A few days back, I met a friend to congratulate her on her engagement. Though her happiness was visible through her expressions, her demeanour indicated that something was bothering her. Upon my inquiry, she started to vent out her worries.
“My only fear is that he keeps dogs and I keep cats,” she said.Initially, I thought she was merely jesting, to which she clarified,
“No, I really am worried about this”.Her anxiety made me wonder if this difference of preference in pets really mattered that much. I mean, surely, if you keep a pet, it only shows your love for animals, nothing more, right? Well, after observing different instances, I had to reassess my perspective regarding the relationship owners have with their pets. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350"]
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It is a common supposition that the pet you keep is reflective of the personality you have. Cats mostly stay aloof from their owners during the day and only appear when they want to be fed. On the other hand, dogs need of love and care and will disrupt the owner’s daily routine just to get some attention.
Cats expect you to run after them while dogs run after you.
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Hence it is believed that cat owners or ‘cat people’, like their pets, are more independent, arrogant and mysterious while dog owners or ‘dog people’ are more friendly, agreeable and social.
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So is your choice of pet an indication of your personality type?
One possible explanation could be that a person will keep a pet that it can relate to more or has more in common with. For example, an owner who is independent may want a cat as a pet that takes care of itself on its own mostly and does not cause disturbance. On the other hand, a person who is more open, friendly and likes to be involved with others may want a cordial companion in the house and hence may opt for a dog.
Upon observation, a majority of ‘cat people’ are women. Also, it may be worth pointing out that men are, by nature, more agreeable than women. Hence men may have more affinity with dogs than cats. Another common trend to note is that most women who keep cats as pets like to live on their own and are mostly single.
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Whether you keep a cat or a dog can also be indicative of the sort of affection that appeals to you. Most dog lovers dislike cats simply because they think that cats are selfish and will only love you on their terms, while dogs will love you unconditionally and will be there whenever you need them.
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However, many cat lovers find the love of a dog very meaningless. They argue that when a cat shows the owner some affection, it actually means something and carries weight, contrary to the incessant buttering of a sycophant dog.
While the pets you keep may reveal your personality type, exceptions are everywhere. There are many people who do not like pets altogether. Some may keep both cats and dogs and others would be ready to live in a zoo. However, the contrast between a ‘cat person’ and a ‘dog person’ is thought-provoking.