Cat Intelligence - Intelligence

Intelligence

Intelligence through behavioural observation is defined as a composite of skills and abilities. The WAIS test is a measure of intelligence in adult homo sapiens. The test scores on four criteria; verbal comprehension, perceptual organisation, working memory and processing speed. In a comparative evaluation from WAIS criteria, cats are generally fair in intelligence. The working memory of the domesticated cat is surmised from experiment as being 16 hours.

Factors that contribute to greater intelligence are the velocity at which electrical transmission is conducted and with the greater number of cortical neurons. The number of cortical neurons in the cat brain was calculated as 300 million. Compared to mammalian species this number was eleven-fourteenth in total.

Experimental results seemed to indicate that cats have no capacity for object permanence, as defined through investigation by J. Piaget with infants, further research made to identify a similar factor of cognition showed behaviour indicative of object permanence cognition, although of a different type to that identified initially by Piaget. Further research showed that the animal has an awareness of objects not directly available to sight, and also sensory-motor intelligence comparable with a two-year old child. In experimental conditions the memory of a cat was demonstrated as having an information-retention or recall, of a duration totaling as much as 10 years.

Observations have shown that cats can dream.