Anthro and Non-Anthro Creatures

[Wonderbolt Slipstream 263]

So due to Capper, an anthro cat, basically being canon, I was wondering what he would think and feel about non-antho cats, like Opal, and how his species evolved into such a way as to become more human-like. I would assume there might also be anthro dogs as well and how they possibly evolved to go away from how we perceive dogs in their universe, like Winona. How is it that these two creature are very similar and yet very different when they are so close and how did one become so anthro, because, I’m assuming, it too at least a millennium for cats to evolve into such a way for Capper to be the way he is.

[Midnight Seashell 206]

Perhaps it has to do with evolution/magical influence, or the creators just chose to make some animals of the same species anthro. Funny thing is, this same question was brought up between Goofy and Pluto.

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

I'm guessing a fine analogy would be humans vs chimps.

Although, I gotta point out, even non-anthro animals in the MLP world were shown to have advanced intelligence. We know the sheep and cows can talk, yet they're still used as livestock (not necessarily for food, and certainly not for their meat).

Even the animals kept as "pets" are obviously capable of not only understanding speech (despite not speaking themselves); but also logical and emotional intelligence to figure out how to, say, help Spike stay hidden by feeding him a gem to silence his growling stomach, after he spent a whole episode neglecting them - or come to the gentle pink-maned pegasus for rather rough (almost martial and visibly painful) chiropractic care.

I'd be curious to hear someone explain this in a rational way that makes sense in-universe. Did the ponies, dragons, and certain other creatures mysteriously receive intelligence (draconequus magic may be a candidate for this...)? Did that magic cause some of that intelligence to "spill" into the other animals around them, simply by proximity at first, and later via emotional attachment to the ones they've been using?
 

Spoiler

 

I did something similar in Mythospective, with my anthro werewolves who're sapient and their more feral "hounds" who usually aren't.

In that world, mental/psychic fields are an integral part of all living beings, established as a legit and proven sense (same as sight or contact). One peculiar aspect of mental fields is, they affect each other remotely - and can enhance intelligence.

Hence, a werewolf's (or other sapient being's) mental field can, with enough emotional attachment on both sides, improve that of a feral hound until the hound gains sapience. That is a huge tactical advantage, especially in battle, because hounds also have certain psychic faculties beyond those of sapient creatures. The downside is, if a hound's master dies, that connection is lost - you'll need to find a new master(s) lest an enormous bulk of the hound's intelligence wanes.

 

Furthermore, why was that one town full of non-equine creatures; surely there must be places populated by their kin, so did those particular individuals get cast out?

Edited October 20, 2018 by Feather Spiral

[Alleviate 342]

I mean, if we look at cats we have Opal->Capper, and there was the Chimera, which was part tiger, and that had pretty decent intelligence for a wildebeast.

And for dogs, we have Winona->Diamond Dogs. I guess, althought there's no concrete evidence or answer, propose these are different species. For example: Housecat, wildcat, tigers/lions, and folks like Capper. As for the reason behind it? No idea, perhaps divergent evolution of some sort? Or simply evolution, and means to survive meant sucking up to the ponies as they basically rule the land and sky.

lol, actually a quality question. I'm kinda trying to work this out now.

[MangoFoalix 24,944]

It could possibly come to that they both have distant ancestors but evolved separately over time. Think of how the monkeys and humans had a distant ancestor even if we are almost completely different.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,306]

In the MLP universe, I'd go with Bipedal sapience to describe them, and not anthro.  So far there's no hint of Humans in this world. That's even including Starswirl creating a mirror to travel to an AU.