7. Scrub Jays
Scrub jays also have a surprisingly large brain-to-body ration, with one that actually rivals that of the chimpanzee. Researchers found that these birds are actually smart enough to do complex tasks like planning for the future. This was discovered in a 2007 study in which Scrub jays would store food if they believed that food would be limited in the future. This means that these birds aren't just motivated by basic instinct, but rather have a skill that was once believed to have been unique only to human beings.
8. Dogs
Dogs have been able to accomplish what scientists call a "theory of mind" ability. Essentially this means that dogs understand that others have emotions, desires, or motivations which may be very different from their own. Dogs show this quite often, particularly with their ability to understand subtle human behaviors, such as following hand gestures and even eye movement. Additionally, dogs can be trained to understand human language, with one dog, Rico, having been taught the names of more than 200 items.
9. Cats
When it comes to brain neurons between cats and dogs, cats are definitely the winner. These tiny balls of fluff and fangs have 300 million neurons compared to dogs who have only 160 million. This means that cats also have a much larger cerebral cortex which governs abilities like problem-solving, short term and long term memory, and rational thought. Cats are also very curious creatures, which attests to their high intelligence and cognitive ability. Although, in all honesty, scientists find it difficult to study feline intelligence because they are usually unwilling to participate in experiments.
