social creatures. According to their study the brains of monkeys, dolphins and dogs have grown the most and they are categorized as social creatures. Cats are categorized--surprise!--as non-social creatures, and guess where they rank? They keep company with other dimwitted, anti-social species like rhinos.

Cats aren't social, and that is why dog-people can't understand cat-people. Most cats are smug creatures who would rather develop a crop of fur-balls by licking themselves than spend time with a human. Dogs are the exact opposite. They enjoy interacting with humans and have developed the ability to be trained to conduct all sorts of activities. Have you ever seen a seeing-eye cat? Pity the blind person who follows this creature. How about a drug-sniffing calico? Based on the odor of the homes of reclusive cat ladies I must conclude that cats have no sense of smell. As for understanding words, fuhgettaboutit. A paper published in "Science" described how a Border Collie named Rico had a vocabulary of over 200 words. Cats, on the other hand, suffer from logophobia, an intense fear of words, because if they knew them they might inadvertently respond to them and become useful.

We can learn a great lesson from dogs. Socialize with a greater intelligence and your intelligence will be radically improved. This is one of the purposes behind going to a University. It is also one of the great truths concealed in the words of Jesus, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher" (Lk 6:40). By socializing with the teacher and submitting to their training we are improved to the point where we resemble the teacher.

The intelligence of God is infinitely greater than ours, and yet He enjoys our company and seeks it. If we would better ourselves, become wiser, develop a deeper understanding of this world and all that's in it, then we need to socialize more with God through prayer and meditating on His words that are found in the Bible. The Apostle Paul advised us to pray without ceasing. If he were alive today, and living in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago, then I am certain Paul would have been a dog person.