A cat’s intelligence is measured by several factors, including its ability to adapt to new environments. While a Ragdoll can be quite an aloof cat, if you get one to pay attention to you long enough, you’ll realize it’s a very intelligent cat.
Compared to other cats, the Ragdoll usually comes out on top in the intelligence department, but that’s because intelligence in cats is measured differently than it is in humans or even dogs. It’s hard to determine just how much more intelligent Ragdoll cats are than the average cat.
The best way to determine if your Ragdoll cat is brighter than the other cats in your household is by looking at the things a Ragdoll excels at and comparing your own Ragdoll to them. We’ll discuss how intelligent the Ragdoll is below.
How Do You Measure Intelligence in a Cat?
Sadly, there’s no concrete formula for telling how smart a cat is or if one is significantly more intelligent than the other. Instead of using an IQ scale, a cat’s intelligence is measured by the cat’s instinctive behavior, in other words, what the cat excels at doing.
For example, some cat breeds flourish in obedience training, but the Ragdoll isn’t one of those cats. Other cats succeed in agility shows, but the Ragdoll does not. Instead, this cat excels in other areas.
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What Areas Are Ragdoll Cats the Smartest In?
The Ragdoll cat isn’t the smartest in every area, but they are the most intelligent in a few of them.
Showing Emotion
Ragdolls excel when it comes to showing emotions such as happiness, anger, sadness, or even frustration. They also tend to show favoritism when it comes to the person they attach themselves to, and everyone in the house will be aware of it.
Also, if you make changes to a room or move the Ragdoll’s bed to another part of the house, the cat will show its displeasure by stalking around the house and letting it be known that it is displeased with the situation. A good sign that your Ragdoll is angry about this is that it will walk around where its bed was originally before going to where you moved it to lay down in a huff.
Social Ability
The Ragdoll is a highly social cat breed. They demonstrate their affection by meeting you at the door when you get home from work, talking to you to tell you what they want, and lying beside you when you watch TV. Most cats are aloof when it comes to being social.
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Participation
The Ragdoll doesn’t do things without being rewarded for it. Unlike many dogs and cats, the Ragdoll isn’t going to do tricks and be rewarded with a treat or a pat on the head. They are straightforward felines, and they show affection and expect to be rewarded with affection in return.
As you can see, the Ragdoll cat breed excels in many areas of its life. However, your Ragdoll cat may not be as proficient in these areas as you would like it to be.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ)
When it comes to the intelligence of a Ragdoll cat, you might have a few questions.
Can You Teach a Ragdoll to Be More Intelligent?
Of course, you can’t teach your Ragdoll to study, but there are exercises and games you can play with your Ragdoll cat to increase its intelligence level. There are also many interactive toys on the market today that will test your cat mentally, so if you are looking to make your Ragdoll smarter than it already is, you can purchase a few to challenge the cat.
Image Credit: Imaan Ahmad, Shutterstock
Where Do Ragdolls Struggle With Intelligence?
As with any breed, there are areas where your cat will struggle. There are very few, such as agility shows and obedience training, but Ragdolls are pretty intelligent felines, so they don’t have much more to learn.
Is a Ragdoll Cat Easy to Train?
With their intelligence, Ragdoll cats are easy to train, especially when using the litter box. They also learn to be social with everyone in the house but typically choose a favorite person.
Final Thoughts
The Ragdoll can be more intelligent than other cats, but it’s in different areas. While it is a very intelligent breed, a cat’s intelligence is hard to measure. If you own a Ragdoll cat, you can measure how much more intelligent it is than the other pets in your house by watching how well it does in the areas we listed above. Remember, no matter how smart your Ragdoll cat is, you should love it unconditionally, and it’ll return that love in spades.
Patricia is a pet writer and lifelong animal lover. She has two cats (Binx and Link) and one dog (Mystery). Binx was found as a kitten under her house and has been part of the family ever since! Patricia is also a published author under the pen name Skylar McKinzie. When she isn’t writing, Patricia enjoys volunteering at her local animal rescue.
