Pet homeowners love their dogs greater than their cats, research says

Pet homeowners love their dogs greater than their cats, a research has discovered. But it is determined by the place you reside.

Although earlier research have already prompt this discovering, scientists from the University of Copenhagen needed to dive extra deeply into whether or not cultural components altered the outcomes. Their findings are revealed within the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

“We and others have discovered that persons are prepared to spend a lot much less on their cats than on their dogs,” professor Peter Sandøe of the University of Copenhagen, the research’s first writer, mentioned in a press launch detailing the findings. “We needed to search out out whether or not cats might finally find yourself having the identical excessive standing as dogs do right this moment.”

In the survey throughout Denmark, Austria and the United Kingdom, 844 canine homeowners, 872 cat homeowners and 401 individuals who owned each dogs and cats have been requested questions on their pets.

Overall, the members had greater attachment scores for dogs than for cats. Owners have been extra more likely to insure their dogs, anticipate extra therapy choices for his or her dogs and paid to get this therapy.

However, the outcomes differed dramatically throughout international locations. For instance, the United Kingdom’s outcomes have been in favor of dogs, though solely barely. Australia and Denmark had a really clear choice for the canines.

“While individuals care extra about their dogs than their cats in all international locations, the diploma of distinction various dramatically between international locations,” Sandøe mentioned.

He continued: “It does not due to this fact appear to be a common phenomenon that folks care a lot much less about their cats than their dogs. We counsel as a substitute that the distinction is more likely to rely upon cultural components, together with whether or not the animals spend a whole lot of time with their homeowners within the home.”

The distinction between international locations could also be on account of cultural variations and attitudes towards pets, the research prompt.

This could also be the results of the nation’s historical past with rural animals and the way usually they interacted with individuals. These components might have influenced societal attitudes towards pets in fashionable instances.

A better emotional attachment to dogs was highest in Denmark. The Danes have been additionally much less seemingly to purchase insurance coverage for his or her cats, in contrast with their dogs.

“There appears to be no pure restrict to how a lot individuals will find yourself caring about their cats in comparison with their dogs,” Sandøe mentioned. “The British are sometimes portrayed as a nation of cat lovers, which is definitely confirmed by our research. The Danes have an extended method to go, however they might finally get there.”

Pet homeowners are inclined to put themselves into considered one of two classes: Are you a cat person or a canine person? The choice tends to return from the animal’s character traits.

However, cats are definitely extra aloof than their canine counterparts. Dogs are recognized for being extra connected to their homeowners, whereas cats can appear extra unbiased. This might additionally affect an proprietor’s attitudes towards the pet, in keeping with the research.

“Our research solely seems at three international locations positioned in Central and Western Europe,” professor Clare Palmer of Texas A&M University, a co-author of the paper, mentioned within the press launch.

“It raises intriguing questions relating to what comparative research of different international locations would possibly discover,” she went on. “Perhaps there are international locations the place the extent of look after and attachment to cats is, in truth, greater than dogs?”

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