Cat Intelligence Test: How smart is your cat?

Do you ever wonder just how smart your cat is? After all, any cat owner will let you know that cats, even compared to dogs are awfully crafty. And while it is very fun to debate for hours on end which species is smarter, there are actually little exercises you can do with your cat to test their IQ. There is no official scientific IQ test for cats, but this is a way to compare your cat’s intelligence level to that of a human. Here is your cat intelligence test! EXERCISE 1: Do this exercise in an uncluttered area where your cat can focus exclusively on you. Pick up your cat’s favorite toy. Let your cat get a good long look at the toy and then hide the toy behind a solid item, like a piece of cardboard or a thick piece of paper. Your cat will then probably go looking for the toy behind the piece of cardboard, rather than thinking the toy simply disappeared. This means that your cat has at least the intelligence of an 18-monthold toddler. In fact, cats have the IQ of a 2- or 3-year-old child. EXERCISE 2: Pick up a mechanical mouse, making sure it’s in view of your cat. Place it so it ends up going underneath a piece of furniture, like a chair or your refrigerator. Watch your cat as they watch the mechanical mouse. How your cat behaves is a measure of their intelligence. Your cat will likely watch the movement of the mouse. Does your cat predict with accuracy where the mouse emerges from underneath the piece of furniture? If so, this confirms that your cat has at least the intelligence of a 2-year-old child. EXERCISE 3: Here’s a test you can perform right around mealtime. Take an unopened container of food and place it near your cat’s food bowl. Your cat’s response will be a measure of your kitty’s ability to reason and provide a little bit of insight into their intelligence level. If your cat is very intelligent, they will look at the food and then at you. They will likely continue looking back and forth at you and the container, waiting for you to serve them the food. Your cat’s intelligence might be a little lower if they ignore the container of food. EXERCISE 4: This last test only requires your television. Put on a nature show that involves birds. Your cat is showing off their intelligence if they watch the show with interest. How quickly your cat figures out that they can’t catch the birds is another measure of your cat’s IQ.

Of course, how your cat performs on these tests is just a measure of basic IQ. These exercises don't show how much you and your cat love each other, how affectionate your cat is, or how well your cat is at other tasks like snuggling or being an amazing best friend. However, give your cat these tests and let us know how they perform!