Every pet owner has, at one point or another, been asked the age-old question: which do you prefer – cats or dogs?
There are certainly plenty of interesting differences between cats and dogs. For example, cats tend to be somewhat aloof and independent, while dogs typically crave attention and love. Some people have strong opinions about which animal is their favorite. For example, I love dogs and write about dogs on my blog https://smartpetspro.com/. But does the world overall prefer one over the other? As it turns out, cats and dogs are about equal in popularity.
But when you look at specific countries around the world, things get much more interesting. For example, in China and South Africa, more than 60% of households own a cat. In contrast, less than 20% of households in Brazil own a cat – but more than 60% own a dog. In Russia, meanwhile, just 13% of households have a cat – but more than half own a dog.
So what does all of this tell us? It seems that as countries become wealthier and as people’s living conditions improve, they are more likely to choose cats over dogs. This may seem surprising, as dogs are often seen as man’s best friend – but perhaps it makes sense when you consider how cats don’t require nearly as much care or attention.
Americans Are Officially Dog-People
According to a new poll conducted by Harris Interactive*, Americans are overwhelmingly dog-people. The study found that 65% of people in the United States have one pet, 48% prefer dogs to cats, while just 32% said they would rather have a cat than a dog.
But when you look at specific countries around the world, things get much more interesting. For example, in China and South Africa, more than 60% of households own a cat. In contrast, less than 20% of households in Brazil own a cat – but more than 60% own a dog. In Russia, meanwhile, just 13% of households have a cat – but more than half own a dog. This may seem surprising, as dogs are often seen as man’s best friend – but perhaps it makes sense when you consider how cats don’t require nearly as much care or attention.
Dogs are man’s best friend, and that makes cats insanely resentful, in ”Cats & Dogs,” a family comedy that uses every trick in the book to turn its dogs and cats into talking, scheming warriors. This movie probably has more special effects in it than ”Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” although you don’t notice them so much because you think you’re looking at real animals even when you’re not.
This is likely due to a range of factors, including historical associations with dogs (they are often seen as loyal friends and protectors), their cuter and friendlier appearance, and the fact that they do not require the same level of care or attention that cats do. However, despite this preference for dogs, there are still many cat-lovers out there – and it seems that they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon!
Top 10 dog-loving states
| Rank | State | Cats | Dogs | Ratio, dogs to cats |
| 1 | Arkansas | 810,000 | 1,097,000 | 1.35 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 533,000 | 703,000 | 1.32 |
| 3 | Texas | 5,565,000 | 7,163,000 | 1.29 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 1,041,000 | 1,327,000 | 1.27 |
| 5 | Louisiana | 877,000 | 1,115,000 | 1.27 |
| 6 | Mississippi | 668,000 | 846,000 | 1.27 |
| 7 | Arizona | 1,438,000 | 1,798,000 | 1.25 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 1,749,000 | 2,157,000 | 1.23 |
| 9 | Missouri | 1,653,000 | 1,978,000 | 1.20 |
| 10 | Georgia | 2,162,000 | 2,479,000 | 1.15 |
Top 10 cat-loving states
| Rank | State | Cats | Dogs | Ratio, cats to dogs |
| 1 | Massachusetts | 1,593,000 | 850,000 | 1.87 |
| 2 | Maryland | 1,677,000 | 915,000 | 1.83 |
| 3 | Maine | 498,000 | 300,000 | 1.66 |
| 4 | Vermont | 234,000 | 142,000 | 1.65 |
| 5 | Connecticut | 796,000 | 507,000 | 1.57 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 63,000 | 42,000 | 1.50 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 309,000 | 212,000 | 1.46 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 3,544,000 | 2,485,000 | 1.43 |
| 9 | New York | 4,261,000 | 3,054,000 | 1.40 |
| 10 | Ohio | 3,786,000 | 2,730,000 | 1.39 |
*Source – https://s2.q4cdn.com/437609071/files/doc_news/research/2020/pets-and-finances-survey.pd
