People Who Prefer Cats Over Dogs Usually Display These 5 Specific Personality Traits
Dog people aren't gonna like some of these...
Akatiev studio | Shutterstock People love to argue about whether cats and dogs are better, and perhaps especially whether cat owners and dog owners are more sophisticated than the other. It's as much a part of the internet as hilarious cat and dog videos at this point. However, studies have shown that cat and dog people really are distinct in some key ways, including ones that align with the stereotypes.
5 personality traits of people who prefer cats over dogs:
Research shows that our preference between cats and dogs is a fairly intricate decision based on everything from psychological factors to cultural ones. And then, of course, there are those of us who like both! It's a far more complicated thing than many people realize.
And psychologists say that our preference for one over the other is directly tied to who we are and how we move through the world. There's even evidence that the preference is tied to our attachment style. Suffice it to say, this preference runs deep.
So, if you're a cat person and not a dog person, what exactly does this mean about you? Research says that it's likely you have the following five personality traits. And dog people, you're not gonna like some of this!
1. Cat people have fewer friends and partners, but deeper connections.
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In 2016, Facebook conducted a study of its users that lent credence to a long-held stereotype: Cat people have fewer friends than dog people, 26 fewer in fact, and they're more likely to be single.
But, they seem to make up in quality what they lack in quantity. Facebook found that cat people were invited to far more events than dog people, indicating that there may be a bit more depth to their connections than their dog-owning counterparts. Which makes sense, if you think about it. Cats are a lot harder to connect to than dogs, so these are people who are much more invested in doing the work!
2. Cat people prefer cities over the country.
Facebook's study also found that while dog owners tend to live in rural or suburban areas, cat ownership is overwhelmingly an urban thing, which also makes sense. They don't need as much open space as dogs, and are much easier to own in cities than dogs are. You don't have to climb down a bunch of apartment stairs several times a day with a cat, after all.
3. Cat people are more introverted.
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That city preference thing is interesting given that cat people tend to be more introverted, according to studies. They have a more homebody-like orientation that is kind of antithetical to city life, which is all about go, go, go. However, the next personality trait sheds light on this one, and dog owners aren't going to like it at all.
4. Cat people tend to be more intelligent and open-minded.
Settle down, dog owners, don't kill the messenger! Studies have found that cat owners tend to score higher on intelligence tests than dog owners, and they tend to be interested in more intellectual pursuits in their free time. They also tend to be more non-conformist than their dog-owning counterparts. It all makes sense now why they prefer the city over the country.
5. Cat people tend to be more neurotic.
Sorry, cat people, but we already dragged the dog owners, so now it's your turn! A 2010 study found that cat people tend to be more neurotic than dog owners, who tend to be the organized planners of the pet owners, perhaps because dogs require a lot more maintenance and routine than cats.
Given how chaotic cats themselves are, it makes sense that their owners would be a bit more nervous and all over the place. Living with a cat means you are at the whim of whether they feel like napping or knocking everything off a table in that particular moment, after all. That's part of the fun!
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
