Cat people and dog people

The terms dog people and cat people refer to a person's domesticated pet animal preference. Some people base a significant portion of their identity around their affinity for either cats or dogs. This builds on the perceived dichotomy between cats and dogs as pets in society.[1][2] The two terms refer to people's self-identification, regardless of what pets they actually own, if any.[3]

A symbolic standoff between two popular pets

Research

A 2010 study at the University of Texas found that those who identified as "dog people" tended to be more social and outgoing, whereas "cat people" tended to be more neurotic and "open", meaning creative, philosophical, or nontraditional.[4] In a 2014 study at Carroll University, Wisconsin, people who said they were dog lovers were found to be more energetic and outgoing, and tended to follow rules closely, while cat lovers were more introverted, open-minded and sensitive. Cat people also tended to be non-conformists, as well as scoring higher on intelligence tests than dog lovers.[5] Studies have shown that cat owners are more likely to have higher blood pressure according to CNN.[6]

See also
  • Cat lady, a usually derogatory depiction of a female cat person

References
  1. ABC News. "Dog People vs. Cat People: What Pet Preference Says About You". ABC News.
  2. Alli B. "10 Signs You Are A Crazy Cat Person (And Proud Of It!)". The Animal Rescue Site Blog.
  3. "How are dog people and cat people different?". cnn.com.
  4. Gosling Samuel D., Sandy Carson J., Potter Jeff (2010). "Personalities of Self-Identified "Dog People" and "Cat People"". Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of the Interactions of People & Animals. 23 (3): 213–222. doi:10.2752/175303710X12750451258850.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Cat People Are Smarter Than Dog People, New Study Shows, Huffington Post"
  6. 'Mysterious power over humanity': How cats affect health, CNN

Further reading
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