The eternal battle of the dogs and cats is alive and well, but this time the competitors are none other than their owners, and their IQ level! Research from the University of Wisconsin in Carrol aimed at them had some great results! It turned out that cats owners achieved higher scores on intelligence tests than those who have adopted a beagle and a labrador. At least it was claimed in the 26th meeting of the Association for Psychological Science in San Francisco, with the ones in charge arguing that cat lovers are indeed smarter.
More specifically, the researchers had 600 American students decide whether they prefer cats or dogs and then studied in depth their personalities. The result was another proof that their choices are controlled by nature! More specifically, the lovers of cats proved to be more introspective, open-minded, sensitive and unconventional. Instead, dog owners tend to be more energetic, sociable, extroverted and more obedient towards rules. These are the main traits in which these pet owners differ and they are also the source of the ever-lasting arguements among them, as to which pet -dogs or cats- is a better company for you and why.
It is logical that a dog owner should be more sociable and like being outdoors, since he is forced to take walks with his pet and speak simultaneously with those around him. Those, however, who have a cat prefer to stay in and read a book, because cats do not have such needs, explains Denise Guastello who is a professor of psychology at the University of Caroll and one that took part in the research.
It is worth mentioning that dogs were much more popular than cats, with 60% of respondents stating that they prefer puppies to cats, which had 11% of the students on their side. Those remaining, which is around one third of respondents, claimed that they loved or hated both pets equally.
These findings, of course, come in absolute identification with a 2010 study by the University of Bristol that showed that cat owners are more educated than the owners of dogs. The specific etiology was no other than that educated people tend to work more hours and choose a pet that fits into their lifestyle.
