Crosspost from https://lemmy.world/post/13527741
this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024
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So do cows. And pigs are smarter than dogs.
The line between food and friend is arbitrary.
Pigs are better problem solvers than dogs, that doesn't mean they're carte blanche smarter. Dogs have a level of social intelligence and selected-for ability to interact with humans that no other species does.
And cows have a very high emotional intelligence and are also extremely social creatures.
The best piece of literature I've seen regarding cow intelligence and social capacity was measured in terms of their ability to bond and empathize with other cows, their ability to bond with humans didn't come close to that of dogs
Rats form extremely close bonds with their human companions, and anecdotally I have family in Mexico who have told me about their cows that have tried cheering them up when they were sad.