Upon hearing this, millions of cat lovers likely directed streams of anger toward the researchers. So, what did the scientists report? An international team of researchers conducted a study involving 2,117 pet owners from the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Austria. Participants had either dogs, cats, or both. They answered survey questions regarding their pet care practices and their ability to pay for veterinary services related to dogs or cats. It turned out that owners were willing to spend more on medical care for dogs than for cats. In all three countries, participants rated their attachment to dogs higher. They were more likely to insure their dogs and sought more treatment options for them, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Experts believe these findings suggest a stronger attachment to dogs among people. Dr. Peter Sando, the lead author of the study from the University of Copenhagen, noted, “We found that people are willing to spend significantly less on their cats than on their dogs.” However, the level of this attachment varied across the three countries. The strongest attachment to dogs was observed among Danish pet owners, while a slightly lower level of “care” for dogs was noted in Austria. Surprisingly, British owners demonstrated the least attachment. Yet, anticipating an outcry from animal lovers, the researchers wisely suggested that there may be other countries in the world where the level of care and attachment to cats is significantly higher. The results were published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.