Pet Bragging Rights

The scientists say cat owners are more intelligent than dog owners. We feel sure Cat Diaries readers will have something to say about this!

Yes, cat owners, it’s true. We feline lovers are apparently smarter than our dog-owning counterparts. ‘But we already knew that?’ you mutter, basking in the satisfaction that everyone in this office shares…

And now, apparently, scientists at Bristol University in the UK know it, too. A recent study that interviewed 2980 dog and cat owners found that people with a university degree are 1.36 times more likely to own a cat.

So what is it that makes more educated people choose cats as pets? Is it the ability to recognise a cunning and evolved companion? The tendency to seek the acquaintance of an animal that quite clearly has a rich interior life you know little of? Or perhaps it is the cats that choose educated people to live with?

Cat facts
The answer, say scientists, is most likely much simpler: ‘’Cats require less time per day than a dog, so they are more popular with educated people who work late and have long commutes,’ says Dr Jane Murray, a lecturer on feline health at Bristol Uni. Another interesting fact to come out of the study was that cat owners are more likely to be female, and older than their dog-owning counterparts.

But before you get too carried away with boasting, you should know that no truth has been found in the oft-touted myth that cats are in fact much more intelligent their canine foes. Another study released last year found cats performed no better than dogs in reasoning tasks.

‘Cats presented with two pieces of string, only one of which was attached to a food reward, could not tell which one to pull for their treat.’

The study also found supporting evidence in the dog/cat rivalry debate, with only seven per cent of households being home to a cat and a dog.
So there you have it. Go forth and shamelessly mock your dog-owning friends with the science to back you up. And while you’re at it, tell us what you think about this! We’d love to hear from you…

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