An international team of neuroscientists conducted a study to find out which mammals have the best mental abilities. For this purpose, in particular, the brains of domestic cats and domestic dogs were studied. All experiments were carried out after the death of the animals.
Scientists were able to find out that in the cerebral cortex of dogs there are on average 530 million neurons, and in cats – 250 million. Moreover, the density of neurons in cats is greater.
It is noteworthy that scientists believe that domestication does not affect the neural “composition” of the brain. Another surprise was that the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex of a large dog is only 46% more than in the half-weight brain of a small breed.
Given that the absolute number of neurons in the cerebral cortex is a major determinant of the cognitive abilities of different animal species, and dogs have twice as many neurons in their brains as cats, scientists believe they must have more complex and flexible thinking than cats.
However, the researchers suggest that cats’ cognitive abilities should not be viewed negatively: domestic cats, like dogs, have developed a number of behaviors that facilitate their interaction with people.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
