Although a braincase has not been found for Deinonychus it is apparent that they were above average in terms of intelligence for a dinosaur. They were at least at the same level of intelligence as birds. This can be seen with its stereo-vision, grasping fingers, and opposable thumb, as Deinonychus grappled with its prey, indicating a high level of coordination. Its agility and balancing act when slashing its prey with its hind feet indicated that a certain amount of intelligence was required. Deinonychus had the largest brain size to body ratios known for dinosaurs, thus they were capable of more skillful behaviour than any animal up till now (Desmond, 1975).

The exact rate of teeth replacement is not known but is estimated to be between 9-16 months. This estimate came about because there were many shed teeth found mixed with herbivore skeletoms, which indicated that they lost at least one tooth per meal, while the skull and jaws of Deinonychus were found to have most of the tooth positions occupied (Carpenter et al, 1990).