You are a passionate fan of cats, you can play with your pet for hours, guess his desires by the expression of his furry muzzle, on your desktop – his “baby” photos. Or, on the contrary, you adore your dog for devotion and love, and in your pocket there will always be sweets and a ball for her. What does choosing a pet say about us? And are cat lovers and dog lovers so different from each other?
Obviously, the relationship between cats and humans has always been different from the relationship between owners and dogs. This difference is primarily due to how the representatives of these species behaved in the wild. Cats in nature hunt alone, and often at night. In contrast, wild dogs are pack animals, they hunt in groups and are active at dawn and dusk.
Domestic dogs have retained and developed the need for socialization, therefore, without an owner and family, a dog is unhappy. She seeks comfort from “her” person, he is her most desirable company and best partner for games. Cats, on the other hand, hide somewhere all day and only come out to their owners in the evening, by the time they are usually fed.
Cats also like to play with a person, but not as much as dogs need his company. Usually after a few minutes they interrupt the game and disappear. Dogs, on the other hand, can run after the ball for hours, and most often it is the person who finishes the game first.
Everyone knows that cats and dogs don’t get along. And what about their owners? Sometimes they love their pets so much that they are ready to grapple with those who do not share this passion. Perhaps this is because the characters of pet owners are somewhat similar to their wards.
Statistics confirm that this idea makes sense.
From love to hate
Psychologists at the University of Texas at Austin conducted a study. The team, led by Sam Gosling, a university psychologist, interviewed XNUMX people, including dog people, cat people, dog and cat owners, and those who didn’t have pets. Based on the answers, conclusions were drawn about the qualities inherent in the representatives of each group.
To begin with, the study found the following:
- 74% of respondents like dogs more;
- only 41% prefer the company of cats;
- 15% of participants confirmed that they do not like cats;
- 2% admitted to hating dogs.
“We’ve always assumed that love for a particular kind of pet says something about the owners,” says Gosling. – And they were right. Indeed, it can be argued that some character traits of “cat people” and “dog people” are different.”
Cat People and Dog People: 6 Main Differences
- “Dog people” are more disciplined, more active and aggressive than “cat people”. They often get things done and achieve their goals. And they like to plan everything in advance rather than act spontaneously. Cat lovers have a craving for art, emotional, love travel and adventure, gush with unusual ideas, show a wild imagination.
- “Cat people” are gullible, they do not need evidence to believe another. But “dog lovers”, on the contrary, are prone to doubts and are more conservative.
- “Cat people” are more prone to loneliness, more often live in apartments than in their own homes. Dog lovers usually have a family and children. The popular belief that single women get cats has now been scientifically proven. And there is nothing wrong with that: everyone chooses the life that he likes.
- Cat people are more likely to be introverts. They are outwardly more restrained, less inclined to command others. “Dog lovers” are socialized, self-confident, know what they need, insist on their own.
- Cat people are often helpful, honest, direct and want to be nice to everyone. “Dog lovers” are more likely to manipulate and lie.
- One of the most telling differences between “dog people” and “cat people” can be illustrated with a vivid example. Cat owners were asked: “If you were given a puppy and the conditions allowed it to be kept, would you take it?” More than half refused. But more than 50% of “dog lovers” said that they would also take a kitten into the house.
Research has also shown that dog people are 15% more likely than cat people to be extroverted, and are more friendly 13% of the time. And people who have both cats and dogs are more like a “standard” dog owner in character.
Thus, psychologists did not refute, but confirmed several common statements at once. And if you want to check their correctness, get both a kitten and a puppy, love both and take care of them. Your life will at least become much more interesting and enriched not only with worries, but also with positive emotions.