Dogs: loyal, empathetic, playful, can detect cancer, cute. But the dog is a high-maintenance pet, demanding training, regular walkies, and attention.
So, which is better — dogs or cats? We wouldn’t want to alienate half the planet by choosing one over the other. But what Budget Direct can do is a bit of science to show whether dogs or cats are more popular.
Key Findings
- Cats are more popular than dogs in 91 countries, and dogs more popular in 76 countries.
- The United States, Australia, and the UK are all dog-people countries.
- New York City had the highest number of cat- or dog-tagged photos in the world, and 59.6% were about cats rather than dogs.
- London is the only British capital city in favour of cats; Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast all prefer dogs.
Cats Sit All Over World Map; Dogs Run Off with America, Oceania
Country-for-country, the cats have it. We found 91 countries with more cat posts than dog posts on Instagram, and just 76 the other way around. Cat-lover territory includes the huge territories of Canada (52.3% of cat or dog photos are cats), China (88.2% cats), and Russia (64% cats).
The dogs take more continents, though. Dog posts outweigh cat posts across North and South America, Oceania, and Africa, while the cats take just Europe and Asia. The most fervently dog-loving city is Morpeth in North East England. Morpeth has the highest number of dog posts among the 58 cities that are 100% pro-dog. Hoofddorp in the west of the Netherlands is the most emphatically pro-cat city.
Australian Cat-Lovers Reside in Tasmania
You knew it in your heart. Australians are dog people. Tasmania is the only state that posts more pictures of cats than dogs — and everyone knows cats hate water, so the mainland is safe. Cats may be easier to photograph than dogs, but 40% of Aussie households have dogs, while only 27% have cats.
The picture does get a bit more complex if you look city by city, however. Cats are more photographed than dogs in Canberra, Rose Bay, Erina, and Sunshine Coast. And it’s too close to call in Sydney.
Americans Are Officially Dog-People
The United States may feature a ‘cat belt’ in the north-west (Washington-Oregon-Idaho-Wyoming are all cat states), but America is overwhelmingly ‘Re-pup-lickin’ (sorry, Demo-cats!) when it comes to pet love. Dogs also have it city by city, by 106 to 45. Gardena, CA, is the most overwhelmingly pro-dog state, while nearby Elk Grove is a cat ‘hood’.
Funnily enough, DC is the only ‘state’ that’s too close to call. Cat-lovers posted 50.5% of the cat/dog content, against 49.5% by dog-lovers. Re-count! Re-count!
FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE:
The choice between owning a dog or a cat can be an easy decision to make for some first time owners.
However, to many new potential owners, this decision could also prove to be a very difficult one. Taking care of a pet is a long term commitment, and prospective pet owners should be 100% ready to take responsibility throughout every day of their pet’s life.
However, to many new potential owners, this decision could also prove to be a very difficult one. Taking care of a pet is a long term commitment, and prospective pet owners should be 100% ready to take responsibility throughout every day of their pet’s life.
Some people buy/adopt their pets on impulse, and end up regretting it. For example, I know a friend who gave away his dog after just 7 months because the dog was too hyperactive and loud for him. This was after he spent a lot of money building a dog house for it, as well as wasted money on food and healthcare costs.
I am aware that this is not the only case of this happening. It is honestly a shame that there are still many people out there who make the very same mistake and end up wasting money, time and their dog’s trust in them as an owner.
So, if you are a prospective owner who cannot decide between buying a dog or cat, you have come to the right place. There are many differences between taking care of a dog and a cat, and I will be stating those differences down here for your reference.
Training and housebreaking
When it comes to training, dogs are clearly easier to train than cats. Dogs have always been a social species who looks to its pack leader for instructions, and thus will have an easier time following instructions. Cats on the other hand are derived from a solitary species who does not look to anyone to tell it what to do. In other words, training a cat will require the use of different techniques from training a dog. One such method is called clicker training, where owners incorporate good habits into their cats with the sound of a click and a treat to follow up. More information on clicker training can be found here.
I do have to note though, it is much easier to housebreak cats than it is to housebreak dogs. If you show the cat a litter box, they are naturally drawn to it as they are programmed to bury their waste in sand. Meanwhile, dogs will require time and patience to housebreak as they do not have the same mechanisms as cats.
So… a dog or a cat?
I believe that this decision is best made by considering a few important factors- your health, your lifestyle, your needs, your budget, and your surroundings. As discussed in all my points above, consider what you are looking for very well before actually going to adopt/buy a pet.
Once you have figured out your situation and know what you want- this decision should be easy to make. There are no right or wrong answers as I do not believe that a dog is better than a cat, or vice versa. Honestly, the debate between which of the species make better pets all comes down to personal perception.