Dog lovers and cat lovers are actually different: study

Washington: ‘Dog lovers’ and ‘cat lovers’ really do have different personalities, according to a new study.

Researchers found that people who said they were dog lovers tended to be more lively — meaning they were more energetic and outgoing — and also tended to follow rules closely.

Cat lovers, on the other hand, were more introverted, more open-minded and more sensitive than dog lovers. Cat lovers tended to be non-conformists, preferring to be expedient rather than follow the rules.

Cat lovers also scored higher on intelligence than dog lovers, ‘LiveScience’ reported.

Part of the reason for the personality differences may be related to the types of environments cat or dog people prefer, said study researcher Denise Guastello, an associate professor of psychology at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

“It makes sense that a dog person is going to be more lively, because they’re going to want to be out there, outside, talking to people, bringing their dog,” Guastello said.

“Whereas, if you’re more introverted, and sensitive, maybe you’re more at home reading a book, and your cat doesn’t need to go outside for a walk,” Guastello said.