Can Dogs and Cats Actually Get Along?
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And now it's time for Who Smarted? Psst. Hey, Smarty Pants, I am so glad you're here with me now because I am so excited for you to meet someone very special. Say hello, Lincoln. Oh, hello.

As you can hear, my cat Lincoln is very happy to see you. Right, Lincoln? I suppose. It's been a long day. A long day? You slept all morning. What can I say? I need my sleep, which reminds me, I could use a nap. But first, got any snacks?

Snacks and naps, that's all you're about, Lincoln. And here I was ready to make you the focus of today's episode of Who Smarted? Really? Didn't you already do an episode on cats? We did, but not quite like this. Today's episode is not just about cats. But you did an episode on pets, too. I know, I know, but today we're not going to focus on all pets, just two types. Uh-oh, I don't like where this is going.

People! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Hey trusty, don't mind me while I give you some big slobbery kisses all over your face.

Yes, yes. Hi, Luna. It's good to see you, too. Who's a good girl? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That would be me. I'm the bestest dog and your bestest friend. Let me lick your face some more so I can show you how much I love you. Control yourself, would you? Whoa. Who?

Relax, Luna. It's just... Cat! Let me at him! Let me at him! Luna, wait, no! No, you don't want any of this. Or this. No, no, Lincoln, put your claws away. Luna, sit. Come on, we're not here to hurt each other. Good luck catching me, dog breath.

Whoa, whoa, call a truce, you two. First of all, you're going to destroy my entire house. And more importantly, we've got a show to do. Oh boy, what have I done? Smarty Pants, what do you think? Can dogs and cats actually get along? Or do they really hate each other?

And who would come out on top? Oh, and which beloved pet is smarter? Oh, that got your attention. Well, we're about to find out as we take another whiff of science, history, and... a dirty litter box on... Who's Smarted? Who's Smarted? Who's Smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science? Or history? History!

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Disney and Pixar's Elio. In theaters June 20th. Tickets available now. Rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Dogs versus cats. Cats versus dogs. Ever since people started having pets, it seems like dogs and cats have been sworn enemies. Where's the cat? Where's the cat? Oh, maybe he's out in the yard.

Smarty Pants, do you remember when animals were first domesticated? In other words, when did wild animals become pets? Was it A, 2,000 years ago? B, 6,000 years ago? Or C, over 11,000 years ago? The answer is C. And what modern pet was the first to be domesticated? Was it the goldfish, the dog, or the cat? Oh, I can answer that. The answer is the dog.

You see, people never really domesticated cats. We chose to live with them thousands of years ago. If anything, cats domesticated people. You may be right, Lincoln. By the way, do you know that Luna is looking for you outside? I see her. From the way she's running around in circles, I think she's looking for her own tail. I really don't understand why you keep her around. Okay, be nice. I am being nice.

Mm-hmm. Smarty Pants, which pet is more popular, dogs or cats? The answer is dogs. Hey, you be nice. What can I say? It's true. But don't worry. Cats are the second most popular pet in the world. And other animals don't even come close.

Oh, whatever. If you ask me, I don't get why anyone would choose a dog over a cat. Cats are so much easier to take care of. We're independent, we're quieter, we fit in small spaces, and you don't need to take us out for a walk every time we have to pee or poo. How annoying is that? Am I right? Yeah, but cats do have a reputation for being a little

A little too independent. Sometimes you don't show your love for people until you want something. That's not true. Say, where are those snacks I asked for? I'll be your best friend. Mm-hmm. See? Okay, fine. But who can resist a little rub and purr from a cat who loves you? Uh, people with allergies? Okay, besides them.

Oh! Oh! Oh! Is the cat in here? I'm out. No, I think he's hiding somewhere. Oh, good. That means I've got you all to myself, trusty, because you're my bestest friend. Let me give you more kisses. Aw, thanks, Luna. Okay, okay, that's enough. I'm going to need a towel.

Anyway, I was just saying how dogs are the world's most popular pet. Oh, well, of course. I mean, who doesn't love dogs? And doggy kisses. Okay, okay, put the tongue away. I know you're going to find this hard to believe, Luna, but not every human likes dogs. Or getting licked. What? How can someone not like dogs? We love our humans. We play with them. We follow them everywhere, everywhere.

And we guard them from danger. But more so, we are cute and trainable and enjoy cuddling. And when you take us out for a walk, you get some healthy exercise and get to socialize with other people and dogs.

How cool is that? True, true. But dogs require a lot more work, time, and money than cats. And they need to be trained. You're much louder, too. And if you go anywhere, you need to get someone to watch your dog because dogs aren't as independent as cats. Dogs are dumber than cats, too. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Who said that? I did. From under the couch. Where you can't reach me, dumb dog. What? You take that back! Dogs are not dumb! Well, there have been some studies. Smartypants, which animal do you think is smarter? Dogs or cats? Cats! Dogs! Cats? Dogs!

Oh boy, there they go again. So, Smarty Pants, which is the smarter pet? And can cats and dogs really get along? The answers are coming up right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors. Hey parents, Trusty here with something really smart for your Smarty Pants. I've got nieces, nephews, and close family friends, some homeschooled, some traditional school. And lately, there's one tool they all seem to be using, iXL.

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Okay, smarty pants. For most people, you're either a dog person or a cat person. Partly because it's hard to mix these two. We've had them each in our homes for thousands of years.

And yet most of the time, they can't seem to get along. Perhaps this natural animosity or dislike has something to do with the behavior that made ancient dogs and cats attractive to humans in the first place. Smarty Pants, can you think of one valuable skill that both cats and dogs have? Is it A, they're both hunters? B, they're both intelligent? Or C, they're both excellent poker players? ♪

If you said C, you've seen too many iconic dog and cat playing poker posters. But if you said A, you're right.

But if you said B, you might be onto something too. Oh, told ya. Dogs are super smart. Please. Everyone knows cats are smarter than dogs. Ugh, tell him that's not true, trusty. Well, there have been scientific studies on this. Smarty Pants, can you guess what they discovered? Let's answer a few questions with cat or dog. Meow.

First, which pet usually has a bigger brain? The answer is dog. Not only do dogs have bigger brains, their brains contain more neurons. You know, those nerve cells that receive, process, and transmit information. In some cases, dogs have about twice as many neurons as cats. Ha! Told ya! Told

Dogs are smarter. Dogs are smarter. Just a minute. As it turns out, more neurons doesn't necessarily mean more smarts. All those neurons and still not as smart as cats. I didn't say that either. What I was going to say is one's smartness depends on how one uses their neurons. And as it turns out, dogs and cats use their neurons in different ways. Whoa.

Smarty Pants, in one experiment, researchers put a piece of food in a hard-to-reach spot. Can you guess which pet was determined to get it on their own?

If you said cat, meow, you're right. See? Dogs weren't smart enough to figure out how. Actually, the dogs in the study were smart enough to nudge a human to get the food for them. Because we love our humans. And we're problem solvers. Actually, you both are. In another study, cats and dogs were put in front of a mirror to see if they noticed a mark placed on them, like a sticker or colored dye. Researchers wanted to see if these pets could recognize themselves in the mirror. So

Smarty Pants, guess who passed this test? The answer is chimpanzees. Yeah, they were part of the experiment too. Wait, but what about dogs? They failed. And cats? They failed too. But both cats and dogs passed the test to identify their own pee or poop. Oh, yes! Great.

The truth is, both cats and dogs are rather smart, perhaps equally smart, they just use their brains differently. And these differences contribute to their battles. Just think about how they use their tails. Smarty pants, when you see a dog wag its tail, what does that usually mean? Yep, the dog is happy or being playful. But a cat swishing its tail is not in a good mood. A dog might not understand this, so it might see a cat waving its tail and think the cat wants to play. When just the opposite is true.

And that could result in... And just to be clear, a dog will also wag its tail when it encounters something or someone new. So not all wagging tails mean a dog is happy. So?

Are you saying dogs and cats fight over a misunderstanding? Sometimes, but there's other reasons too. Remember when I said both cats and dogs are hunters? Well, that hunting instinct often erupts in a dog when it sees a moving object. They'll chase it playfully without wanting to hurt it. The object could be anything, a toy, a squirrel, or a cat.

Meanwhile, cat will run away and eventually grow tired of being chased all the time. An irritated cat might swipe back with its claws or hiss. Or worse. Smarty Pants, I ask you, do you think there's any hope for cats and dogs getting along? I sure hope so. Me get along with you.

No way. Well, it might be too late for you two, but the answer is yes. Dogs and cats can get along, especially if they're introduced when they're puppies and kitties. And when you do introduce them, even with older pets, it's best to do it gradually over several weeks. You can't just toss them into the same room and hope for the best. You'll want to make sure each pet has its own space, including separate places to eat, rest, and relieve themselves.

That'll go a long way towards a peaceful relationship. An animal trainer can help too. Yes, even with cats. Pets, like humans, have different personalities and sometimes there's no chance they'll get along. But in many instances, dogs and cats can become best friends. It just takes a bit of patience and some care. What do you say, Lincoln? Someday, we can be the bestest buds.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Wake me up when that happens. Luna, let's go play fetch instead and give Lincoln some space. Yes! Let's go! You throw, I'll fetch. Woo-hoo! Yes! You are my bestest bud. We are the bestest buds. Woof, woof!

A big shout out to Maxi, Zach, and Mom Gemma, who love smarting with us in central Queensland, Australia. And I quote, from the backseat of the car on the way to and from school each day, Who Smarted gives us lots of new things to learn. Thanks for all your work.

Thanks for that. We're thrilled that your family is part of our Smarty family. This episode, Cats and Dogs, was written by Dog-On Dave Beaudry and voiced by Mike, loudly purring, Pervetti. Aaron, treats are yummy, yay mutt. And Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh, who let the dogs out, hon.

Our associate producer is Max. Here, Kitty Kitty Kamaski. The theme song is by Brian, Big Dog, Suarez, with lyrics written and performed by Adam Petz-Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex-Davis and Jerry Kolder. This has been an Atomic Audio production.