A comparison of cat owners vs. dog owners

Probably every veterinarian has been reminded, “Cats aren’t just small, pointy-eared dogs; they’re a different species entirely.” As it turns out, the same can be said of dog and cat owners, at least as it applies to their relationships to their pets and their attitudes toward veterinary care.

That was a key finding of a recent study, the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study III: Feline Findings. The research was conducted by Bayer Healthcare Animal Health in collaboration with the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and Brakke Consulting, Inc. The study involved numerous focus groups with cat owners and veterinarians, as well as national surveys of both groups. The goal of the research was to probe deeply into why veterinarians see so many fewer cats than dogs when cats represent the majority of pets and to determine what veterinarians can do to increase the number of cats seen in their practices.

The study found that cat owner attitudes toward veterinary care differ substantially from those of dog owners, in large part because of the way cats are acquired, as well as because of fundamental differences in the relationships between the owner and pet.

Check out the video below to compare the differences between dog owners and cat owners.

If you're having trouble viewing the video, click here.