Dog or cat? The eternal dispute has generated a new topic of debate, which owners are happier, those of dogs or cats? The General Social Survey, a sociological survey that has been collecting since 1972 information on the concerns, experiences, attitudes and practices of residents of the United States, has included pet ownership questions for the first time and has resolved all doubts.
Dog owners are twice as likely as cat owners to say they are very happy
That’s how it is. Dog owners are a little bit happier than those who don’t have this animal in their lives. This research shows that dog owners are more likely to marry and own their own home , which directly affects personal life satisfaction.
The fact of having a dog involves spending time outdoors so that the pets carry out the necessary energy expenditure in their day to day life. This, consequently, positively affects our life and mood when participating in outdoor activities on a daily basis.
Also, dog owners are more likely to befriend other strangers. Either because of daily walks with their pets or because dog owners tend to have a more outgoing and pleasant profile, they are easier to be sociable and establish new relationships …
All of these factors affect happiness, but interaction with the dogs themselves is also key in this study. The General Social Survey collected through this report that people with dogs as pets seek comfort in them in times of stress, such as playing with them, receiving affection (in the form of licks) or considering them “part of their family” in more difficult personal moments in which they lean on their furry companions.
As is well known by those interested in the animal world, cats are not prone to show their affection in a disproportionate way or to respond to the calls of attention of their human when he requests it. The character of felines is nothing like that of dogs … They receive us excited when we get home, while the pussycat (not all, of course) gives us a vague meow.
This makes us make sure that, as we suspected, despite their independence, cats have an absolute emotional honesty that makes us love them just the way they are.
