Pets Owners Seem to Love Their Dogs More Than Cats - But There's a Catch!

Do cats rule and dogs drool? The endless debate between felines and canines, and more specifically on whether one pet is more beloved than the other may be all down to cultural influences in some cases, new findings have suggested.

A recent study led by researchers with the University of Copenhagen determined that pet owners seem to care far more about their dogs than their furry felines, often choosing to dish out endless doses of affection to man's best friend.

Officials came to their conclusion by surveying nearly 18,000 pet owners aged between 18 and 89 across Denmark, Austria and the UK. Among the various metrics tapped for the study, one included the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale, which calls on pollsters to respond to over 20 varying statements and questions on owners' willingness to pay for pet health insurance and life-saving treatments.

"While people care more about their dogs than their cats in all countries, the degree of difference varied dramatically between countries," Peter Sandøe, a bioethicist from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, said.

The difference proved to be the largest in Denmark, with only slight changes with individuals in Austria and the UK. "It doesn't therefore seem to be a universal phenomenon that people care much less about their cats than their dogs," Sandøe admitted.

As such, researchers determined that "the difference is likely to depend on cultural factors, including whether the animals spend a lot of time with their owners in the home."

However, officials have explained that additional research is needed in order really pinpoint the matter as their study had limitations by only analyzing data from smaller European nations.

In an interview with US media, Sandøe further detailed that the study had been prompted by a trend in cat owners appearing to spend more on veterinary care than dog owners, as such prompting the question on whether dogs were being best by their feline counterparts.

The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science.