Sir, – With regard to Lara Marlowe and Karlin Lillington's "The real debate: canines or felines?" (February 6th), it is a popular misconception that cats are more intelligent than dogs; in fact the reverse is true. The concept of intelligence is all but impossible to define, but most would consider the capacity for relationship to be an indicator of some kind of mental competency.
Dogs, which were first domesticated around 15,000 years, are pack animals and evolved to live as part of often complex social hierarchies. Cats, first domesticated around 12,000 years ago with the onset of the agricultural revolution, evolved as solitary creatures.
The latter came to live in proximity to humans thanks to their interest in the rats that congregated around early-agricultural grain stores. As such, they never actually wanted to be close to humans per se.
The “panting, tail-wagging excitement” Lara Marlowe cites is actually indicative of dogs’ more complex psychology, while the “mystery” and “intelligence” of cats derives from the fact their mental capacities are relatively limited. It is not that cats are aloof; they are simply incapable of love, and what is often mistaken for sophistication is in in reality a zombie-like vacuity. Cats are rather like furry goldfish. – Yours, etc,
LUKE HOLLAND,
Ranelagh, Dublin 6.