Editing Cat (section)

=== Cat intelligence ===
{{Main|Cat intelligence}}
[[File:Cat_opening_door.webm|thumb|300x300px|Cat uses problem-solving skills to open door]]Cat intelligence refers to a cat's ability to solve problems, adapt to its environment, learn new behaviors, and communicate its needs. Structurally, a cat's brain shares similarities with the human brain,<ref name="Gross 20102">{{cite book |last1=Gross |first1=Richard |title=Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour |publisher=Hodder Education |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4441-0831-6}}{{page needed|date=June 2013}}</ref> containing around 250 million neurons in the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for complex processing.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ananthanarayanan |first1=Rajagopal |title=Proceedings of the Conference on High Performance Computing Networking, Storage and Analysis – SC '09 |last2=Esser |first2=Steven K. |last3=Simon |first3=Horst D. |last4=Modha |first4=Dharmendra S. |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-60558-744-8 |pages=1–12 |chapter=The cat is out of the bag: cortical simulations with 10<sup>9</sup> neurons, 10<sup>13</sup> synapses |doi=10.1145/1654059.1654124 |s2cid=6110450}}</ref> Cats display [[neuroplasticity]] allowing their brains to reorganize based on experiences. They have well-developed memory retaining information for a decade or longer. These memories are often intertwined with emotions, allowing cats to recall both positive and negative experiences associated with specific places.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How Smart Are Cats? |url=https://bondvet.com/b/how-smart-are-cats |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=Bond Vet |language=en}}</ref> While they excel in [[observational learning]] and problem-solving, studies concludes that they struggle with understanding cause-and-effect relationships in the same way that humans do.<ref>[http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/social-applied-sciences/applied-social-sciences/staff/Britta-Osthaus/ B. Osthaus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911145023/http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/social-applied-sciences/applied-social-sciences/staff/Britta-Osthaus/|date=11 September 2015}} {{cite news |last=Meikle |first=James |date=16 June 2009 |title=Cats outsmarted in psychologist's test |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2009/jun/16/psychologist-test-outsmarts-cats |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pallaud |first1=B. |year=1984 |title=Hypotheses on mechanisms underlying observational learning in animals |journal=Behavioural Processes |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=381–394 |doi=10.1016/0376-6357(84)90024-X |pmid=24924084 |s2cid=31226100}}</ref>

Cat [[Animal cognition|intelligence]] study is mostly from consideration of the domesticated cat. Living in urban environments has exposed them to challenges that require adaptive behaviors, contributing to cognitive development.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carlstead |first1=Kathy |last2=Brown |first2=Janine L. |last3=Seidensticker |first3=John |year=1993 |title=Behavioral and adrenocortical responses to environmental changes in leopard cats (''Felis bengalensis'') |journal=Zoo Biology |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=321–31 |doi=10.1002/zoo.1430120403 |s2cid=32582485}}</ref> Selective breeding and genetic changes have further influenced their intelligence.<ref name="pmid176001852">{{cite journal |last1=Driscoll |first1=C. A. |last2=Menotti-Raymond |first2=M. |last3=Roca |first3=A. L. |last4=Hupe |first4=K. |last5=Johnson |first5=W. E. |last6=Geffen |first6=E. |last7=Harley |first7=E. H. |last8=Delibes |first8=M. |last9=Pontier |first9=D. |last10=Kitchener |first10=A. C. |last11=Yamaguchi |first11=N. |last12=O'Brien |first12=S. J. |last13=MacDonald |first13=D. W. |display-authors=8 |year=2007 |title=The Near Eastern Origin of Cat Domestication |journal=Science |volume=317 |issue=5837 |pages=519–23 |bibcode=2007Sci...317..519D |doi=10.1126/science.1139518 |pmc=5612713 |pmid=17600185}}</ref><ref name="fabcats.org2">{{cite web |title=Evolution of the cat |url=http://www.fabcats.org/behaviour/understanding/evolution.html |publisher=The Feline Advisory Bureau}}</ref> [[Kitten]]s learn essential survival skills by observing their mothers, while adult cats refine their abilities through [[trial and error]].{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}