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Most people are quite adamant about which animal they like better: cats or dogs. Though both animals are under the category of most popular pets to own in the world, a new study done by Carroll University in Wisconsin, shows that dog people and cat people really are different.
The study examined personality traits in 600 college students that corresponded with their pets.
Dog owners tended to be more energetic and outgoing, while following social rules closely; cat owners, on the other hand, tended to be introverted and more open-minded.
One finding of the study that may spark some dog lover controversy is that cat owners were found to have higher IQ scores than dog owners, regardless of their pets’ own intelligence level.
Read: Cats vs. dogs
The difference in temperament may come from the different needs of the two animals. Dogs tend to be livelier, always wanting to go on walks and make new friends. Therefore, a dog owner is almost forced to go out and interact with other dog owners as their dogs play together.
Read: Dog owners are fitter
Cats tend to want to stay at home, keeping to themselves, which allows cat owners to have the leisure to stay at home and maybe read a few books. However, it is also possible that people select their pets depending on their own personalities, instead of their personalities being influenced by their pets.
Though cat owners were found to be smarter than dog owners, fewer people claim to be cat lovers. Of those studied, only 11 percent claim to love cats, while 60 percent claim to love dogs.
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Source: TIME
