Determining whether someone is a dog person or a cat person often comes down to individual lifestyle preferences and personality traits. What do you think, do cats rule and dogs drool?

It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there… and scientific research actually suggests that dog people are higher in extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, but lower in neuroticism and openness compared to cat people. While this doesn’t relate to every dog owner, the reasoning behind dog people is partly due to their sociable and somewhat dominant nature, while cat people do not feel the need to have control over their cats (mostly because they do not listen anyways).

On the other hand, cat owners are on the opposite spectrum of dog owners–somewhat aloof, independent, and generally introverted. They need less maintenance than dogs and are okay just… chilling! The relationship between cats and humans is a bit different than the relationship between dogs and people. Cat owners see their pets as like a God they can worship, someone they can respect. Dog people are quite simpler. Dogs are really just a best friend we can have. This reflects the behaviors that both species have kept from their heritage prior to domestication in both cats and dogs.

Do Cats or Dogs Affect You?

Multiple studies have shown that dog owners or dog lovers are much more sociable people compared to cat people. Dogs, in most breeds and personal preferences, tend to be more extroverted and enjoy human and other dogs’ company. If we assume humans are more drawn to the kind of animals that they are similar to, then it would make sense that dog people would tend to be more extroverted. They prefer having routines and schedules. Dogs are more high-maintenance compared to cats–they need outdoor time, walks, baths, and sometimes specific feeding schedules. If you have a dog and are an actual good owner, you need to stick to times every single day. And while dog people prefer social situations and are actually stimulated by companionship and interactions, cat people may prefer to stay at home, reading a nice book on the couch.

While it is true that cat people would most likely prefer to spend time alone, there is also a lot of evidence that suggests how cat people tend to be more naturally intelligent. In an experiment carried out in the U.S., 600 college students were first asked about their pet preference, then asked a series of questions to determine their intelligence levels. The outcome showed that the majority of “cat people” achieved a higher score than the other participants.

Other studies indicate that cat people are more creative or imaginative as well, and may be more open-minded compared to dog people. They are less conformative in their beliefs, ideals, and political stances, which goes back to how they care for their pets. It is linked back to the fact that cats are much more independent, and cat owners know when to respect their cats space and privacy, whereas dogs tend to rely on their owners and structure in their lives.

While this is all mostly just for fun and depends on very personal interests and traits, it’s interesting to know the science and psychology behind if someone is a dog person or cat person.

Are you a dog person or a cat person? Let us know in the comments!