You will find a pet in virtually every household you visit which shows the love we all have for pets. A recent survey of American households shown that there are as many pets as children with statistics in India indicating an increase in the number of households keeping pets.
Research has revealed that pets are an antidote for loneliness and help us reduce stress. Studies also show that keeping a pet can improve your social skills. Cats and dogs are the most popular pets. Some people keep both while others wonder ‘should I get a cat or dog?’. To solve this mystery let us look at the personality differences between the cat and dog keepers as well as the benefits of keeping either of the pets.
Personality differences between cat and dog owners
A study conducted by Sam Gosling who is a psychologist with the University of Texas proved that there are several underlying personality differences between dog and cat owners.
The results from the study shown that: – Dog people are more sociable than cat people.
– Dog people have more self-discipline compared to cat people.- Cat people are more open compared to dog people.
– Cat people are unlikely to hold unconventional beliefs while dog people have conventional interests.
Now that we know the personality that the pet you choose is likely to create in you, what are the pros and cons of keeping either a dog or a cat?
Merits and demerits of keeping a dog
The benefits of keeping a dog outdo any disadvantage they might have.1. Dogs get excited every time they see you and always enjoy your company.2. To teach a dog various tricks is easy.3. Dogs are a good partner in activities like running, hiking or walking around.4. Dogs ensure their owner’s safety because they will alert you whenever there is an intruder.5. Puppies are cute and it’s fun to have them around.The downsides of keeping a dog as a pet are:
– Dogs need commitment because they love going for exercises every once in a while.
– When you are away you will need someone to watch your dog.
– A dog brings additional expenses. You need to buy it dog food to keep it healthy.
The advantages and disadvantages of keeping a cat
As is with dogs, cats also have far much more advantages than disadvantages.1. Cats have lower maintenance since you they don’t require training, don’t need to be taken for walks and can be left all by themselves for a couple of days.2. Cats don’t have a bad smell which is a likely scenario with dogs.3. Cats do not require a yard. They are fine with their litter boxes.4. Cats don’t bark which is something some people find offensive.5. Kittens are cute.The disadvantages of keeping cats are: – Cats scratch and may even destroy furniture.- They are not good for people who have allergies.- Cats may urinate inappropriately.
Now that we understand what a dog or cat brings along, you can go ahead and own either. The decision on which one you will keep will be pretty easy to make now. You simply have to think about the kind of person you are and then figure out which of the two pets will bond well with you. What if you develop a liking for both? Then, I suggest you try keeping both of them. I can assure you that, save for the commitments, it will be a double experience. The simple truth is that neither a dog nor a cat is superior over the other. The notion of one being better just came about as a result of people terming their favorite pet as the best pet.
It surely is the best for them but that doesn’t qualify it to be the universal best.Finally, there is one very important thing that you should consider doing after owning that pet; the purpose of keeping it happy. It beats all logic to keep a pet and then stress it out. The reason why it is there in the first place is to bring more fun times in the household.
