House of Sims, Flickr
In a large-scale study aimed at tracking the type of domesticated animals Brits preffered, The Daily Mail reports that that cat owners were found to be generally smarter than their canine-loving counterparts. The study results showed that those with college degrees (aka the "smarter" folks) were 36 percent more likely to have a cat living in the house than those without degrees. Some speculate this is because the university graduates were more likely to work long hours, and chose cats because they are lower-maintenance than dogs.
But before you dog owners get riled up, you should know that in other recent research you've come out ahead -- cat people were found to be more likely to be neurotic, while dog people were found to have a conscientious and agreeable nature.
The big question is: where does that leave people who own both cats and dogs? Are they in the "smarter" category or the "dumber" group? Kathy Steuber, the owner of a chocolate labradoodle named Finley and two rescued cats named Frady and Phoebe, has an alternate answer – she believes that at times, her pets may be smarter than she is. "I'm outnumbered by my furry friends, and sometimes they do gang up on me!"
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If you have both, as I do, are you twice as smart? Actually who cares? They were really pressed for a study to conduct. Personally, I think you probably could conduct a study to prove that pigs can fly which has would have as much validity as this study.
This writer obviously has neither furby, as they're incapable of even using "spellcheck" on their comp. I don't fuss when posters mis-spell...heck, in my rush to post I often do. But a so-called "professional writer"? "...type of domesticated animals Brits preffered,..." Ummmm that's PREFERRED. Sorry, go ahead and castigate me for daring to correct them-but as I said, a 'poster' is one thing this alleged professional is another!
As a Ph.D. who has had both canine and feline family members, I don't think the issue of which species one lives with has anything to do with human intelligence. Instead, I think it has to do with how secure a person feels. Dogs cater to a person's sense of insecurity. Cats, who know that they are equal to or superior to humans, appeal to people who don't have as many ego problems and don't feel threatened by animal intelligence.
Was Judy's study done by the same nits that did the british study. Ok here is mine - since I have a PhD, people who own dogs actually understand that the dog loves the companionship also vs people who are so caught up in themselves that they would own a cat since there is no effort involved in taking care of them as cats are self involved. Also raised Siamese show cats - at one time 22 of them so not a cat hater but aware of the companionable diff. between the two species. Always exceptions to the rule so dont get into a tizzy.
I like that answer
Hy Judes - You must have received your Ph.D. in psycho-babble because your analysis shows you to be a complete moron...
Very intuitive ,,,,,,,,,,great!!!!
Over the years I have noticed that Cat lovers tend to be slow learners and rather lazy keeping their housework up. Dog owners in the other hand, are more intelligent since they tend to communicate better with them. If you noticed Obama's old lady Michele got a dog to make her look more sophisticated in the publics eyes yet she can't maintain a healthy diet to look good. I love my dog and talk to her just as I would a person.
I have MastersDegree and have owned both dogs and cats as have many people. Neither of these facts make me smarter than anyone else. I know some untelligent college grads and have known some very intelligent non college grads who are dog owners. Based on the assumptions of this study--the people who performed it must not be as smart as the dog owners.
Those bragging over their degrees and acknowledgeing their pets shows that smarts doesn't necessaryl equal common sense.
The really smart people are the ones who don't waste their resources on pets at all.
I can veryfiy that because I have 2 masters degrees, my wife has her masters and doctorate and we have both a cat and a dog.
If you have two masters degrees, I'd think your spelling and grammar would be better....maybe you do need a cat to write messages for you!
hey clown the way you spell,where did your degrees come from wlamart.lol
By your own statement ("the really smart people are the ones who don't waste their resources on pets") you are not very smart if you own a cat and a dog, and you can't spell worth a flip........get real
Soooo you're saying YOU waste resources on animals too? Oh, and you're definitely not bragging about your two degrees...what a case study you are.
So in order to move up the brainpower totem pole -- all one has to do is adopt a cat?
Why not mandate that those parents whose kids are getting a failing grade, must adopt a cat -- that should address the educational crises?
What a waste of taxpayer $$$s.
I for one have owned both cats and dogs -- and yes I do have graduate and professional degrees.
I have one dog and 10 cats, and frankly my animals are smarter than several people I know!! Plus, they are much more likeable!
Hey Judy, it has nothing to do with emotional security or intelligence. Maybe some people just do not want an animal that craps in the house, sits around and licks its azz all day, coughs up hairballs, and is as useful as a pet rock. Unless you have a house full of rodents what use is a cat? At least dogs serve some purpose in guarding the house and in my case protecting farm fields from mammalian pests. Seems like cat people would have the bigger emotional dependence since they only own them to have something need them, quite often using them to replace relationships with other humans. Fairly sad.
P.S. There are no studies which show either cats or dogs have superior intellect.
P.P.S. Where did you get your Ph.D. mail order or a box of wheaties?
Dog owners need their egos stroked; cat owners need to stroke their cats for the sheer pleasure of it. Dogs crap and pee all over houses, shed furiously, bark incessantly, often for no reason, jump on people if they're not trained not to, lick their butts and other private parts, rub their butts on the carpet, smell bad, especially when they're wet, slobber all over, and are very insecure. Need I say more?
probably the same place you received your PhD. lol
Hey, Canis.........if you live on a farm (as I do) you would know just how much a cat is worth their weight in gold. They keep the rodents out of my barns, gardens, and animal feed, not to mention the house. When we get flooding, the rodents are run out of the fields....and usually head straight for the barns or house. Without my 13 cats (all rescues and spayed/neutered, btw), my farm would be overrun with rodents. What an ignoramus. I have a few cats indoors as well as outside, and they all growl and run at the first approach of a vehicle in the driveway...so there goes your theory about only a dog watching over the premises. I just adopted a stray Golden retreiver (no owner to be found anywhere, no tags/collar - most likely some dumbas* abandoned her) and she is so goofy-friendly, she'd probably lead burglars straight to the valuables for a tummy scratch. I've only heard her bark twice --- at other barking dogs. Even though I love her and she's smart, my cats trump her guarding skills and "usefulness". And......I hate to break it to you, but dogs sit around licking themselves all day a lot more than cats do....... I really feel sorry for anyone who thinks that *any* animal is anything but valuable, they are true gifts, IMO, and I am so grateful that mine have chosen me as theirs. Just the happiness, smiles, and laughter that they instill in me every day is priceless.