Most people seem to identify themselves as either a cat person or a dog person. Find out what's behind this, and why so many choose a third option!
Which do you like better, dogs or cats? Like the choice between vanilla and chocolate, most people can immediately say whether they identify themselves as either a "cat person" or a "dog person." Research suggests that your preference may say a lot about you.
Is There a Specific Dog or Cat Person Personality?
Does your preference between animals really say something about who you are? Take it with a grain of salt, but a study published in 2010 by the University of Texas at Austin found that people who associate more closely with dogs tend to be more outgoing, agreeable, and self-disciplined than fans of felines. Cat lovers were found to be more open and curious, but more prone to neuroticism and anxiety.
But that's not all. An earlier study, published in Anthrozoos in 1998, found that cat lovers tend to rate themselves as less independent in comparison to dog lovers! That could come as a surprise to cat lovers who treasure the independence felines display.
What Makes Us Choose Dogs or Cats?
Perhaps a more interesting question is why do you identify with one or the other? A study in the early 1980s found that the type of pet you have as a child strongly correlates to the type of pet you will identify with when you grow up.
Other factors like age, marital status, children, and living space also play a role in pet ownership. For example, apartment dwellers are more likely to have cats, while people in the suburbs are more likely to have dogs. Our personalities may also be a factor in which pet we choose, but it is inconclusive as to whether the personality difference between "cat people" and "dog people" is causation or simply correlation.
The Best of Both Worlds
However, as many of us know, the choice between dogs or cats is really a trick question. A large chunk of pet owners aren't cat or dog people — they're both! It's not only possible but common to have and love both dogs and cats. Better yet, many of these pet owners report that their pets are the best of friends. The truth is that cats and dogs aren't opposites — and neither are the people who love them!
Do you consider yourself a cat person, a dog person, or a lover of both? Let us know in the comments!
