Raccoons are surprisingly quite intelligent. Recent intelligence tests of urban raccoons suggests that they are significantly more intelligent than your cat or dog, ranking just under monkeys for IQ. They are extremely curious & persistent creatures, leading to them having a high degree of adaptability and creativity.
Procyon lotor FTW: We all know they’re crafty and shrewd, but did you know they could pull off this?
To put some numbers in this context, a dog’s cerebral cortex contains 530 million neurons, compared to 250 million in a cat’s. The average human, with 16 billion cortical neurons, dwarfs both species.
Although it’s unlikely that a few million extra neurons would persuade a pet owner otherwise, it appears that the jury is still out on whether dogs or cats are smarter at the moment.
Herculano-Houzel noted that while animal comparison science is still developing, it would be fantastic to regularly integrate neural data with behavioral research. To obtain a more accurate range, it would also be beneficial to count the neurons in multiple brains belonging to the same species, as recommended by Hekman. There were just two dogs used to calculate the dog neuron counts: a mixed breed and a golden retriever. Who knows what kinds of distinctions there could be between mastiffs, corgis, and Chihuahuas? advertisement
Jessica Perry Hekman, a veterinary geneticist at MIT and Harvard’s Broad Institute, said there are a number of reasons to be cautious in interpreting the study’s results. For one, she said, the link between neuron number and intelligence is anything but proven.Advertisement
Herculano-Houzel argues that bigger predators don’t necessarily get away with being foolish. She and her team initially hypothesized that since hunting is a more difficult way of life, predators would have a greater number of neurons than the prey they preyed on. For example, the majority of lion hunts are unsuccessful, and it is a daily struggle to eat enough calories to survive until the next kill. On the other hand, a wildebeest can eat plants at its own pace and gather into large herds to reduce the likelihood of becoming lion lunch. Advertisement.
FAQ
What animal is smarter than a cat?
Are racoons highly intelligent?
What do cats think of raccoons?
Are raccoons as smart as toddlers?