Are You A Dog Person or A Cat Person?

You can divide people into two groups: Those who divide people into two groups and those who don't.

Too esoteric? How about this?

There are two kinds of people in the world:
Dog people and cat people.

We can all agree to that. By the numbers, dogs have a slight edge in terms of population but for devotion it's about equal. What does pet ownership say about out personalities?

The Difference Between Dog and Cat Owners

Dr. Stanley Coren conducted a study with findings published in Psychology Today. He gathered up a bunch of dog and cat owners and applied the Interpersonal Adjective Scale to their responses to several questions relating to pet ownership. Kind of like an iPoll survey! Here's what he found (and don't shoot the messenger):

Cat owners were one third more likely to live alone and twice as likely to live in an apartment
A single woman was the most likely individual to own a cat
47% of people who grew up with cats own a cat
11% of people who grew up with dogs own a cat
68% of cat owners said they would not take in a puppy if one was given as a gift
70% of dog owners said they would become a cat and dog house if given a kitty as a gift

What About Personality?

According to this study, cat owners lean towards being introverted and low on dominance. In other words, they are shyer in social settings. They are also a trusting sort.

On the other hand, dog owners tend to be more socially interactive and accepting. A comparison study found that cat owners were 12% more neurotic than dog owners (again, only the messenger). However, they also have a greater appreciation for art and are more open creatively. Dog owners have more traditional interests. Translation: A dog owner will watch football on Sunday while a cat owner is out at a museum.

Let us know which one are you: Dog or cat person?