This Viral Challenge Shows How Differently Cats And Dogs Deal With Obstacles In Their Way
Are you a cat person or a dog person? For some reason, there’s a never-ending battle between these two factions about which furry friend is better. Although both have their pros and cons when it comes to being the best pets, we can all agree cats are the most limber and graceful at home. Everyone knows cats always land on their feet, thanks to the righting reflex that’s coded into them. But did you know they can also navigate their environment without even looking?
You can see this cat behavior best in the viral ‘Cat vs Dog’ TikTok challenge that’s going around. In a test of animal intelligence, these cats show us why they’re #1 in finesse. Where some dogs completely fail and stumble through an obstacle course, their felines counterparts maneuver it effortlessly. It makes us wonder if cats are smarter than dogs after all.
Here’s a couple of videos we’ve collected highlighting this but the pictures tell you everything you need to know. Dogs may not be the most dexterous beasts — or even the most intelligent animals at that — but we still love them anyway.
This cat vs dog challenge went viral on Twitter and TikTok
With music via reddit pic.twitter.com/trAaXo4KoB
— BlackHalt (@BlackHalt) April 13, 2020
Image credits: BlackHalt
This TikTok challenge has cats and dogs competing in a series of maneuverability tests. Each species has to navigate an obstacle course with different items blocking their paths (such as household odds and ends) without knocking them over. Many pet owners decided to take part in the Cat vs Dog challenge for a laugh and to see if their pets were different. Some dogs even manage to complete the test successfully and show that although both species are different, one is not necessarily better than the other in this aspect.
Image credits: BlackHalt
Image credits: BlackHalt
While all pets have different characters, the challenge showed that both cats and dogs showed tendencies unique to their species. In the first video, we see a little black cat carefully walking past all the items laid out on the floor so everything stays in the same position. When the dog tries to do the same, he does it cheerfully and quickly, knocking over everything in the way. However, when you look at how happy the dog is, it’s difficult to blame him.
Other people jumped onto the trend to see if cats are smarter than dogs
Image credits: milkyboki
Image credits: milkyboki
Image credits: milkyboki
In the second video, we see the owner of both furry friends carefully arranging dominoes across his hallway. He first calls his cat to cross the obstacle course and whilst she’s slow to start, the cat successfully moves down the hallway without knocking a single domino down. Despite more dominoes being added each time, she confidently navigates them perfectly.
When the dog’s turn comes, he rushes to complete the task but fails at the first step. In each task more and more dominoes fall, and sadly, he’ll never match up with the cat. Although the cat undoubtedly wins this round, the pup wins our heart with his happy-go-lucky attitude. It’s hard to fault him on that.
People loved comparing how each animal reacted to the obstacle course
@captains_adventureWhen u actually have 2 cats ##petlife ##golden ##goldenretriever ##cat ##kitty ##brothers ##goodboy ##dog♬ Jaws Theme – Jaws
Image credits: captains_adventure
Image credits: captains_adventure
This challenge has shown us that cats tend to be confident and careful, whereas dogs are more clumsy but definitely more cheerful. Both cats and dogs are very different and each has different features qualifying them for the title of best pet. The question of which one is the most intelligent animal is still open for debate but when it comes to the question of which is better overall… well, we’ll leave that up to you.
And how their personalities shone through their approach
Cat vs dog 😅 pic.twitter.com/WNZBBTjTyQ
— Buitengebieden (@BuitengebiedenB) April 9, 2020
Image credits: Buitengebieden
Image credits: Buitengebieden
But also their creative ways of completing the task
@alexxx.eccQuatre activities ##bringitback ##WerkItFromHome♬ original sound – alexxx.ecc
Image credits: Alexxx.ecc
Image credits: Alexxx.ecc
Image credits: Alexxx.ecc
People took on this TikTok challenge from all over the world
😃😀😎💃👯♀️ pic.twitter.com/KI9sKIRsXQ
— Anna Bertran (@AnnaBertran) April 13, 2020
Image credits: AnnaBertran
Image credits: AnnaBertran
Image credits: AnnaBertran
These people posted a Part 2 of this video
View this post on Instagram
Image credits: captains_adventure
Image credits: captains_adventure
And even a Part 3
View this post on Instagram
Image credits: captains_adventure
Image credits: captains_adventure
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This just proves that cats COULD stop knocking our stuff over. They do it on purpose, not on accident, savouring the horror in our eyes as we rush to keep our belongings from falling.
One thing, cats put back feet in same place as front feet, it's necessary when walking on branches and high places. Dogs don't do this because they seldom need to. Same is true of donkeys and horses. Donkeys are mountain browsers, they put back feet in same track as front feet. Horses are plains grazers, it's actually advantageous for them NOT to step in the exact same place.
I was watching the mechanics of how the first cat navigated and I noticed he was placing his back feet in exactly the same spot as the front, it's the first time I ever realized they do that. Now I'm staring at my own cats watching them walk the same way (and they're looking at me like I've really lost my mind).
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Not even going to attempt it. Mine would try to eat the obstacles.
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Notice, though, how some of the dogs learned how to best navigate the obstacles from the cats!
I have a very elderly cat who delicately walks through things like this...and a younger, sprightly feline goof who will barrel through anything to get to whatever is on the other side, yelling excitedly as she goes.
It's the adult and child thing, just like with humans.
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I did this with my dogs. My little 15lb girl knocked everything over my but my sweet 8-year-old 40lb actually proceeded just like the cat
For the black cat/Jack Russell one, I made the same laugh noise at the same time as in the video. That was odd! As a dog-leaning person, these cats (and some dogs) are impressive champions,
A cat: refinement and dignity. A dog: refinement and dignity are SOOOOO overrated, getting to be with hoomans is the prize!
Most of those dogs were big and fluffy, so their fluff and their size might have also made the things fall over. While almost all of the cats were smaller than the dogs and had less fur than them. But other than that, I luv dogs and cats equally!
Cats are impressive at avoiding objects. Sometimes, when mine would walk, I would put my limbs in front of them to see if they would avoid them (don't worry, I did this on soft surfaces like my bed, so if they tripped it wouldn't hurt!) and they always were able to dodge
Then again, cats don't exhibit the same care with a glass of water on a table, or a potted plant on a shelf or window sill.
I am neither a "cat" or "dog" person, I am a "non-pet person" (serious OCD), BUT - I think this really favors the cats by far. They not only have much smaller feet, they are by nature a much more delicate creature (mostly, there are REALLY stupid cats). I look at cats as the animal kingdom's Audrey Hepburn, while I view dogs (many of which are wonderful, so STFU) as your fiancee's drunken frat brother you REALLY don't want in the wedding party.
My dad's cat would probably look disdainfully at this then saunter off in the opposite direction!
This just proves that cats COULD stop knocking our stuff over. They do it on purpose, not on accident, savouring the horror in our eyes as we rush to keep our belongings from falling.
One thing, cats put back feet in same place as front feet, it's necessary when walking on branches and high places. Dogs don't do this because they seldom need to. Same is true of donkeys and horses. Donkeys are mountain browsers, they put back feet in same track as front feet. Horses are plains grazers, it's actually advantageous for them NOT to step in the exact same place.
I was watching the mechanics of how the first cat navigated and I noticed he was placing his back feet in exactly the same spot as the front, it's the first time I ever realized they do that. Now I'm staring at my own cats watching them walk the same way (and they're looking at me like I've really lost my mind).
Load More Replies... Not even going to attempt it. Mine would try to eat the obstacles.
Load More Replies... Notice, though, how some of the dogs learned how to best navigate the obstacles from the cats!
I have a very elderly cat who delicately walks through things like this...and a younger, sprightly feline goof who will barrel through anything to get to whatever is on the other side, yelling excitedly as she goes.
It's the adult and child thing, just like with humans.
Load More Replies... I did this with my dogs. My little 15lb girl knocked everything over my but my sweet 8-year-old 40lb actually proceeded just like the cat
For the black cat/Jack Russell one, I made the same laugh noise at the same time as in the video. That was odd! As a dog-leaning person, these cats (and some dogs) are impressive champions,
A cat: refinement and dignity. A dog: refinement and dignity are SOOOOO overrated, getting to be with hoomans is the prize!
Most of those dogs were big and fluffy, so their fluff and their size might have also made the things fall over. While almost all of the cats were smaller than the dogs and had less fur than them. But other than that, I luv dogs and cats equally!
Cats are impressive at avoiding objects. Sometimes, when mine would walk, I would put my limbs in front of them to see if they would avoid them (don't worry, I did this on soft surfaces like my bed, so if they tripped it wouldn't hurt!) and they always were able to dodge
Then again, cats don't exhibit the same care with a glass of water on a table, or a potted plant on a shelf or window sill.
I am neither a "cat" or "dog" person, I am a "non-pet person" (serious OCD), BUT - I think this really favors the cats by far. They not only have much smaller feet, they are by nature a much more delicate creature (mostly, there are REALLY stupid cats). I look at cats as the animal kingdom's Audrey Hepburn, while I view dogs (many of which are wonderful, so STFU) as your fiancee's drunken frat brother you REALLY don't want in the wedding party.
My dad's cat would probably look disdainfully at this then saunter off in the opposite direction!
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