Animals might not take written tests, but plenty of them would ace a genius exam in real life. Pets and wild animals alike quickly learn which tricks work on humans, whether it’s a squirrel begging at a park bench or a parrot that knows exactly what to shout in a crisis. This collection of stories shows just how cleverly animals adapt to get what they want.

Some use their brains to escape danger. One talking parrot, suddenly surrounded by seven cats, didn’t panic—he flapped his wings and yelled, “Did you feed the cats?!” distracting them just long enough to stay safe. A bathroom-renovation guest met a “security guard” cat who shadowed her for three hours, clearly suspicious of this stranger touching anything in the house.

Others know how to build useful routines. A box tortoise who once got raspberries now follows its human around the garden, visiting daily for more treats. A tiny wild visitor runs up a little girl’s leg and later knocks on the car window each day, as if asking whether his favorite playmate can come out again.

And some animals think purely in strategy. A polite bulldog named Sol learned there’s no point chasing cats at friends’ houses—there’s always food in the cat’s bowl instead. A butcher shop worker even has a “regular” animal customer who keeps coming back for scraps. From parrots to tortoises, these clever creatures prove that intelligence isn’t just a human trait.