Survey Says Dogs Rule, Cats Suck! Oh, Really? New Report Shows Issue More Complex

New Scientist puts it this way:

Arguably the ultimate test of whether an animal makes a good pet is how many people actually own them. Here cats are clear winners. Although worldwide figures are hard to come by, recent studies show that in the top 10 cat-owning countries there are almost 204 million felines. Pet pooches in the top 10 dog-owning countries number fewer than 173 million.

So how can an AP/Petside.com Survey be so widely trumpeted for its claim to show that Americans like Mutts more than us Felines, when Americans have more Felines as Companion Animals (76 Million Cats) than Canines (61 Million)?

The US numbers for both species are #1 in the world, by the way.

The Survey interviewed 1,166 pet owners, and 1,967 adults total, and from this it was determined that 74 percent of people like dogs a lot, and only 41 percent like cats a lot, and Cats win the dislike vote handily?

Soooo, let me get this straight, there are more of us as companions to Humans...because they dislike us intensely, and think that "Cats are all about Cats", and "Cats don't care if they please you or not", and "Cats can be destructive"?

Okaaay... ;-D

The Survey.

AP Article trumpeting this nonsense.

The Petside.com Article trumpeting this nonsense, and the comments coming in about it.

I am not so much offended, as just concerned, and curious about the Methodology of the survey.

Would the results have been different if more Cat People, or less Dog People, had been asked, and how about the Male to Female Ratio of Respondents?

 

In the other story related to this debate, in December, NewScientist Magazine published a study pitting Cats and Dogs in 11 challenging categories: Brains, Shared History, Bonding, Popularity, Understanding, Problem Solving, Vocalisation, Tractability, Supersenses, Eco-Friendliness, Utility.

They explain what they are up to this way:

THE world is divided into "dog people" and "cat people", each passionately believing that their preferred pet is superior. Until a decade ago, there was very little scientific evidence either camp could muster to support its claims. Then animal behaviourists became interested in dogs and unleashed a pack of ingenious experiments testing canine capabilities and cognition. Recently, researchers have started doing similar work with cats. Could it be time for that showdown?

There are obvious pitfalls in trying to use science to resolve this perennial dispute. Every pet-owner knows their furry family member is special - a unique being with its own talents and foibles. Yet scientific research tends to look at species as a whole and deals in averages and trends when attempting to quantify their characteristics. Then there is the thorny issue of comparing two very different animals. Some might argue that the whole venture is doomed to failure, but here at New Scientist we like a challenge. So we have pitted cats against dogs in 11 categories. It's a winner-take-all competition with "best in show" being awarded to the pet that prevails in the most categories.

The entries for each category make for interesting reading and, while Felines might take issue with some of the conclusions there is much we can learn from them.

While Dogs won 6 of the Categories it is important to notice which ones Felines won:

BRAINS: Here Cats trounce Dogs, with 300 million neurons compared with a piddling 160 million.

POPULARITY: See the quote at the beginning of this post.

VOCALISATION:  We know how to bring out the "Nurturing Side" of our Humans.

SUPERSENSES:  The average Cat, with its 200 million smell receptors, actually has a more acute nose than the average Dog. 

We can see in light levels six times as low as Humans can, while Fido's limit is thought to be about only five times theirs.

Our auditory range extends from 45 to 64,000 hertz, far wider than that of Dogs at between 67 and 45,000 hertz.

ECO-FRIENDLINESS: Your average Cat's ecological pawprint, at just 0.15 hectares, looks positively virtuous compared to even a Chihuahua. 

As for the other 6 Categories, well, as the article itself points out, " Recently, researchers have started doing similar work with Cats" that they have long been doing with Dogs, and "there are obvious pitfalls in trying to use science to resolve this perennial dispute."

Article = Dogs vs cats: The great pet showdown 

So, what are we to take from all this?

Clearly, it looks like we, in the Feline Community, have our work cut out for us to turn certain perceptions around. ;-D

***UPDATE***

There is a comment below, by Achilles, that may be unsuitable for Kittens, and Puppies, so you may want to be sure none are close by when you read it.

You can read my response here. ;-D

***END UPDATE***

Comments

[kattoniccats.blogspot.com]

Sheesh, effuryone knows dat cats rool and dogs drool...except fur our woofie frends.

Dey is almost as smart as us cats.... Almost.

[Nikita Cat]

LOL!

Some Dogs are smart, too. ;-D

I've known 2 Purebred Rottweillers, in my lifetime, who are not only Pussycats around Pussycats, but could Yodel as well! ;-D

[Achilles]

A fucking cat caused the death of my dog by coming into my yard.

My dog was protecting his territory and chased it.

And for his trouble he was hit by a fucking car.

If I ever see that cat again, I'm shooting it with my .380 semi.

If you own a cat then you are a woman who's a bitch, an old woman, or a gay man, or a combination of the first 2 options.

[Bri]

There's a reason for the apparent dissonance between people severely disliking cats and the large amount of people who own them.

1. Ostensibly, different members of the same family may have been polled, or bought a cat (or dog, or any other pet) and then regretted it.

2. What with cats being furball-coughing sociopaths loving you only when they want something, many cat lovers exhibit the same neuroses found in battered wives, such as faking disdain for dogs, because you "don't have to earn their love."

In the same way that battered wives may stay with husbands they hate because of decreasing feelings of self-worth, so do many cat owners shelter, and feed an animal they despise.

[Ugg]

Dog is man's best friend!

Because it is no longer afraid of loneliness!

Because people's lives are more secure!

I love dogs!

You?