What are the smartest and dumbest cat breeds?

Despite having relatively small brains, studies have shown felines have high emotional intelligence and a great willingness to adapt, making them some of the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. 

But how to breeds stack up when it comes to intelligence?

As a study this month revealed the most intelligent breeds of dogs, we delve into which breeds of cats can be crowned the cleverest.

While there is no standardized test to measure intelligence in cats, researchers have looked at how cats’ ability to adapt, their curiosity levels and their need for mental stimulation correlates with their intelligence.

Studies have also looked into their sociability with humans and other pets, as well as their willingness to interact with their owners.

Speaking to MailOnline, Samantha Watson, Scientific Officer at the RSPCA, explained that measuring intelligence in cats is complex.

She said: ‘Scientifically speaking, there is no universal measure of “intelligence” in animals.

‘Each species has evolved to adapt to a different niche.

‘A mental ability that is useful for one species may not benefit the survival of another.

‘Some evidence indicates that particular cat breeds may have tendencies to be more active or friendly with people.

‘However, every cat is a unique individual, and there is significant variation within those breeds.

‘Every cat has a unique personality, which is shaped by both their genetics and life history.’

Some of the most intelligent cat breeds

ABYSSINIAN CAT 

The Abyssinian cat, which has large ears and small oval feet, is thought to be one the smartest cat in the world.

Originally from southeast Asia, Abyssinians are not known for being the cuddliest breed, so if you are looking for a lap cat, it’s probably best to steer clear.

Abyssinians, however, are renowned for their high levels of intelligence and inquisitiveness.

The cats require mental stimulation, so owners are encouraged to keep a variety of toys and puzzles to make sure their cat is occupied, experts from Purina said.  

The pet company added that the breed is sometimes referred to as ‘Aby-grabbys’ as ‘they tend to take things that grab their interest’.

The cats can often be found investigating small areas or climbing up trees and walls.

While known for their independence, the cats are happiest when with another Abyssinian cat to provide entertainment while you are out of the house.

The breed also gets on with cat-friendly dogs, children and other pets such as parrots and ferrets.

According to a study in 2021 conducted by the University of Helsinki, Abyssinians were also the least fearful of 26 cat breeds studied.

The study, first published on MDPI, looked at a database of more than 4,300 cats representing 26 breed groups to identify the different personality and behaviour traits.

Throughout the process seven personality traits were identified – playfulness, fearfulness, aggression towards humans, sociability towards humans, sociability towards cats, litterbox issues and excessive grooming.

Professor Hannes Lohi from the university’s Folkhälsan Research Center said: ‘The most fearful breed was the Russian Blue, while the Abyssinian was the least fearful.

‘The Bengal was the most active breed, while the Persian and Exotic were the most passive.

‘The breeds exhibiting the most excessive grooming were the Siamese and Balinese, while the Turkish Van breed scored considerably higher in aggression towards humans and lower in sociability towards cats.’

BENGAL CAT

The Bengal cat, which has distinctive leopard-like markings, is regularly listed as one of the most intelligent cat breeds.

Known for their good memory, the cats can easily learn tricks and are able to work out how to open cupboard doors.

Similar to the Abyssinian cat, it is important that these smart kitties are mentally stimulated as otherwise they can become destructive around the home, according to Bengal Cat Care.

While there is no concrete evidence, it has been suggested that the reason Bengals are so intelligent is because of their ancestral relation to the Asian Leopard Cat.

The Asian Leopard Cat is a small animal, known for its excellent hunting and climbing skills. It is also able to swim, although avoids the water – just as our furry friends do.

The wild cat is hyperaware of its surroundings – a trait that has likely been passed down to the Bengal cat.

Some Bengal cats have the capability to walk on a leash, like a dog, or even know how to high five.

They are one of the most trainable cat breeds and appear to have a good memory, being able to remember where treats or food is hidden.

Like Abyssinians, Bengals can become destructive, extremely talkative or even depressed if they become bored or not stimulated enough.

It is their intelligence that can put some people off wanting a Bengal, however.

Last year, TikTok famous @ben.the.vet listed Bengals as the top cat breed he would avoid getting.  

He said: ‘They are beautiful looking cats, they have gorgeous coats, I can see why people like them.

‘But, what a lot of people aren’t aware of, is that they’re a hybrid between a type of wild cat called Asian Leopard Cat, and domestic cat breeds. So they’re still quite wild in terms of their behaviour and temperament.

‘And at the vets they have a reputation for being quite aggressive.

‘Usually, it’s our fear that they can actually be really quite dangerous to handle.

‘They’re highly intelligent, they need a lot of stimulation and unfortunately, a lot of homes just aren’t right for them.’

Others however, are set on the breed, with one owner loving its Bengal so much it has decided to travel the world with it.

YouTuber Albert Colominas, 35, lives in New York but travels the world with his two-year-old Bengal cat Mia.

The clever, ‘brave’ and ‘curious’ feline has travelled all over the world, including to Mexico, Arizona, Greece and the Pyrenees.

The Bengal cat also has proved popular with Hollywood stars, with actor Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin owning three – a young charcoal Bengal called Camilla Valenciana Azul, a brown Bengal called Emilio and a snow coloured Bengal called Cayetana.

BURMESE CAT

Burmese cats are another breed that are among the smartest, thriving off companionship with other felines as well as humans.

This is an ‘energetic, curious and playful’ breed, according to Purina, that ‘loves interactive toys and learning new tricks’.

Unlike Abyssinians, Bengals, and Burma Katzes, these cats crave attention. They’re often found following their owners around, curling up on their laps, and even trying to sleep in your bed. With their affectionate behavior, many people claim they have a dog-like nature.

Some have even dubbed them the ‘velcro cat’ as they want to spend as much time around people as possible and are unsuited to being isolated – if left alone for hours they can develop stress behaviours like aggressive grooming.

These sociable cats are known for being very talkative and are even able to learn games like fetch.

Their chatty nature links back to their Siamese cat ancestors, who are known for their intelligence and vocal behaviour.

While Burmese cats have a much softer, sweeter meow, if you are looking for a peaceful pet, Burmese might not be the one to choose.

The best way to keep a Burmese cat content is by being in close proximity to their owners.

Leanne Lilly, an assistant professor at Ohio State University’s medial center told Daily Paws: ‘Data suggests Burmese coat-patterned cats are more playful and the breed overall [tends] to be more likely to have prey interest.’

In 2016, Cabinet Member Penny Mordaunt was given a slap on the wrist for bringing in her Burmese cat, called Titania, into Parliament to hunt for mice in the infested halls of Westminster.

The MP for Portsmouth, and now leader of the House of Commons, wrote on Twitter at the time: ‘A great believer in credible deterrence, I’m applying the principle to the lower ministerial corridor mouse problem.’

The silver-grey cat was seen climbing on chairs and looking under Parliamentary desks.

But the Serjeant-at-Arms told Ms Mordaunt she must not do it again, because all animals are forbidden on the parliamentary estate other than guide dogs or police dogs.

CORNISH REX CAT 

The Cornish Rex cat is an athletic breed known for its ability to climb, jump and sprint, so requires enough room to exercise.

It has a small, whippet-like body and is an active pet within households.

Expressing the same character trait as Burmese cats, Cornish Rexes love to be with their owner and can even be trained to walk on a lead.

They are extremely high-energy and have been compared with Border Collies, known to be one of the most energetic and intelligent dog breeds, requiring a lot of exercise and mental stimulation.

Chyrle Bonk, a vet at Petkeen told Daily Paws: ‘Cornish rexes may be seen as the border collie of the cat world.

‘They’re always on the move and do better if they have a job to do.

‘While they really enjoy playing with you, interactive toys, such as battery-operated mice, puzzle toys or maze toys can help keep them entertained when you can’t play with them’.

The cat is a relatively new breed, with the first Cornish Rex kitten born in 1950 from a barn cat and an unknown species.

The owner, Nina Ennismore, who made the discovery named it Cornish Rex as the curly haired coat resembled the fur of the Astrex rabbits she also raised and exhibited.

SCOTTISH FOLD CAT

With their unique folded ears, these unusual looking cats, are among the smartest breeds.

They crave human interaction and want to be challenged, so puzzles and toys are an essential.

As is common with other intelligent cats they do not like to be left alone, so it’s preferred to have another cat or cat-friendly dogs.

Despite their intelligence, they are much less active than other cat breeds so owners need to be aware of the already-rounded cats getting overweight.

The strange looking feline is popular among some celebrities – including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.

Swift has shared many photos of her Scottish Folds, named Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button.

And while their unusual features make them seem sweet, the welfare charity Cats Protection issued a warning that the breed should be banned.

This is because the only reason they have such a distinctive appearance is because of a genetic disorder that results in health problems.

The cartilage in the ears of Scottish Folds is abnormally weak due to a hereditary condition called osteochondrodysplasia, which causes defective cartilage elsewhere in their body, especially the joints.

This means they get crippling arthritis at a younger age than other cat breeds.

SINGAPURA CAT

Sometimes called the ‘pesky people’s cat’, this highly intelligent breed is extremely energetic.

The Singapura cat is an attention seeking breed that thrives when in the company of humans.

This cat requires a high-level of enrichment, according to Purina, in the form of hunting games or interactive play.

Despite being the smallest domestic cat breed, it needs plenty of access to large amounts of outdoor space to keep happy, so would not be suitable as a house pet.

The Cat Fancier’s Association is the world’s largest registry of pedigree cats, set up in 1906.

Iris Tanner, a judge at the annual competition, told Animal Planet that the the Singapura is ‘a powerful, assertive cat with a lot of personality.

‘Don’t think of it as the little cat’.

SIAMESE CAT 

Known for its beauty, the Siamese cat is also one of the most intelligent of the breeds.

Just like its close relative, the Burmese cat, it can be trained to walk on a lead and respond to basic commands.

These cats are good problem solvers, so need puzzles to provide mental stimulation or play time with their owner to keep them content. 

They have strong personalities and are deemed intelligent as they are very interactive with their owners.

Due to their sociable nature, Siamese cats often form a strong attachment to their owner, which means they often suffer from separation anxiety and might be better in pairs, or when someone is at home all the time.

Siamese cats are also very chatty and create a loud cry, more so than other talkative breeds.

One Siamese cat was caught gently rocking back and forth a tiny baby’s bouncer, curiously watching the baby before glancing back at the owner.

Another Siamese spotted a one-year-old crawling towards a flight of stairs in Bogota, Colombia, and jumped off its comfy chair, leaping over the the young boy and pushing him away from danger.

TURKISH ANGORA

One of the most intelligent cats is the Turkish Angora, which is full of energy and affection. The rare cat is extremely affectionate and is known for its problem solving skills.

The clever cats can easily follow basic demands and are very sociable, showing similar traits to Burmese cats.

If they are not using their high energy up, they can cause trouble within the home, with some able to open cupboards and even turn on the tap.

As with Siamese cats, they do not like to be left alone for long stints of time and are very dependent on the companionship of their owners.

JAPANESE BOBTAIL CAT

Japanese Bobtails were one of the first cats in the world recorded, and also happen to be one of the smartest.

Like dogs, these cats are able to learn commands like ‘fetch’ as well as a number of tricks. They often bring people toys regularly in an attempt to play.

It is also one cat breed intelligent enough to learn its name and respond to it, according to pet food provider Hills.

The playful and curious cat requires both outdoor and indoor space, to play outside and socialise.

It is not as talkative as a Siamese or Burmese cat either.

Akin to other clever cats, this furry being also likes to spent a lot of quality time with their owner, following them around like a shadow.

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