0:00:03 > 0:00:06Everyone knows we're a nation of animal lovers,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and there are no prizes for guessing which ones in particular
0:00:09 > 0:00:13we're fond of - they are, of course, cats and dogs.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15We're going to try and answer the question that
0:00:15 > 0:00:20so frequently divides the nation and its animal lovers.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Simply put, which animal is best, a cat or a dog?
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Now, it's not easy, but perhaps science will
0:00:26 > 0:00:29once and for all settle this.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Over the next two programmes we're going to be revealing some
0:00:32 > 0:00:36of the latest and most fascinating research from around the world.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39I suspect you might not look at your pet in the same way ever again.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44Mm-hm. And I'm coming down on the side of our canine companions.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Are you, now? And even though I'm a fan of both, I believe that cats
0:00:47 > 0:00:49are the superior animals, Chris.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51What can I say? Two sides.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54And two shows in which to battle it out.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58In Cats V Dogs, we're calling on the nation's pets
0:00:58 > 0:01:02and their owners to help us decide which will be the winner.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08Using ground-breaking science from around the globe we're pitting
0:01:08 > 0:01:10our pets against each other
0:01:10 > 0:01:14to compare the two species for the very first time.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Tonight they're going to be competing
0:01:20 > 0:01:22in three distinct categories.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25We'll be comparing their senses.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Their physical prowess.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34And their brainpower.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36(Yes!)
0:01:39 > 0:01:40Let the battle begin.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49We're basing ourselves here in Cambridgeshire,
0:01:49 > 0:01:53at one of the country's leading veterinary referral clinics,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and it's one that specialises in cats and dogs.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58We'll be working with an international team of consultants
0:01:58 > 0:02:02to find a definitive answer to which is best - a cat or a dog?
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Our first category is a real brainteaser.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Which of our pets is the most intelligent species?
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Chris and I have already made up our minds, but we were keen to know
0:02:22 > 0:02:26what YOU thought, so we commissioned a survey
0:02:26 > 0:02:30of 1,000 people who own at least one cat AND one dog.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38So, how intelligent do you think your cats and dogs are?
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Well, in our survey of cat and dog owners,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44we asked which they thought was the most intelligent animal.
0:02:44 > 0:02:4729% said they thought the cat was the most intelligent animal,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50leaving a whopping, whopping
0:02:50 > 0:02:5458% saying they thought the dog was the more intelligent of the two.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- 58%?- Yes. - That's not a WHOPPING amount, Chris.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Well, it's whopping bigger than 29.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Before we call on the scientist to settle this argument we've
0:03:04 > 0:03:07collected a few clips from proud owners
0:03:07 > 0:03:09showing off their clever cats and dogs.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Felines are fabulous at figuring things out.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25But clever canines can do pretty much anything.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Good girl, Ella, go close the door.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Never mind feeding the dog - this dog makes YOU breakfast!
0:03:37 > 0:03:40But cats help out afterwards.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42And just look at this.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Good girl! Nice girl.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52But dogs can be taught so many USEFUL skills.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Now, here's a hotshot.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03OK, so they're both clever. But which one is the REAL brainiac?
0:04:06 > 0:04:10I've come down here to the dog ward to meet Peggy.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13And when I look into Peggy's eyes, I think
0:04:13 > 0:04:16that I can see intelligence in there.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20And to prove my point, I went off to one of the world's leading
0:04:20 > 0:04:23animal intelligence research centres.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The Clever Dog Lab in Vienna.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31In this seat of learning and culture,
0:04:31 > 0:04:32even the dogs go to university!
0:04:32 > 0:04:33CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Meet Luna, and she's been working here with
0:04:39 > 0:04:41some ground-breaking research
0:04:41 > 0:04:46where the scientists are looking at a dog's numerical abilities.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Husky Luna is one of the trained volunteers in the trials
0:04:50 > 0:04:52created by Dr Friederike Range.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57she's assessing one aspect of animal intelligence -
0:04:57 > 0:05:01the ability to recognise numbers of objects.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Tell me about the equipment that you're using. How does this work?
0:05:05 > 0:05:08So basically they have to touch with their nose one of the two screens,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and Luna has to go for the higher quantities.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14So if she actually presses this side with her nose, she gets a reward.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20However, if she presses the wrong one, she gets a time-out.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25So she has to wait 30 seconds before she can do the next trial.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29- OK, well, let's put Luna to the test, then.- Yes.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32The first combinations of numbers are all ones that Luna has
0:05:32 > 0:05:34been trained to recognise.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38So is it three or one?
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Hmm, no hesitation there.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44How about four or one?
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Another treat.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- At the moment she seems to be doing quite well.- That's promising, yes.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53BEEP! BEEP!
0:05:55 > 0:05:57And you're testing a range of breeds, I take it?
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Yes. We've been testing up to 30 other dogs
0:06:01 > 0:06:03and they all enjoy the task.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Luna scores nine out of twelve.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12OK, well, this trial's come to an end,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- can we try the more difficult one? - Sure.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18In the second test, the number of dots increases
0:06:18 > 0:06:20and the combinations get closer together.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Even I'm struggling to tell them apart.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Friederike, this is definitely more difficult.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29There were a lot more dots.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31And she is struggling a bit.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Luna's really being pushed here.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38As well as using screens she's been trained to recognise, Friederike's
0:06:38 > 0:06:43mixing in some more totally new combinations to see if Luna can
0:06:43 > 0:06:48take the principle which she seems to have learned, and then apply it.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50A couple of times she's gone up
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and it's almost like she's looked between the two screens.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55As if she's double-checking.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58It could mean that she's not sure about her choice.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Well, what's going on in her head - who knows?
0:07:01 > 0:07:03We can't ask her, unfortunately.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06With just two options there's always a 50% chance of
0:07:06 > 0:07:10getting the right answer, so the success rate needs to be much
0:07:10 > 0:07:13higher than that to prove any genuine ability.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20OK, if you establish that they're scoring better than 50%,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24would this allow us to infer that the dogs can actually count?
0:07:24 > 0:07:27No. It's nothing to do with counting, really.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30They can discriminate between different quantities.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33OK, so they can't add a sequence of numbers
0:07:33 > 0:07:35nor recognise higher or lower -
0:07:35 > 0:07:38it's simply the difference visually between the different numbers?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41It seems to me, yes.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Even in the second tougher test, Luna scores 60%.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Scientist believe that domestic dogs seem to have this numerical
0:07:49 > 0:07:52intelligence due to their wild ancestry.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58You see, they're descended from wolves, pack-living animals.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03So, it would help if, when they met another pack, they could see
0:08:03 > 0:08:07how many members it had, because sometimes they come into conflict.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10And if you met up with a pack and there were 16,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14and you only had six in yours, you might want to avoid that conflict.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31For domestic dogs a lot of intelligence echoes down the
0:08:31 > 0:08:34generations from their wild wolf ancestors.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42These are grey wolves.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45And potentially they are very dangerous animals.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Here are at the Wolf Science Center in Austria, grey wolves are
0:08:50 > 0:08:52bred in captivity.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Now, these wolves shouldn't be that dangerous because they've
0:08:55 > 0:08:58been hand-reared by the scientist here at this establishment.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01That means of course that they are tame,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03it doesn't mean that they are domesticated.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06And the very fact that they're tame,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09in that they have no fear of humans, can sometimes make them
0:09:09 > 0:09:12just a little bit more dangerous than normal.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15But we're about to find out. Cos I'm going in to meet them.
0:09:18 > 0:09:24Domestic dogs share the ancestry and an incredible 99.96%
0:09:24 > 0:09:26of their genes with wolves.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35It's hard to imagine, but every single breed of domestic dog
0:09:35 > 0:09:39that we've got, everything from Great Dane, Labrador, poodle,
0:09:39 > 0:09:44down to Chihuahua, is actually related to these grey wolves.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Wolves are very smart operators.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56They've worked out the power of the pack.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00They live in complex social groups and they are supreme hunters.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Using intelligent teamwork they hunt animals much larger than
0:10:05 > 0:10:08themselves, chasing them down over long distances.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12It was the similar behaviour,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15all of those tens of thousands of years ago,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18between our early hunter-gatherer ancestors
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and the pack-hunting behaviour of wolves, that brought us together.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26And started the process that's ended up with the dog
0:10:26 > 0:10:27living alongside you now.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33It's all gone, mate, it's all gone. Just the fingers left.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Our pet dogs may not need to go hunting, but their social skills
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and intelligence are the legacy of the wolf.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57So what about cats? How will they do in an intelligence test?
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Now, our dogs' numerical skills
0:11:00 > 0:11:03are clearly very impressive,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07but when it comes to comparing them to cats, we have a slight problem.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Cats are notoriously difficult to train.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12And there's a good reason for this.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Cats haven't been bred for thousands of years to obey our every command.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19But, one group of dedicated scientists have taken up
0:11:19 > 0:11:21the cat numerical challenge.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23MEOW!
0:11:23 > 0:11:28To find out what cats are capable of, I've come to the UK's foremost
0:11:28 > 0:11:32pet behaviour research centre at Lincoln University.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36And as with all the tests in the series, none of our pets
0:11:36 > 0:11:37came to any harm during filming.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43So this is Pixie, she's one of the cats who's been trained up
0:11:43 > 0:11:49in preparation for studies about numerical discrimination in cats.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53And today, for the first time, she's going to be put to the test.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Professor Daniel Mills and his team have designed a less hi-tech
0:11:57 > 0:12:02version of the task Luna the dog did in Vienna.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05They've been training Pixie to discriminate between four and one.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- So we have two magnetic boards.- Yep.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- Four objects here and one object there.- Yes.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14And the cat's been trained in order to always pick the larger number.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16OK.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21Research assistant Kate is at the ready with rewards.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24While Nadia wears a blindfold to ensure she doesn't give away
0:12:24 > 0:12:26any physical cues to Pixie.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Release.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Excellent. So she's picked the four over the one.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37If we can get set up for the next trial.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40The numbers are swapped for round two.
0:12:40 > 0:12:41Go.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- Good, very good. - Yes, well done.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Can Pixie make it three out of three?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Release.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51- Excellent.- She can.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Can this still be chance or is this looking like she knows
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- what she's doing?- Looking good.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58And release.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Error.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07No treat this time. And the fifth and final test.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Yes.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11That's four out of five.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13That was great,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16it does look like Pixie's been well trained to recognise a larger number
0:13:16 > 0:13:18from a smaller number, but, of course,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21- now is the crucial part, isn't it? - Yes.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Cos she's only been tested on the ones that she's learnt about.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27So now we're gonna drop in some new number combinations that she's not
0:13:27 > 0:13:29had before. So we're going to go with six and three.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33So can Pixie apply what she seems to have learned so far,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36and identify the bigger number?
0:13:36 > 0:13:37OK, go.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41Well done, Pixie.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46She's on a roll.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47And the third time...
0:13:49 > 0:13:50Oh, it's a fail.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52You can't get it every time.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Why not? She's a cat, come on!
0:13:54 > 0:13:57It's not long before Pixie's had enough.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00She won't be persuaded to carry on...
0:14:02 > 0:14:05..proving how much more difficult it is to train a cat.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11You know, dogs live with us, they constantly focus on us,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14they're keen to engage, whereas cats, anyone who owns a cat
0:14:14 > 0:14:18knows that the cat likes to be in control and do its own thing.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22This is pretty extraordinary. Pixie does seem to be able to
0:14:22 > 0:14:26discriminate greater quantities from smaller ones, but does this mean
0:14:26 > 0:14:29that she can count?
0:14:29 > 0:14:32People have suggested that perhaps cats need to count in order to count
0:14:32 > 0:14:35how many kittens they've got to check they haven't left one behind.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38But actually, now we know that they've got individual
0:14:38 > 0:14:39recognition of their kittens,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I don't have to count how many kittens I've got -
0:14:42 > 0:14:44- I need to know I've got you and you. - I can smell you,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46I can recognise your meowing, I know what's going on.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49So actually that negates the need, perhaps, to count.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I wouldn't be surprised if they have some concept,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54but when does a cat ever need to count up to ten?
0:15:03 > 0:15:05I think we have to say that
0:15:05 > 0:15:08when it comes to the numbers game, the dogs have nailed it.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10It does look like that, doesn't it?
0:15:10 > 0:15:13But there are clear evolutionary reasons as to why cats may not have
0:15:13 > 0:15:17needed to evolve this particular type of numerical intelligence.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19For one thing, they're solitary animals.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23They seek out lone prey, and we're very much behind with cat studies,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and what's becoming clear is that one testing method may not work
0:15:26 > 0:15:29for two different species, and it's something that science
0:15:29 > 0:15:32will be looking at more closely in the future.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39To begin to understand the way a cat thinks, we need to go back
0:15:39 > 0:15:40to their wild beginnings.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50This cat might look like your average pet tabby,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53but it is, in fact, an Arabian Wildcat.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Powerful, fiercely combative and a supreme predator.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02It's thought there are as many as five subspecies of wildcat,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06but DNA analysis shows that all of our domestic cats
0:16:06 > 0:16:08are descended from this guy.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14And our modern descendants of these mighty moggies have retained
0:16:14 > 0:16:16many of the same traits.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Arabian Wildcats are solitary animals with large
0:16:21 > 0:16:25territories measuring several square miles. They only come
0:16:25 > 0:16:28together to mate and the female will raise her offspring alone.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Cats are highly intelligent lone survivors,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36brilliant at figuring out how to capture their prey.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40They are formidable hunters.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43They hunt mainly at night and they are ambush predators,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45which means they'll stalk up to their prey
0:16:45 > 0:16:49and get as close as they possibly can and then they'll pounce.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56Many of our well-fed pet cats still like to hunt, proving they're
0:16:56 > 0:16:59not that far removed from their wild ancestors.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01CAT HISSES
0:17:06 > 0:17:07DOGS BARK AND WHIMPER
0:17:09 > 0:17:13OK, both cats and dogs are clearly intelligent.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16They've worked out how to survive in the wild
0:17:16 > 0:17:20and learn to live alongside each other, as well as us humans,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24but which of these two animals is the smartest overall?
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Here at the clinic I'm going to pick the brains of the big boss,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30senior consultant Dick White.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32- Dick, very nice to meet you. - Hi, Chris.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36I've got to get to the bottom of this dog and cat brain issue.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38But before we do, there's no bias -
0:17:38 > 0:17:40you like each animal an equal fashion, I presume?
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I pretend to like each equally but I have one cat
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- and seven or eight dogs, so... - Oh, OK.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- There probably is a little bit of bias there. - Well, let's not mention that.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51- No, we won't.- Let's go straight to the brains, then.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54OK, here we have a model of a cat's brain.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57And we think that the average cat's brain has
0:17:57 > 0:18:00a volume of around about 25cc.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03The dog, on the other hand, does somewhat better,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07has a slightly larger brain, and the average dog has a brain -
0:18:07 > 0:18:12this is a medium-sized dog - has a brain of around about 64cc.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15So dogs' brains are somewhat bigger than cats.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18But that doesn't necessarily mean they're in any way more intelligent,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- of course, does it?- No, sheer volume is not necessarily a good indicator,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26so we use something called an encephalization quotient,
0:18:26 > 0:18:31or an EQ, and that gives us a ratio of the relative
0:18:31 > 0:18:34size of the brain to the weight of the animal.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Dogs have an EQ of around about 1.2
0:18:38 > 0:18:43and cats have an EQ slightly less, of around about 1.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48So that means if you compared a cat-sized dog with a cat,
0:18:48 > 0:18:53it still has a brain which is roughly 20% bigger than the cat.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- The dog has the bigger brain? - The dog has the bigger brain. Yes.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59OK. What's going on in the brain, though?
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Well, although the EQ is a good indication of intelligence,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05it's still more complex than that.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10And we need to look at the number of neurons in the cortex, which is
0:19:10 > 0:19:12the front part of the brain.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15And in the cat, we estimate
0:19:15 > 0:19:20they have around about 300 million cortical neurons.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24Whereas in the dog, and this is fairly recent work in
0:19:24 > 0:19:29Golden Retrievers, it's hot off the press, the average dog has around
0:19:29 > 0:19:33about 600 million cortical neurons, so roughly twice as many as the cat.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37So it suggests that they ought to be twice as intelligent as the cat.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39OK. So relative to body size,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42a larger brain, also a more complex one,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and therefore potentially more intelligent.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46I knew it.
0:19:46 > 0:19:52In our survey, 58% of you agreed with me that dogs
0:19:52 > 0:19:55would win on intelligence - and we were right.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Canines are officially top dog.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05I'm still not convinced that dogs are more intelligent than cats.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Are you?
0:20:08 > 0:20:13Time for the next round in our epic battle between cats and dogs.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16We move on to comparing their sensory powers.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Survival of the fittest isn't just about brain power.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Physical and physiological capabilities also play a huge
0:20:28 > 0:20:30role in the success of a species.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33They need finely tuned senses.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Their sense of smell, hearing and sight are absolutely essential
0:20:37 > 0:20:38when it comes to their survival.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Indeed, so let's start with sight. Cats are excellent at night vision.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45But I wanted find out just how much better
0:20:45 > 0:20:47cats are at seeing in the dark than dogs.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54So, as night falls, I meet up with the Royal Veterinary College's
0:20:54 > 0:20:58senior ophthalmologist, Dr Rick Sanchez.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02He's going to put both species through the maze test.
0:21:04 > 0:21:05- Hi, Rick.- Hi, there.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08So this is it, this is our maze?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11This is the maze. OK, so how is this going to work?
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Well, as you can see there are obstacles here,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16which can be moved and can be changed, and so the idea
0:21:16 > 0:21:19is for the animal to walk through, around all the obstacles
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and go to the end, where they're going to have a little bit
0:21:22 > 0:21:26of a food reward. Of course, it's going to be pitch-black in here.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28It will be completely dark.
0:21:28 > 0:21:33'All we need now is a couple of intrepid volunteers.'
0:21:33 > 0:21:35So this is Edupus, this is Fen,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38and they're going to be a guinea pigs for our little experiment.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Aren't you?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Yes, you are.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46So who will be the fastest through the maze?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Let's turn off the lights.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Owner Dale's at the starting line with Fen.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52Fen!
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Her daughter Mimi is in charge of summoning Fen to the finish line.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Go on, Fen, in the maze, in the maze.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Fen, Fen!
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It really is pitch-black in here.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04But we're using night-vision cameras.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Come on. Turn, oh, oh. Oh, confusing.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- Fen, Fen.- Come on, Fen, come on. Now she's seen it.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- Yes, that's good. Yes, she's... - Oh, look, look, look.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- 'Oh, she's turning around.' - She's confused.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21She's not, she's not comfortable so she's going back to where she knows.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- Come on, Fen, come on. - Fen, Fen!
0:22:24 > 0:22:26Fen is at an advantage here.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30A dog's night vision is five times better than ours.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33But I'm not sure if Fen realises that.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34Well, I think that shows
0:22:34 > 0:22:37that she's not comfortable... She's trying to...
0:22:37 > 0:22:39I want her to do it, though. There you go.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- Oh, there we go!- Come on!
0:22:41 > 0:22:42Good girl!
0:22:42 > 0:22:45'So there's now 43 seconds to beat.'
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Well done, let's bring in the cat.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49How will Edupus get on?
0:22:52 > 0:22:54OK so there's...
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Smooth as. Smooth as.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59Good boy!
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- That's very fast.- Smooth. No hesitation.- No hesitation.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04As if it was broad daylight.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08'And done in eight seconds. He is the clear winner.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11To be sure it wasn't a one-off, we move the obstacles around in
0:23:11 > 0:23:13the maze and run the test again.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16The results are the same each time.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24So why are cats so successful?
0:23:24 > 0:23:27They both have something in the back of the eye called
0:23:27 > 0:23:30the tapetum, which is a reflective layer.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I have a torch here and if you shine a light into their eyes
0:23:33 > 0:23:36from a distance, you should be able to see that the cat's eyes
0:23:36 > 0:23:38are a lot more reflective.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Obviously a lot more reflective than the dog's eyes should be.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- OK, let me turn off the lights.- You want to try?- We'll check this out.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47OK, let's take a look.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48Can you see it?
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Oh, it's amazing.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54The tapetum in the cat, it has about 20 layers.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56And the dog's is a bit thinner than that.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58It's up to ten layers.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Cats have tiny little cells in the tapetum with reflective
0:24:02 > 0:24:07material that is not only tightly packed, but is oriented
0:24:07 > 0:24:12in such a way that it reflects light a lot more efficiently than the dog.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15The more light that you're able to reflect,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17the better you can see at night.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24So, when it comes to seeing in the dark, the crown goes to these
0:24:24 > 0:24:26supreme night prowlers.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Cats are nocturnal predators.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37The animals they hunt tend to come out at night, which is why
0:24:37 > 0:24:40they're so good at seeing in the dark.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44What's more, cats' eyes are supremely adapted for following
0:24:44 > 0:24:46very fast-moving prey - take a look at this.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56It's the old trick - which cup is the ball under?
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Four. OK?
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Watch very closely - Kedo, the cat, is.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07He never seems to get it wrong.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13So there's no doubt that when it comes to vision, cats win.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18So, come on, Chris, you can't disagree with that.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Both animals may benefit from the way they see the world,
0:25:22 > 0:25:23but cats take the trophy.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28OK. I concede that cats - by a short whisker - take the trophy.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31But there is one sense that everyone knows, yourself included,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34where dogs absolutely triumph - and that is smell.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42I've come to Manchester city centre to meet a sniffer dog
0:25:42 > 0:25:44with a spectacular sense of smell.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- Steve.- Hi.- How do you do? - I'm fine, thanks.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48- And this is Boris. - This is Boris.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51I've heard a lot about Boris. Tell me a bit about him yourself.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Boris is a search dog with mountain rescue.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56- Good nose, then? - Very good, yes.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01I'm going to set Steve and Boris a really tricky challenge today.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04And I'm going to scoot off through the city,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07I'm going to run about a mile away, and you've got to try and track me.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09I've got a couple of smelly clues for you.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11I've got a T-shirt I was wearing yesterday,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15and I've got a really skanky pillow case, plenty of scent there, I hope.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20This is urban tracking at its most extreme.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24There are thousands of smells vying for air space here.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28So how on earth is he going to pinpoint just one - mine?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Just look at this.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35There must be at least 300 people,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and by the time that Boris gets here there would have been another
0:26:37 > 0:26:40600, 900, 1,000 people.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48'And, I'm going to make it even harder for Boris.'
0:26:48 > 0:26:50I've got an idea.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Just watch this - I'm going to set him a dummy.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59Yes, for my first trick I double back down a side street.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Hehehe! That'll get him!
0:27:04 > 0:27:06I'm going to wash away my scent.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25And this is perfect.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29A street market teeming with vats of pungent foods.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32It's a complete sensual onslaught.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36How can he not be distracted by all of these smells?
0:27:36 > 0:27:40There's every food smell you can imagine. From all over the world.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I've just thought of another idea.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48What I'm going to do here is I'm going to loop around this building
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and then come back across my own trail.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55What's he going to do about that, then?
0:27:55 > 0:27:57I think that's far enough.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00There's plenty of smells, a few tricks and thousands
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and thousands of people.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05So let's just see how Boris's nose can do.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Right, I'm just gonna now introduce the scent from the T-shirt to Boris.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Find the smell. Where's the smell?
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Boris is wearing a GPS transmitter and I'll be tracking his
0:28:22 > 0:28:26progress every sniff of the way from my coffee shop hideout.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32Here's the route I took - let's see if he can follow it,
0:28:32 > 0:28:34and then find me.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37He's made the first right decision,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40and he's going at quite a pace, I can tell you.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Find him out.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45The interesting thing is, he's going in the right direction but
0:28:45 > 0:28:47he's on the different side of the street than I was on.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51He's just coming up to the point now where he's gonna have to turn left.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56He's done it.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57Find him out.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Now he's just got to that bit where I played that little trick,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03when I went down the street and came back out again.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Well, that didn't work, did it? He just charged straight across.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13Find him out.
0:29:13 > 0:29:14This'll be an interesting bit.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19This is where he's going to get up to where I tried to wash my scent away.
0:29:23 > 0:29:24He didn't even slow up.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28This is the bit where I jumped on the benches.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Find him.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32He didn't even bother to look at 'em!
0:29:32 > 0:29:33Boris, wait.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Oh, he's having a re-sniff.
0:29:36 > 0:29:37Find him out.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40He's about halfway round the course now.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42And he's bang on target.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48I imagined that he would be sniffing the ground, following exactly
0:29:48 > 0:29:52where I'd put my feet. But he's not doing that,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54he's smelling the general course of where I'm going.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02He's gone around the outside of that food market, not through the centre.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06It's almost as if he's decided he doesn't want to be tempted
0:30:06 > 0:30:10by the smell of sausages or anything else, he's bypassed that altogether.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17OK, this is the spot where I looped around that block and
0:30:17 > 0:30:21crossed my own trail. But he's not done that at all.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24In fact, he's crossed the road even before that point.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Perhaps he's picking up on the fresher scent.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Find him out.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31He's about a 100 metres away.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33Come on, Boris, where is it?
0:30:33 > 0:30:39He's almost on me. That took just over ten minutes.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44What can I say?! What can I say?! Oh, Boris, honestly.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46So, Steve, what is it about my smell,
0:30:46 > 0:30:50anyone's smell, which is unique enough for him to be able to follow?
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Well, the science behind it is the scent is produced
0:30:53 > 0:30:54from dead skin cells.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58As they die, they come off the body and then the bacteria that
0:30:58 > 0:31:01works on them creates the scent that is unique to you.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06That's why he wasn't following my exact footprints,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09he wasn't interested in that - he was interested in this plume
0:31:09 > 0:31:10of deteriorating skin cells
0:31:10 > 0:31:13that were blowing around in the environment?
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Yes, that's how he's able to track you.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17It's the scent coming up that's left that trail
0:31:17 > 0:31:21- through the city.- And how long would my trail last out there?
0:31:21 > 0:31:23I mean, you started following me after about 40 minutes.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26But, could you have done that, I don't know, ten hours,
0:31:26 > 0:31:31- 12 hours later?- Yes, Boris has worked at trails at lengths
0:31:31 > 0:31:32of 12, 24 and 72 hours.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35The key factor will be the environmental conditions.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40Wind, rain will affect the length of that trail will be viable.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43Good boy.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47'Remarkable. And the reason why dogs can track scent so well
0:31:47 > 0:31:50'is because of what's going on inside their noses.'
0:31:52 > 0:31:56These are images of a CT scan of a dog's nose.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58That's amazing.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01'Surgeon Pieter Nelissen is giving me a guided tour
0:32:01 > 0:32:05'of the olfactory epithelium - folded layers of tissue
0:32:05 > 0:32:07'covered in smell receptors.'
0:32:07 > 0:32:10This is were it gets interesting, this is where we see all
0:32:10 > 0:32:13the different scrolls that form the nose.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17'If these scrolls were unravelled, their surface area would measure
0:32:17 > 0:32:19'90cm squared.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21'30 times bigger than a human's.'
0:32:23 > 0:32:27Is it all about maximising the surface area to fit as many
0:32:27 > 0:32:28smell receptors on there?
0:32:28 > 0:32:30That's exactly what it is.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32Dogs use their smell for pretty much everything
0:32:32 > 0:32:36and they've got about 150 million smell receptors.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39So OK, there's no question, they're excellent at smelling,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42but I want to see how the cat compares.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46If we scroll through an image of the cat, we immediately see that it
0:32:46 > 0:32:51is a lot less compact, they've got 20cm squared and...
0:32:51 > 0:32:53As opposed to 90...
0:32:53 > 0:32:58As opposed to 90, and there are a lot less receptors within the cat.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Only 60 million of receptors.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05'And dogs have another big advantage.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10'The area of their brain dedicated to smell is relatively much larger.'
0:33:10 > 0:33:14So the brain is able to process that smell more effectively as well?
0:33:14 > 0:33:17- Yes, that's correct.- I'm very depressed about that information.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19I don't want to tell Chris.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22'But it's not over yet in this battle.'
0:33:22 > 0:33:24See a tiny little opening
0:33:24 > 0:33:28between the hard palate and the incisive bone.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32'This is a cat's vomeronasal organ.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36'It analyses chemical messages in the scent marks left by other cats.'
0:33:36 > 0:33:40Cats use it specifically to communicate with other cats,
0:33:40 > 0:33:42it's all to do with pheromones,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46and they will have an idea where there are other cats in the area,
0:33:46 > 0:33:51either to stay away from them or to interact with them directly.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55See, I'm hugely impressed with that. Do dogs have vomeronasal organs?
0:33:55 > 0:33:59Dogs do have it but it is less-developed compared to cats.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01It's much more crude.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03So OK, they win hands down when it comes to this much more
0:34:03 > 0:34:07sophisticated way of gaining information about the world
0:34:07 > 0:34:10- around them. - Absolutely, it's not just smell.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13Ah, interesting stuff, so what cats lack in smell receptors
0:34:13 > 0:34:19and area of epithelium, they make up for with this incredible ability.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Yep, of course - nice try, Liz.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24But everyone knows that when it comes to the nose, dogs come
0:34:24 > 0:34:26up smelling of, er, roses.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32And that leaves us with our last sensory head-to-head - hearing.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35And for my money, this is going to be the most difficult.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37So we asked our survey participants.
0:34:37 > 0:34:3925%
0:34:39 > 0:34:42said they thought that cats had better hearing.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46And 61% said that they thought it was dogs.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50Anyone who owns a dog knows that they'll prick up their ears
0:34:50 > 0:34:51at almost anything.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56Their hearing is certainly better than that of any human.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59But could those cats be the hearing heroes?
0:35:00 > 0:35:04To find out who has the widest range of hearing, Dick White is
0:35:04 > 0:35:08conducting a hearing test with the help of Felix the cat.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14He's starting with the easier sounds at lower frequencies.
0:35:14 > 0:35:20OK, so let's put a, first of all a 10kH signal in here,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22and that's well within human hearing range.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28He certainly reacts to that in the same way that we do.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32OK, we'll go up now to 20kH, which is not easy for humans to hear,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35but young children can usually hear that,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38and we'll see what kind of response we get to that.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46Next we're going beyond the range that ANY humans can hear.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Now we're going to 50kH.
0:35:48 > 0:35:5150kH is the upper limit for dogs.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59It's another positive reaction from Felix. But can he go even higher?
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Let's go to 60kH, let's press the button now.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Come on, Felix, this is for cats everywhere.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12We can see some ear twitching,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15which suggests some response to that sound.
0:36:15 > 0:36:16There are the ears moving.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19It's another triumph for cats.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Well, I think it's clear that cats have much superior hearing
0:36:23 > 0:36:28than dogs. One of the important differences is that the external ear
0:36:28 > 0:36:32of the cat is very erect, we can see this part here - the pinna -
0:36:32 > 0:36:35is very, very mobile and it acts like a sort of a radar dish
0:36:35 > 0:36:38to collect the sound waves
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and directs them down to the tympanic membrane, or the eardrum.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47The cat's middle ear is relatively larger than that of the dog, which
0:36:47 > 0:36:52is thought to be why cats can detect a far wider range of frequencies.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Cats often hear their prey before they see it.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00The small animals they prey on tend to make high-pitched noises,
0:37:00 > 0:37:04but because cats have the ability to pick up on these sounds,
0:37:04 > 0:37:05they can locate them easily.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Quite a surprising result for a lot of pet owners there -
0:37:11 > 0:37:1561% of you thought that dogs would be better at hearing,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17but the science backs me up, Chris.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19Cats win on hearing.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Only just, only just, and let's not forget the smell.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25When it comes to smell, the dog's nose is like a sensory
0:37:25 > 0:37:29version of Pinocchio's - it's right out there sniffing above the cats.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Pinocchio's nose - really...?
0:37:32 > 0:37:37Dogs may win on smell but cats have better eyesight and hearing.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41So the overall winner in this round,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44the battle of the senses, are the cats.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Once you've located your prey, you have to catch it.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56And so for the final round in this show's battle between cats
0:37:56 > 0:38:01and dogs, we're going to be testing who is best when it comes to
0:38:01 > 0:38:03physical prowess.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09And by that, we mean agility, stamina and speed.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16So our next survey question was,
0:38:16 > 0:38:20which animal do you think is the most agile - the cat or the dog?
0:38:20 > 0:38:23- Do you want the results? - Lay them on me.
0:38:23 > 0:38:264% said dogs. And a resounding
0:38:26 > 0:38:2993% said the cat.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31I'm not terribly surprised about that, you know,
0:38:31 > 0:38:35because cats are renowned for being very lithe, supple animals.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38But, you know, I think this might be closer-run than you think.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43Let's start by looking at how athletic each of these animals is.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Cats are fantastic movers.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50But dogs are bound to win.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56I'd like to see a cat do this.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01And I'd like to see a dog do this.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08You can't beat a skateboarding hound.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Oh, really?
0:39:30 > 0:39:34OK, so both cats and dogs can do some pretty amazing tricks.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36But cats are ambush predators -
0:39:36 > 0:39:40that requires an incredible amount of power and agility.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44So I suspect that in a true test of physical prowess
0:39:44 > 0:39:46cats are going to beat dogs hands down.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55One simple action that both animals can do is jump.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57But who can jump the highest?
0:39:58 > 0:40:02We've enlisted the help of the Royal Veterinary College's Matthew Pead.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08OK, so today we've set up a high jump competition for you.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10We've got Dash, a Jack Russell Terrier.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Hello, Dash. - And we've got a cat.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Representing Team Cat is Tinkerbell.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19OK, and they're pretty evenly matched.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Yes, similar size. Similar leg length.
0:40:23 > 0:40:24Dash is up first.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26All right, Joe, whenever you're ready.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33'He's warming up. And we'll see how high he can go.'
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Jump, jump, jump!
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Good boy.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41The first phase of a vertical jump is the takeoff.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45It's how well they do this which determines the height they reach.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51Both dogs and cats have the same basic technique. First the crouch.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Followed by the raising of the four limbs,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59and a rapid extension of the hind limbs.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04so how did Dash do on his best jump?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07What part of the body are we measuring here -
0:41:07 > 0:41:09the top of the head, the hind legs?
0:41:09 > 0:41:12We're going to take a point just behind the shoulder blade
0:41:12 > 0:41:15- and that's about the middle of the animal.- That's the fairest
0:41:15 > 0:41:17- we can be.- Yes, that's the fairest I can do for you.
0:41:17 > 0:41:18OK, so let's take a look at this one
0:41:18 > 0:41:23and see where the shoulder blades reach on the chart.
0:41:23 > 0:41:24Got it.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28- Oh, very good.- So the point just behind his scapular
0:41:28 > 0:41:30is 112, we'll give him for that.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34112cm, Dash, well done.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Tinkerbell is up next, but we need to give her somewhere to land.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40She's been trained to jump up
0:41:40 > 0:41:43onto something, which is more natural for a cat.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Does she get any leverage from tapping her feet
0:41:48 > 0:41:50on the box as she jumps up?
0:41:50 > 0:41:53No, we've set it up with a really smooth surface, so she can't gain
0:41:53 > 0:41:54any purchase from there.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01Tinkerbell certainly jumps with more style than Dash, but did she beat
0:42:01 > 0:42:03his top score of 112cm?
0:42:05 > 0:42:09OK, let's take a look at Tinkerbell's highest jump, and...
0:42:09 > 0:42:11129 for the cat.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13OK, that is amazing.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15So Tinkerbell has clearly jumped
0:42:15 > 0:42:17- substantially higher than Dash. - Yes.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20It's a clear win for Team Cat.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26The dog's probably performing at the limit of what the dog can do.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29I think the cat's taking it easy.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34The highest recorded cat jump is 196cm.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38So what is it about cats that make them so brilliant at jumping?
0:42:38 > 0:42:43First up, the cat's got this incredibly long reach -
0:42:43 > 0:42:45look how far these legs go out in front of her.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50So they have relatively long bones in relation to their size -
0:42:50 > 0:42:55that gives them long levers, and long levers with long muscles mean
0:42:55 > 0:42:57that you can generate a lot of force.
0:42:57 > 0:43:02Cats' bones are not only long, they're lightweight as well.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06They have larger cavities than those of dogs, who have a denser,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08heavier skeleton.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12The cats' natural crouch posture combined with a highly
0:43:12 > 0:43:17flexible spine allows them to contract like a coiled spring
0:43:17 > 0:43:19before an explosive takeoff.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24They can get all the muscles which are going to propel them
0:43:24 > 0:43:27into the air pretty much underneath their centre of gravity.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31That's much more difficult for a dog, which isn't so flexible, to do.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34So the cat can pretty much push itself straight up in the air,
0:43:34 > 0:43:36almost like a rocket.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40So when it comes to the high jump, cats reach new heights.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Well, what do you make of that?
0:43:45 > 0:43:47It's undeniable, it's undeniable.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Cats are remarkable, amazing athletes,
0:43:50 > 0:43:52but what about the long jump? That's a different kettle of fish,
0:43:52 > 0:43:55and here I think that dogs could do really well.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06This is a genuine British long jump competition
0:44:06 > 0:44:08called Dash 'N' Splash...
0:44:10 > 0:44:14..based on the American sport of dock diving, where dogs retrieve
0:44:14 > 0:44:16a ball thrown off the end of a dock.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25Success relies upon a fast run-up and a powerful takeoff.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36The nearer the end of the ramp they jump from, the better,
0:44:36 > 0:44:39as the jump distance is measured from the edge.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46The end point is where the base of the dog's tail breaks the surface.
0:44:50 > 0:44:56The current world record is a truly giant leap of 8.5m.
0:44:57 > 0:45:03Only just short of the world record for the human long jump.
0:45:03 > 0:45:08The furthest recorded cat jump is just 1.8 metres.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10HE CHUCKLES
0:45:10 > 0:45:13Dogs are the long-jump champions!
0:45:13 > 0:45:15So, what do you make of that?
0:45:15 > 0:45:19I loved it, Chris, but who knows how far a cat could jump
0:45:19 > 0:45:21if you could train it to run up first?
0:45:21 > 0:45:23IF you could train it to run up first.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Yes, on the subject of running, let's look at speed now.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28In our survey of our 1,000 cat and dog owners,
0:45:28 > 0:45:33we asked which one they thought would be the faster sprinter.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35Very surprising results.
0:45:35 > 0:45:3841% said they thought it was their dog,
0:45:38 > 0:45:42and 51, their cat. I'm surprised by that.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44I do as well, but when you think about it,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47the fastest animal on the planet belongs to the cat family.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51The cheetah is built for speed.
0:45:51 > 0:45:57This lean, mean running machine can go as fast as 64mph.
0:45:57 > 0:46:01It's capable of incredible acceleration and can go from
0:46:01 > 0:46:040-60 in 3½ seconds.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08That's faster than most sports cars.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Now, look at this domestic cat moving at full speed.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16If you compare it with a cheetah, you can see just how similar
0:46:16 > 0:46:18they are in their running techniques.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26But there is one breed of dog that's famous for being fast,
0:46:26 > 0:46:27and that's the greyhound.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Chris is meeting Sal and Jojo - rescues who live at the clinic
0:46:31 > 0:46:34and are looked after by ward assistant Abby.
0:46:34 > 0:46:39What a beautiful animal. The physique is extraordinary isn't, it?
0:46:39 > 0:46:44- She is gorgeous.- Her legs so lean. How much exercise do you give them?
0:46:44 > 0:46:46We walk them four times a day and they run around in the paddock.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49Run around - that's what we want to see, a bit of running.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52- An animal like this needs to be in motion. Can we try?- Yes. OK.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55All right, here's the toy - look at this, look at this.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59Imagine it's a...I don't know, a rabbit or something. Come on.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07It's beautiful to watch, isn't it?
0:47:07 > 0:47:09The way their body moves.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12And these animals have been bred for countless
0:47:12 > 0:47:15generations for their speed, and I can tell you that
0:47:15 > 0:47:19when that greyhound is flat out, it will do 40mph.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25Well, Chris is pulling a fast one again -
0:47:25 > 0:47:29using the most speedy dog breed to compare to an average moggy
0:47:29 > 0:47:31is just not good sportsmanship.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35We're going to get to the bottom of this with some proper science.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Helen Fenton-Jones is head physiotherapist at the centre.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43- Hiya, Helen.- Hiya.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46- How are you? Who's this? - This is Bobby.
0:47:46 > 0:47:47What are you doing to him today?
0:47:47 > 0:47:51He's having some hydrotherapy as part of his physio treatment.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53Because he's an older dog he just needs a little bit of help
0:47:53 > 0:47:56cos his muscles aren't so strong any more.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59I'm hoping Helen can settle the argument about which animal
0:47:59 > 0:48:02is faster, my cats or Chris's dogs?
0:48:02 > 0:48:04Well, if we think about the skeleton,
0:48:04 > 0:48:08if we look at the forelimb of a cat compared to a dog,
0:48:08 > 0:48:12there's much more manoeuvrability and flexibility there.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14OK. How does that contribute to speed when running?
0:48:14 > 0:48:17When we're talking about running, if they can increase
0:48:17 > 0:48:20the range of movement at the shoulder, increasing their stride
0:48:20 > 0:48:23length, technically that should contribute to a greater speed.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25- Faster compared to the dog. - Excellent.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29So if you combine the extraordinary muscle power, the manoeuvrability,
0:48:29 > 0:48:33the flexibility of the spine, can we say that your average cat is
0:48:33 > 0:48:37designed for speed in a superior way to that of a dog of the same size?
0:48:37 > 0:48:38I suspect that may be the case.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42And I think it's really interesting that we can use our knowledge
0:48:42 > 0:48:47of the musculoskeletal systems to infer those sorts of things.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50Thank you so much. So, Chris, it looks like once again
0:48:50 > 0:48:53the average cat pips the average dog to the post.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57Ecologically, of course, this makes sense.
0:48:57 > 0:49:02Speed, jumping, general agility - well, it's important to cats
0:49:02 > 0:49:03because of the way they hunt,
0:49:03 > 0:49:07by pouncing or jumping up onto their prey, often after a short sprint.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10But there is one athletic skill
0:49:10 > 0:49:14where Liz and her cats can't possibly compete.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21And that is endurance.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25Dogs and their humans are amazing long-distance runners.
0:49:28 > 0:49:32I'm here at the European Championships of a very noisy
0:49:32 > 0:49:35new sport, called Canicross,
0:49:35 > 0:49:39where basically it's like cross-country with dogs.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42The dogs are very much in front pulling the runners along,
0:49:42 > 0:49:44so it's a perfect opportunity for us
0:49:44 > 0:49:47to take a look at the endurance abilities of these animals.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57The dogs and their owners cover a demanding 5km course
0:49:57 > 0:49:59through Perthshire's scenic Bowland Trails.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05Scandinavian hound Diesel is being fitted with a heart-rate monitor
0:50:05 > 0:50:08by a Canicross vet, Bethan Fitzgerald.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12We're just going to need to put some gel on the underside just to
0:50:12 > 0:50:14make sure that there's good contact between the skin.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17We need a good amount, sorry.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20And this will tell us exactly how fast that heart
0:50:20 > 0:50:23is beating during exercise, before exercise,
0:50:23 > 0:50:26- and we can do a comparison. - OK, what's it saying?
0:50:26 > 0:50:29It's giving us a heart-rate of about 80 beats per minute.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31Is that what you'd expect for a dog of this size?
0:50:31 > 0:50:34- Yes, absolutely.- It'll be interesting to see what happens
0:50:34 > 0:50:35during the course of the race, Diesel.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37I imagine yours might go up a little bit.
0:50:37 > 0:50:38And yours too, of course.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43Diesel and his owner Sarah were European champions two years ago,
0:50:43 > 0:50:45so they're both pretty fit.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49Three...two...one... Go!
0:50:54 > 0:50:57The dogs lead the way, but their owners call out directional
0:50:57 > 0:51:01commands to keep them on the right route.
0:51:01 > 0:51:05In this terrain, four legs are definitely better than two.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14But are the dogs being pushed to their limit?
0:51:16 > 0:51:19Heart rate's one thing, but what we're really
0:51:19 > 0:51:23interested in here is something called the VO2 max.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26Now, this is the sort of aerobic capacity of the body.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30It's the body's ability to get oxygen to the muscles, which is
0:51:30 > 0:51:31obviously essential.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35In simple terms it's the fitness - the absolute fitness.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41The VO2 is the volume of oxygen that the body can consume
0:51:41 > 0:51:43whilst exercising.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46The fitter you are, the higher your maximum capacity.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50Now, dogs are way ahead of their owners.
0:51:50 > 0:51:55At full capacity, Diesel has a VO2 level that could reach 200.
0:51:55 > 0:51:59Even the fittest human specimens can't come close to this.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05I'm here on the finish line and one thing that's very apparent is
0:52:05 > 0:52:09that most of the dogs look a lot fitter than the people.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13I mean, there's a few drooping tongues from the dogs but there's
0:52:13 > 0:52:16a lot of exhausted competitors - human competitors, that is.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20So how hard DID Diesel find it?
0:52:20 > 0:52:26'If he's been pushed to his limit, then his VO2 level would read 200.'
0:52:27 > 0:52:32Just a rough calculation, and today he reached 90.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35But I've got a funny feeling he wasn't going to his maximum,
0:52:35 > 0:52:37he was, er, he found that very easy.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39That wasn't max, was it?
0:52:39 > 0:52:41I mean, I hate to say it,
0:52:41 > 0:52:43but he looked like he was ready to go again.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Yes, he was ready to go again. I wasn't!
0:52:45 > 0:52:48So, with a VO2 level of 90,
0:52:48 > 0:52:52Diesel was working at less than half capacity.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56Which goes to show that dogs are exceptional endurance athletes.
0:52:56 > 0:53:00I've borrowed a dog to find out for myself.
0:53:00 > 0:53:05I hope. Come on, mate, let's go, let's go. Come on.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08Breeds with most stamina are those with the closest genetic link
0:53:08 > 0:53:10to their wolf ancestors.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13Like Crow, my husky running partner.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19I'm feeling quite close to MY ancestors right now.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24Like a Stone Age huntsman chasing a wild boar through the forest
0:53:24 > 0:53:26with my trusty hound.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30'Well, maybe not.'
0:53:30 > 0:53:32Oh...
0:53:33 > 0:53:36I know. Where's the defibrillator?
0:53:36 > 0:53:38HE PANTS
0:53:39 > 0:53:43Compared to cats, dogs have an enormous aerobic capacity.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45Look at these sled dogs here.
0:53:45 > 0:53:51They can run for 100 miles a day for seven days in a row.
0:53:51 > 0:53:56It's absolutely phenomenal, and the reason that they're so aerobically
0:53:56 > 0:54:00fit is that they're more efficient at getting oxygen to their muscles.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03They have more blood vessels going to those muscles,
0:54:03 > 0:54:06and relatively speaking, they have a much larger heart.
0:54:06 > 0:54:11So that, too, is more efficient at pumping the blood around the body.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15So dogs can run and run and run.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24Ian Forbes is ex-Army.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28Now an expedition medic, he thrives in extreme environments.
0:54:29 > 0:54:33Obviously a tough guy like Ian has a dog to match.
0:54:37 > 0:54:41Marnie is his long-haired Chihuahua!
0:54:41 > 0:54:43Taken out from a very young age,
0:54:43 > 0:54:46it was obvious that she enjoyed running.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48So I just put my running stuff on and started running with her.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52She finds it really easy, she doesn't find it a stretch, she
0:54:52 > 0:54:55just enjoys that opportunity to go out in the woods, the same as I do.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58She does about three miles each time we go out.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00Dogs make great training partners,
0:55:00 > 0:55:02they never don't want to go out with you.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07It's just sometimes the strange looks that you get
0:55:07 > 0:55:10when a man runs past with a little tiny Chihuahua running behind him.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Come on, good girl. Come on.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18As you can see, she is very fit, she's strong.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20It's the power-to-weight ratio.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22When I lift her up I can feel
0:55:22 > 0:55:24that her heart isn't beating that fast at all.
0:55:24 > 0:55:28She is the Mo Farah of dogs - no gold medals yet,
0:55:28 > 0:55:30but it won't be that long.
0:55:36 > 0:55:42So, when it comes to endurance, the dogs have the staying power.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45We're ready for the final score now.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47Dogs took the prize for intelligence.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50While cats won the battle of the senses.
0:55:50 > 0:55:52Physical agility is going to be the decider.
0:55:52 > 0:55:57And it has to go to those fast-running, high-jumping cats.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01So, at the final whistle it's 2-1 to the cats,
0:56:01 > 0:56:03who win tonight's show.
0:56:03 > 0:56:07Well, that about wraps it up for our battle of cats and dogs, Chris.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09It certainly does, and I think we
0:56:09 > 0:56:11can say that dogs definitely come
0:56:11 > 0:56:12out on top when it comes
0:56:12 > 0:56:13to complex intelligence.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16Their senses are pretty hot - particularly smell -
0:56:16 > 0:56:19and endurance athletes can't beat 'em.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23Hang on a second, if you look at other aspects of physicality,
0:56:23 > 0:56:24cats are the born leaders
0:56:24 > 0:56:26and when it comes to the senses,
0:56:26 > 0:56:27their vision is better,
0:56:27 > 0:56:29their hearing is better,
0:56:29 > 0:56:31and with that vomeronasal organ they gain so much
0:56:31 > 0:56:34information from their environment - that's pretty special too.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36I think there is one thing we can agree on,
0:56:36 > 0:56:39and that is that over the millennia, both cats
0:56:39 > 0:56:43and dogs have evolved to fulfil their ecological niches so that they
0:56:43 > 0:56:45are brilliant survivors,
0:56:45 > 0:56:47and the animals that we know and love today.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53Next time, with the help of scientists from around the world,
0:56:53 > 0:56:56we'll be putting our pets through some more fascinating
0:56:56 > 0:57:00and ground-breaking tests in Round Two
0:57:00 > 0:57:03of the battle of the species between cats and dogs.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06You may be surprised by the results.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09# Pussy cat, pussy cat...
0:57:09 > 0:57:10# I love you...
0:57:10 > 0:57:12- # Yes...- I do. #
0:57:12 > 0:57:17We all like to think that our pets know what we're saying to them.
0:57:17 > 0:57:18CAT MEOWS
0:57:18 > 0:57:20I think that's Dinah.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25But we'll be testing which animal is better at understanding us...
0:57:25 > 0:57:27Get pig.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29..how well they can be trained...
0:57:32 > 0:57:36And we'll be revealing some brand-new science
0:57:36 > 0:57:40to find out whether our pets might actually love us.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44Currently it's a love-hate relationship.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46I think he loves us a lot.
0:57:46 > 0:57:47Do you like me?
0:57:47 > 0:57:51And then we'll finally answer the big question, which is best -
0:57:51 > 0:57:54cats or dogs?
0:57:55 > 0:57:58I can't wait. I mean, everyone knows
0:57:58 > 0:58:00that dogs are man's best friend, Liz.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04I'm not paying a blind bit of attention to what you're saying -
0:58:04 > 0:58:07- I'm cuddling a kitten. We'll see you next time.- Goodbye.