Mary Allen
How smart is your cat? Some breeds make enormous demands on people with their intelligence. Is your cat one of the real masterminds?
Thinking ahead, calculating, and developing strategies – when catching prey, cats need not only a quick reaction time, good observation skills, and physical dexterity, but also a large portion of cleverness. Some cat breeds amaze with a particularly high level of intelligence.
Which cats are particularly intelligent?
There are cats that quickly learn little tricks, others retrieve objects and follow their human like a dog. And then there are those scoundrels who act as if they couldn’t muddle a little water, but they, in particular, are sly old dogs.
Cats who skillfully wrap their humans around their paws know exactly how to get their way. To do that, they use their heads. Because many cats are cunning, but not exclusively drive-controlled.
These cats are particularly intelligent
Below we present you with particularly clever cat breeds, whereby the order does not indicate the level of intelligence. It is difficult to measure this precisely for each breed. After all, not only the breed but also the individual disposition plays a major role.
It is striking that hybrids and breeds that have remained original are disproportionately represented in the list. This is primarily due to the fact that these animals still carry the blood of the hunter. To survive in freedom you have to be smart.
Court cat in the style of the European Shorthair
Many cat lovers mistake her for an EKH, a European Shorthair. In contrast to the EKH, there is no breeding standard for the court cat, even if the EKH breeders emulate the ideal image of the European farm cat.
In and of itself, the domestic and farm cat is the archetype of the domestic tiger. In contrast to this, she leads a relatively free and self-determined life. Your job as a pest controller requires good concentration and reaction skills as well as a good deal of intelligence from the cat.
The many centuries of independent life have left their mark on the breed: the farm cat has a strong urge for freedom and needs species-appropriate activity that keeps it busy. Therefore, not all farm cats are suitable for pure apartment keeping.
Animals that are bored sometimes use the curtains as a swing and furniture as a climbing frame. Some cats are smart enough to learn to use doorknobs and light switches. The agile cats need an excitingly furnished apartment with high scratching posts and lots of intelligence games for cats.
In 2016, the Australian shorthair cat Didga made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the most talented cat in the world. The house tiger with the very ordinary look convinced the jury with his tricks. Didga can skateboard, sit, lie down, roll and paw on command – all at amazing speeds!
The Savannah
The Savannah is not only one of the largest cat breeds – but it is also particularly intelligent. This breed is an example of the fact that the smartest cats have high demands when it comes to keeping them. The clever cats are not easy. You need someone with expertise and a job that keeps you busy.
The Savannah is a larger-than-average hybrid cat whose ancestry is based on the serval, an African wild cat breed, and the domestic cat. In Germany, keeping a cat of this breed is notifiable. Depending on the proportion of wild blood, certain requirements must be met.
The Savannah is exceptionally sporty and jumps a good two meters high from a standing position. When she’s bored, she looks for something suitable and likes to use the furniture in her home as a toy.
The lively cats quickly make friends and are enthusiastic about trips into the water. In several respects, the house tiger resembles a dog. They learn (like the Maine Coon, by the way) to fetch things and usually go for walks on a leash without any problems.
The Bengal cat
The wild heritage also shows through in the Bengal cat and is expressed in increased agility and curiosity. The hybrid cats were created by mating domestic and Asian Bengal cats. They have a very lively and enterprising character. They retain their youthful zest for action into old age. The best way to keep the pretty animals busy is with intelligence games for cats.
Some Bengals learn to fetch and little tricks. Clicker training is also usually well received. The beautiful animals with leopard-like fur must not be bored. Idleness gives her funny thoughts. The cats then clear shelves or do other nonsense.
The Chausie
Clever Chausie is intelligent and loyal like a dog. It is one of the rarest and most expensive cat breeds in the world. As a hybrid of reed cat and domestic cat, the cat loves to swim.
With a weight of up to around ten kilograms, the Chausie is one of the larger cats. Despite their wild ancestors, the cat is very affectionate and lovable. The lively animals learn with particular concentration and quickly.
The Siamese
The Siamese is a lithe, elegant, and at the same time athletic cat with a lively and friendly nature. This cat doesn’t do so much nonsense but impresses with its social skills. Siamese cats are very intelligent and communicative. They like to talk to their owners and seek closeness.
Their extreme curiosity is characteristic. Siamese cats are very inquisitive and like to get to the bottom of things. You are enthusiastic about exciting games and are open to new things.
The Devon Rex
The Devon Rex is not only intelligent but also has an unusual appearance and is a rather small breed of cat. The cat with the leprechaun-like appearance originated from a random mutation in the early 1960s in the British county of Devonshire.
The cats with strikingly short, curly fur convince by their communicative nature. They have a strong need for communication and are very people-oriented. The docile animals are constantly looking for a mental challenge. They are enthusiastic about all kinds of games and quickly learn small tricks.
The Abyssinian cat
The Abyssinian cat has excellent powers of observation. The cats like to sit on high posts in order to analyze everything around them in detail. They also like to go on discovery tours and are interested in new things.
This cat usually follows its human at every turn. The lively cats live a life full of excitement and impulses and mental challenges. As with many smart cats, it is possible to keep them mentally busy with intelligence games.
With a stimulating occupation, the Abyssinians are pleasant and even-tempered housemates. Typical of a cat of this breed is an extraordinary ability to learn. Abyssinians do not like to be alone and seek social contact.