Pig Emotion & Cognition

Pigs are often characterized as "dirty," "impure," and even "stupid." But this is far from the truth. Pigs are actually some of the cleanest and smartest animals. They surely are smarter than dogs, and they outperform 3-year-old humans on cognition tests. For instance, pigs are often better than dogs and even chimpanzees when it comes to completing mazes, and they frequently outperform dogs and chimps when it comes to both long-term memory and problem-solving tasks. Perhaps even more surprisingly, pigs are really good at and enjoy playing video games! In fact, a recent study conducted by Farm Sanctuary found that “pigs could play video games with more focus and success than chimps” and “dogs couldn’t figure it out at all.” Another study by Wageningen University found that pigs are captivated and mentally-stimulated by video games, much like humans.

Pigs also exhibit degrees of emotional intelligence that is comparable to that of toddlers. For instance, pigs are incredibly empathetic. In fact, research indicates that pigs who live near other happy animals tend to live happier lives, while pigs who live with stressful animals tend to develop stress. This is partially because pigs, like humans, are social animals. When left to their own devices, they tend to live in groups of approximately eight piggies. They enjoy the company of other pigs, just as humans enjoy the company of other humans.

Typically, pigs like to do what many humans enjoy: eat, play with each other, nap, and let their natural curiosity guide them. Just as humans use tools to get around in the world, pigs use their snouts to root. Rooting is a method of exploring for food, and with their handy snouts, pigs can shove things out of their way, when need be. When pigs are not confined to small spaces, they love to explore with their snouts, which are incredibly sensitive and easily stimulated.

Both pigs and humans are omnivores with similar digestive anatomies, and, consequently, pigs and humans often enjoy the same kinds of food. Pigs, like humans, are known to love apricots, beets, grapes, oranges, cherries, and other kinds of fruit. And pigs can be very picky eaters, just like humans! They are known to dislike onions, cabbage, and even cauliflower.

And here's something surprising: pigs are incredible clean! In fact, they are so clean that they keep their sleeping spaces tidy and tend to only relieve their bowels in specific locations that they have dedicated to that purpose. While pigs are often characterized as being dirty because they like to roll around in the mud, what people usually don't know is that pigs do this to cool off. Pigs, unlike humans, don't have many sweat glands, so rolling about in the mud is the best way for them to keep cool in the heat.