It’s something many owners may wonder from time to time – just how much does my cat really understand?
The answer is – a lot!
But while cats are undoubtedly sharp of mind, it’s not a case of measuring IQ in the same way we may with humans, explains Cats Protection behaviourist Daniel Warren-Cummings.
How smart are cats?
Whether it’s learning to open a cupboard, turning up bang on time for dinner, or working out the most effective way to wake their sleeping owner, cats can clearly learn all sorts of tricks and skills throughout their life.
But while all this may fill their owner’s heart with pride, learned behaviour is not necessarily an indication of how clever a cat is.
Even in humans, measuring intelligence is a complex, subjective and philosophical concept, with many factors to consider. It’s also a very human idea – and it’s important not to assume we can analyse animals in the same way as we do humans.
How well do cats learn?
Learning is a universal concept across all species, including cats and humans. And just as in humans, cats have the capacity to learn all sorts of things, as long as the conditions are right.
All species learn through a process called operant conditioning where we repeat things that lead to rewards and avoid things which lead to unpleasant consequences.
When we think of cats doing something like tapping our faces to wake us up, we may think of that as them being clever. That may be true, but they’ve learned that behaviour because they know that the consequence is that you’ll eventually wake up and give them a fuss or even feed them – and that’s the reward.
Some cats may never need to learn that behaviour, perhaps because their owner is always awake early to feed them anyway, or they’re locked out of the bedroom at night. It doesn’t mean they’re less smart than other cats, it just means they haven’t needed to or been given the opportunity to learn how that behaviour leads to being fed.
Cat instinct or intelligence?
In evolutionary terms, cats are a huge success, and this is largely down to how well they’ve learned to incorporate their natural behaviours into modern life.
You could call it intelligence, or you could call it instinct, but the fact is that cats are such a successful species because they’ve learned how to take such good care of themselves.
Domestic cats have descended from the African Wildcat, and we only have to observe our pet cats for a few minutes to see how many behaviours they still share with wild cats.
Scratching, for example, is a natural behaviour which keeps cats’ claws sharp and healthy – ready to be used in hunting or defending themselves against aggressors. Fluffing up their fur to make themselves seem bigger is another rather clever trick that our own pet cats will still deploy if they feel threatened.
If you watch a domestic cat playing, you’ll be able to observe all their natural hunting instincts at work. These actions – like stalking, hiding, pouncing – are actually very impressive and certainly could be described as very highly-skilled and intelligent.
While domestic cats no longer need to rely on skills such as hunting techniques to survive, they have learned to put them to good use in other ways.
Through operant conditioning, domestic cats have used their natural skills and behaviours to adapt to how they live today. So whereas they may have used their incredible agility for hunting in the wild, they may now use those skills to jump up and open the cupboard door where their food is kept, or use their dexterous paws to wake us up for a fuss.
Can you teach cats tricks?
As well as enabling cats to learn everyday actions which lead to rewards – whether it’s attention, food or play – operant conditioning can also be used to teach our feline friends a host of tricks.
All cats have the ability to learn new skills, as long as they are given the opportunity to see how it leads to a reward. It doesn’t have to be food – for many cats, attention and fuss is more of a motivation.
Just like dogs, cats can be taught tricks like ‘sit’ and ‘give paw’ by associating those actions with a reward. In fact, many cats really enjoy learning new things, it keeps their minds and bodies active and encourages them to use all those natural behaviours which will make them feel good.
Feeding enrichment toys are fantastic for cats – start off with simple ones and then build up to more complex challenges. This kind of activity is really good for cats, particularly those which live indoor-only lives or who are on their own for parts of the day.
Positive reward is the very best way of teaching your cat new tricks or re-directing unwelcome behaviour. Punishment, on the other hand, should not be used in any circumstances and can lead to serious issues for your cat.
Cats will learn through rewards very quickly, so whether you’re trying to teach your cat tricks or encourage different behaviours, it’s the only way to go.
Under no circumstances should you punish your cat in any way – it can cause physical pain as well as emotional distress which can lead to serious health and behavioural conditions. Using punishment techniques on behaviour problems rarely works and in many cases it can make the issue worse.
If a cat is displaying a behaviour problem it is important to deal with the under-lying issue and once that is addressed the behaviour problem will reduce, and you will have a happy cat and happy owner.
If you’re trying to teach your cat better habits – for example, using the scratching post instead of the carpet, using rewards will help them learn much quicker. Decide what the best reward is for your cat – for some cats, it’s a food-based reward whereas others will be more motivated by attention – and then give them a treat or fuss whenever they use their scratching post.
It’s worth remembering that cats don’t only learn when we think we’re training them. Every day, they learn new things based on what happens around them – whether that’s the human behaviour they see, the environment they’re living in, or other animals around them. They never stop learning, which is just another reason they are such fascinating animals to share your home with.
For more information on cat care, visit Cats Protection.
Love cats? Check out our pets section for advice on cat care from How to take your cat to the vet without stress to how to stop them scratching furniture
