This question was answered a few years ago by researcher Charlene Sakai from Michigan State University. She conducted a comparison of the skulls of 75 wild cats and concluded that the evolutionary processes in cheetahs and lions were influenced by completely different factors than those in primates.
There is an opinion that the increase in brain volume in humans is related to the necessity of communication with other members of their species. However, few know which specific factors influence the growth of individual lobes of the cerebral cortex.
Among all felines, only lions lead an active social life, forming prides; the others prefer solitude. Although male cheetahs sometimes gather in groups, leopards can adapt to conditions, choosing between interacting with their kind and solitude.
As expected, the largest frontal cortex was found in lions, especially in females who hunt together and must interact effectively. Leopards came in second place.
However, to the surprise of scientists, the overall brain volume of lions did not significantly differ from the brain sizes of solitary cats. The smallest brain (and the smallest frontal lobe) belongs to the cheetah, although these cats sometimes exhibit social behavior. Scientists concluded that the brain size of wild cats depends not only on the level of socialization but also on other, yet unidentified factors.
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