People often claim to be either a “dog person” or a “cat person”, adamant that their chosen pet is the best. We know that there are differences in the behaviour of cats and dogs, but are there differences in the personalities of their owners?
Many behavioural traits and personality characteristics of pet owners have been analysed by behavioural scientists. Of course, findings are very general and you may not identify with all of the traits and loving both cats and dogs can confuse things even further.
So what are the differences? And can you spot yourself in these personality traits?
Dog owners tend to be more athletic than cat owners, which is good news for dogs who need the stimulation of a daily walk or other form of exercise. Dog owners also tend to interact more with their pet than cat owners do. Perhaps this is an area that cat owners could improve on but a lack of interactivity doesn’t appear to affect the cat owners’ bond, as they are as equally attached to their pet as dog owners are.
Dog owners are considered to be more traditional in their lifestyle than cat owners. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that cat owners are more artistic and creative than dog owners. Good news for cats, as their owners can create walkways, shelves and tunnels for their cats to play and snooze in.
Dog owners are hard workers, reliable at getting the job done. Faithful, consistent – a bit like their dogs! Cat owners, on the other hand, are more intelligent. Whether their higher level of qualification enables them to make a more intelligent choice of pet or the longer working hours and travel commitments that their high-powered job necessitates, lends itself to cat ownership has yet to be determined.
Owning a pet practically guarantees you friendship. People love to talk about their cats and dogs and other pet owners like to listen. Pet ownership makes you popular. However, when it comes to love, dog owners are at an advantage. Owning a dog, especially for men, attracts the ladies. Must be something nurturing and caring about those dog-owning gentlemen!
Dog owners are extroverts. Being surrounded by people energises them. They are party people. Cat people, on the other hand, tend to be more introverted, preferring a dinner party or a gentle debate or conversation with one or two like-minded (cat) people.
There is, of course, nothing right or wrong about being either a dog or cat person, or even being both. You may identify with these traits completely or not at all. That’s what makes us all interesting. Though, of course, pet people are much more interesting than non-pet people (in my humble opinion!)
Are you a dog person or a cat person? And how is this reflected in your personality?