Posted: October 30, 2008, 5 a.m. EDT
Are people who like dogs that much different from people who like cats? A new study by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) published in the “U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographic Sourcebook” points out some unique differences between cat owners and dog owners.
“Our surveys show that single people are more attracted to cat ownership, while dog owners are married with children,” said James Flanigan, AVMA head of marketing. In fact, 67 percent of dog owners are married, compared to 61.8 percent of cat owners. “While the demographic information is interesting, some of it is concerning, too.”
Flanigan points to statistics that show cat owners spending less on veterinary care than dog owners. In 2007, 82.7 percent of dog owners made at least one annual visit to a veterinarian, while only 63.7 percent of cat owners did the same. “Cat owners are much less likely to seek veterinary care for their animals…and this divide seems to be growing,” Flanigan said.
Other statistics about pet demographics were revealed as well. While dog owners outnumber cat owners — 43 million to 37.5 million — cats outnumber dogs as pets, 81.7 million cats compared to 72.1 million dogs. AVMA says this is because cat owners are more likely to have more than one cat.