Cats More Likely To Be Owned By College Graduates in the UK than Dogs

Cat owners can now rejoice! There has been a recent scientific survey done at the University of Bristol on the study between cats, dogs, and their owners. The study was conducted by phone surveys of nearly 3,000 homes, the census from 2001 and compiling the most current statistics of the sizes of households in the UK. Cats and dogs are the two most favorite of pets owned in the UK.

Cat Owners Are Smarter than Dog Owners

Okay not really, though the new study did show that those who hold a degree are more likely to own a cat than a dog. Dr. Jane Murray of Bristol University led the survey and she says college graduates prefer cats, because "cats require less time per day than dogs." People who are college educated tend to work more hours in the office and their commute times are longer as well, which can be hard when they need to rush home after work to let their dog out.

Cats do not have to be walked several times a day like dogs do as they have a litter box. You can get away with filling a cat's bowl once a day as they eat whenever they feel like it and tend not to ravish all food in their sight. Also whilst cats like people, they tend to like themselves a little bit more, so they are just fine with being home by themselves during the day.

Age, Size and Location Play a Factor - Somewhat

Study questioners inquired about the participants' location and family size. It's not surprising that most cat owners are female. The survey also revealed that in addition to holding a college degree, most cat owners were female under the age of 65 years. There goes the "old cat lady" myth!

The study also revealed that cats and their owners are more likely to live in a rural, semi-urban area and/or with a garden. On the contrary, however, many who are dog owners also tend to live in rural areas or have homes with gardens for their dogs to run around and play in.

Size of a household also plays a significant role in the cat vs. dog controversy; the bigger the family, the higher the chances of dog ownership is increased. Dogs also tend to be least likely to be in homes where there are young children under the age of 11 years.

Cats Are Better Suited for Busy Individuals

Dr. Jane Murray believes that one of the main reasons for cats gaining in popularity is the result of the increase of population in the UK. She states there are similarities with dog and cat owners in that both set of owners have households with gardens or live in rural areas. Yet there are some very distinct differences, the main difference being the education level between cat owners and dog owners.

It is not simply a matter of a household's income level nor is it a matter of higher intelligence. There are details and statistics in the recent study that does not offer clear answers at the present. But the general consensus is that for college educated pet lovers, cats offer the perfect temperament and low maintenance care to fit in with their busy lifestyles.


Pet Numbers

The UK Cat population was around 8 million in 2009. Currently there are 35-40 different breeds of cats that are recognized by the UK's Feline Advisory Bureau.

In 2008, the most popular cats were:
1. Bengal
2. British Short Hair
3. Burmese
4. Manx
5. Siamese

The UK dog population was around 8 million in 2009, with 209 breeds of dog being recognized by UK's Kennel Club.

In 2008, the most popular dogs were:
1. Labrador
2. Border Collie
3. Jack Russell Terrier
4. Yorkshire Terrier
5. German Shepherd

Photo Credit: ManuelDiLuna