February 22, 2025, 9:10 am | Read time: 6 minutes

Unfortunately, the intelligence of cats is often underestimated. They are not considered to be as docile as dogs, stubborn and headstrong. However, there is now more and more scientific evidence that cats are smarter than people think.

Cats Always Know Where Their Humans Are

Cats have very sensitive and fine hearing, with which they can perceive the smallest changes in their environment. They can also accurately locate very quiet and small prey, even when lighting conditions are poor. In 2021, a group of Japanese researchers proved that cats also use their hearing when living with humans.

The scientists were able to show that cats are not only so clever that they can locate something when they cannot see it but that they also derive social benefits from this ability. Not only can they distinguish between the voices of different people and their conspecifics, but they also know exactly where they are at any given time. To prove this, the researchers set up two loudspeakers through which the cats heard the voices of their owners. The animals first heard the familiar voice from one direction, then from the other.

The cats demonstrated what is known as socio-spatial perception. This means that they recognized their owners’ voices and reacted with surprise when the voice suddenly came from a different direction. If they heard the voices of other, less familiar people, they were not as surprised when they came from a different direction. It is, therefore, reasonable to theorize that cats always know where their caregiver is, even if they cannot see them.¹

The Animals Have a Good Memory

Various experiments have shown that cats are so clever that they know when objects are still there, even if they can no longer see them. If a toy has landed under the sofa, the cat also knows that it is still there and will retrieve it. Several experiments have shown that cats searching for an object that is no longer visible can easily find it after a few seconds. It is only after about a minute that the cat’s short-term memory begins to fade.

This is also an advantage for cats in the wild. If prey disappears behind cover and can, therefore, no longer be seen, it would be an advantage for cats if they could remember the location of the prey. This was also proven in an experiment. The animals were presented with food on a string behind a transparent screen. The treat was then moved behind an opaque screen. The animals were then allowed to search for the food and ran purposefully in the right direction.²

While the long-term memory of cats has not been extensively researched, cats have nonetheless demonstrated their cleverness in this area to scientists. The animals were presented with several bowls of food, two of which they were allowed to empty. Later, the animals were let back into the room and purposefully chose the bowls that they had not yet emptied.³

Cats Can Interpret and Solve Puzzles

In another experiment, researchers found that cats can understand and interpret their owners’ gestures just as well as dogs. When a human shows them where food is located, the animals follow the instructions before they have even made visual contact with the desired object (treat or toy). At the same time, however, it was also shown that cats like to solve puzzles themselves. In a second experiment, which showed the cats a desired object that the animals could not reach themselves, they tried anyway. Instead, the dogs made eye contact with the human who was supposed to help them solve the task.⁴

They Can Distinguish Their Name from Other Words

Dogs can understand up to 250 words, including their name, and react accordingly. It has long been questioned whether cats are as smart as dogs. But Germany’s most popular pet can also pick out its name from other similar words and shows visible and measurable reactions when called. When the cats being studied heard their names called, they twitched their ears, meowed, moved their tails, or even ran toward the voice.⁵

Cats Understand Important Physical Relationships

Researchers were able to prove in another experiment that cats are able to understand physical relationships such as acoustics and gravity. To prove this thesis, the scientists placed an object in a container and shook it. In the second phase, the container was then turned upside down, but the previously contained object did not fall out. The experiments showed that the cats had understood that there was an unseen object in the container. They reacted to the auditory stimuli with attention. At the same time, the animals showed surprise when it did not fall out when they turned around.⁶

They Possess High Social Competence

Even though cats love their freedom, their social intelligence also shows how clever they are. Cats form close bonds with their owners and conspecifics, which benefit them in everyday life. For example, the fact that these animals cultivate a relationship with humans gives them many advantages. They are regularly fed, stroked, and enjoy affection.

One experiment also showed that cats prefer to interact with their social bond partners and know when they leave a room and when they re-enter it. The behavior of the cats changed. It could be shown that the animals studied rubbed themselves more against caregivers, played with them, and radiated security. However, when they were alone with a stranger, they kept an eye on them and were aware of the unknown person’s exits and movements. Cats can, therefore, use their social intelligence to assess when they are safe.⁷

More on the topic

Studies Show How to Recognize Whether Your Dog is Particularly Intelligent

Study shows Dogs can remember the names of toys for up to two years

Study shows Dogs understand slow speech better than fast speech

Sources