Since some members here are also dog owners, I decided to do a little opinion poll that was inspired by a recent article in my local paper. www.postbulletin.com
Reigning:
Cats or Dogs ?
By Andrea Faiad
After years of debate, we decided to get to the bottom of this recurring argument: Who's smarter, cats or dogs?
Naturally, we consulted the experts. First up, a veterinarian one recent Friday.
"I think as far as we measure intelligence and what we think of as intelligence, I think dogs are probably capable of learning more, and therefore I think we would define them as being more intelligent," says John Myhrom, veterinarian, Animal Health Care Veterinary Clinic in Rochester.
Then the owner of three dogs and two cats added: "Of course, you also have to toss in there the factor of a willingness to learn. Perhaps, cats are just as capable of learning but being as they're not as domesticated as dogs are, they're not quite as willing to learn what we want them to learn."
Two steps forward and two steps back.
Maybe a zookeeper will take us forward? We call Tom Ryan, supervisor of Oxbow Park In Byron.
"I'm a cat person," he says. After a pause, he barrels forward: "For instance, if dogs were smarter, how come you always have to take them to a kennel but you can leave the cats to fend for themselves for a few days? I'll bet dogs are much easier to train, but I'm not so sure that's a measure of their intellect."
He turns to his colleagues: "Hey guys, who's smarter, cats or dogs?"
Long pause. He returns to the phone with glee.
"It's two to one here--cats," Ryan says.
The defensive voice of the lone dog vote, Pat Gerken, parks construction supervisor at Oxbow, calls from behind Ryan: "Does the sheriff's department have a cat to catch a bad guy? No. A cat to sniff drugs? No."
Cats take the lead
Cats are winning, but the victory is not decisive. Surely, a reference librarian at the Rochester Public Library will be able to tell us.
"Let me see if I can find something, can you hold on a moment?" says Rhonda Lorenz, reference librarian.
She returns a few minutes later, and promises to call back with an answer.
Meanwhile, we call Jane Roden, president of the Mower County Humane Society.
"It depends," she says. "Cats manipulate you much more; I don't know if that means they're smarter or not. Dogs are more willing to do something for you, but I think cats tend to say, 'What's in it for me?'"
Roden, who owns two cats, pauses, then chuckles: "I remember reading someplace once that the only reason cats let themselves get domesticated was so people would open doors for them."
Cats widen the gap. Still looking for a definitive defeat, we call in the experts of all experts, Mayo Clinic. Heck, people come from around the world for their help, why shouldn't we?
"I don't know," says Mayo Clinic spokesperson John Mruphy, laughing. "Let me think about that. Can I call you right back?"
Maybe a neurosurgeon knows? Murphy promises to find us an expert and think about his own answer.
Lorenz calls back; 20 minutes have passed. She cites an excerpt from an article that quotes Kansas State University veterinarian Kathy Gaughan as saying both creatures are smart. The vet's quote explains that while dogs are trained to track people and drugs, cats could be trained, but their "personalities and size can make the task more challenging."
Diminishing lead
So much for Gerken's passionate argument--and for the feline lead.
We let the matter rest until Monday morning, when Murphy calls back. He asks if someone from neurosurgery contacted us yet.
No, but what does he think?
"Let me think for a second," says Murphy, laughing. "I'll call you back."
Instead of chasing Mayo's tail, we call Rochester's Animal Control department. They must know, they catch both as part of their profession.
"The easiest to train is a dog," says Sgt. Rob Schei, supervisor of Animal Control. "But as far as intelligence-wise, I think they are fairly comparable."
Seeing this cycle, we hang up disillusioned. Is there no answer?
Moments later, the phone rings...
Will it be an omniscient being with the truth, the one who can give us the definitive answer to this very important question? Will Roden's and Ryan's cats finally cross the line and outdistance those eager-to-please-but-trainable canines?
Murphy's referred the matter to Dr. Edward Creagan, professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic.
"As an owner of two golden retrievers and one cat, it depends on whether you ask the dog or the cat," Creagan says.
So much for that.
We give up: they're both smart.
The newspaper also conducted person-on-the-street interviews. Out of nine people, six said dogs are smarter, two said cats are smarter, and one said they have equal intelligence.
Your opinion?????
Reigning:
Cats or Dogs ?
By Andrea Faiad
After years of debate, we decided to get to the bottom of this recurring argument: Who's smarter, cats or dogs?
Naturally, we consulted the experts. First up, a veterinarian one recent Friday.
"I think as far as we measure intelligence and what we think of as intelligence, I think dogs are probably capable of learning more, and therefore I think we would define them as being more intelligent," says John Myhrom, veterinarian, Animal Health Care Veterinary Clinic in Rochester.
Then the owner of three dogs and two cats added: "Of course, you also have to toss in there the factor of a willingness to learn. Perhaps, cats are just as capable of learning but being as they're not as domesticated as dogs are, they're not quite as willing to learn what we want them to learn."
Two steps forward and two steps back.
Maybe a zookeeper will take us forward? We call Tom Ryan, supervisor of Oxbow Park In Byron.
"I'm a cat person," he says. After a pause, he barrels forward: "For instance, if dogs were smarter, how come you always have to take them to a kennel but you can leave the cats to fend for themselves for a few days? I'll bet dogs are much easier to train, but I'm not so sure that's a measure of their intellect."
He turns to his colleagues: "Hey guys, who's smarter, cats or dogs?"
Long pause. He returns to the phone with glee.
"It's two to one here--cats," Ryan says.
The defensive voice of the lone dog vote, Pat Gerken, parks construction supervisor at Oxbow, calls from behind Ryan: "Does the sheriff's department have a cat to catch a bad guy? No. A cat to sniff drugs? No."
Cats take the lead
Cats are winning, but the victory is not decisive. Surely, a reference librarian at the Rochester Public Library will be able to tell us.
"Let me see if I can find something, can you hold on a moment?" says Rhonda Lorenz, reference librarian.
She returns a few minutes later, and promises to call back with an answer.
Meanwhile, we call Jane Roden, president of the Mower County Humane Society.
"It depends," she says. "Cats manipulate you much more; I don't know if that means they're smarter or not. Dogs are more willing to do something for you, but I think cats tend to say, 'What's in it for me?'"
Roden, who owns two cats, pauses, then chuckles: "I remember reading someplace once that the only reason cats let themselves get domesticated was so people would open doors for them."
Cats widen the gap. Still looking for a definitive defeat, we call in the experts of all experts, Mayo Clinic. Heck, people come from around the world for their help, why shouldn't we?
"I don't know," says Mayo Clinic spokesperson John Mruphy, laughing. "Let me think about that. Can I call you right back?"
Maybe a neurosurgeon knows? Murphy promises to find us an expert and think about his own answer.
Lorenz calls back; 20 minutes have passed. She cites an excerpt from an article that quotes Kansas State University veterinarian Kathy Gaughan as saying both creatures are smart. The vet's quote explains that while dogs are trained to track people and drugs, cats could be trained, but their "personalities and size can make the task more challenging."
Diminishing lead
So much for Gerken's passionate argument--and for the feline lead.
We let the matter rest until Monday morning, when Murphy calls back. He asks if someone from neurosurgery contacted us yet.
No, but what does he think?
"Let me think for a second," says Murphy, laughing. "I'll call you back."
Instead of chasing Mayo's tail, we call Rochester's Animal Control department. They must know, they catch both as part of their profession.
"The easiest to train is a dog," says Sgt. Rob Schei, supervisor of Animal Control. "But as far as intelligence-wise, I think they are fairly comparable."
Seeing this cycle, we hang up disillusioned. Is there no answer?
Moments later, the phone rings...
Will it be an omniscient being with the truth, the one who can give us the definitive answer to this very important question? Will Roden's and Ryan's cats finally cross the line and outdistance those eager-to-please-but-trainable canines?
Murphy's referred the matter to Dr. Edward Creagan, professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic.
"As an owner of two golden retrievers and one cat, it depends on whether you ask the dog or the cat," Creagan says.
So much for that.
We give up: they're both smart.
The newspaper also conducted person-on-the-street interviews. Out of nine people, six said dogs are smarter, two said cats are smarter, and one said they have equal intelligence.
Your opinion?????
