Dogs rule, cats drool: Americans prefer pups

Cat owners love their feline friends, but the results of a recent survey are clear: America is a dog country. The poll, conducted by the Associated Press and Petside.com, found that 74 percent of all Americans like dogs a lot, while just 41 percents like cats a lot. Among pet owners specifically, those numbers jump to 84 percent and 49 percent, respectively. Conversely, 2 percent of all survey respondents said they dislike dogs a lot, while 15 percent said they dislike cats a lot.

The survey results don't stop there. Sixty-eight percent of pet owners like both dogs and cats, while 26 percent like only dogs, and 3 percent like only cats. Seventy-four percent of the 1,166 respondents who identified themselves as pet owners have a dog, and 47 percent own a cat.

What do these numbers mean for your veterinary clinic? Considering that 20 percent of pet owners surveyed said they dislike cats at least a little, it could be evidence of a disturbing trend in feline healthcare: uneducated pet owners. Read “Get cats out of the shadows” and check out our Feline Health Center for tips on educating your clients and giving patients-cats and dogs-the care they deserve.