What does owning a dog or cat say about your personality?
You often hear pet owners refer to themselves as a dog or cat person. There’s also the stereotypical portrayal of the ‘crazy cat lady’ as a loner, while doggy devotees are considered more stable and less neurotic. To find out if there is any truth to these age-old stereotypes, researchers from James Cook University (JCU) in Queensland, Australia, analysed the online survey responses of 321 Australian adult dog and cat owners, and those with neither. They measured personality traits such as extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and resilience, while also taking into consideration age and gender. Participants who owned both were asked to choose which pet they were closest to or spent the most time with. About 60 % chose dogs.
Is the crazy cat lady label warranted?
The findings showed that those with a canine crush were more resilient, while feline fanatics were more neurotic and not as effective in managing or adapting to stress. Women outscored men on the neuroticism scale. The study was published in the journal ‘Anthrozoös’(opens in new window). “Dog ownership has been associated with reduced loneliness in people living alone during periods of prolonged isolation, such as during covid lockdowns, suggestive of higher levels of resilience in dog owners,” explained co-author Jessica Oliva, psychology lecturer at JCU, in a news release(opens in new window). “So our research investigated the predictive power of dog versus cat ownership on personality traits and resilience.”
Do genes influence the choice of pet?
Dr Oliva stated that genetic factors might have something to do with introverted or neurotic people choosing cats, while resilient ones favour dogs. “Interestingly, there is evidence to support the idea that genes guide ownership of a particular species. It may be that influences on ownership are linked with genetically-derived personality traits, so both the personality trait and propensity to own a particular animal are inherited.” She added: “Simply put, people who are naturally predisposed to being resilient may like dogs more, rather than the dog causing people to be resilient. Though it’s also possible the responsibilities and potential challenges associated with owning a dog may also build resilience over time, or it may be a mix of the two.” Pet ownership rose sharply to cope with the isolation and loneliness of the recent global pandemic. However, Dr Oliva doesn’t see strong evidence to support acquiring a new cat or dog for psychological well-being. “It seems owner personality, in particular levels of resilience, are likely to be more important. It further emphasises that the decision to acquire a pet at any time should always be well thought out, with a commitment to care for the animal for the duration of its lifetime and with the animal’s welfare at the forefront of the decision.” No, you’re not neurotic because you’re a cat owner. And you’re not necessarily less susceptible to anxiety and stress because you own a dog. Let’s just accept that we’re as unique as the furry, four-legged friends we love and care for.