Do you live in a cat or dog state? US evenly split on pet preference, survey says

By Rita Giordano, The Philadelphia Inquirer

AP Photo/Martin Meissner

Forget red states and blue states. We’re a pet nation, and a new survey is here to tell us where we stand.

Research into America’s pet preferences by Time2play, a media and advertising company, found the nation evenly split — 25 feline-favoring and 25 canine-preferring states.

You can see the full results of the survey at time2play.com/blog/cats-states-vs-dog-states.

Lee Enterprises graphics

Pet partisans were not surprised at their local majority. (Of course, the states aren’t monoliths when it comes to pet loyalty.)

Dogs “are loyal to a fault,” says Billie McClintock, owner of two beagle brothers in Haddon Township, New Jersey (a dog state).

“(Cats) do keep you guessing, but when they are receptive to your affection, it’s unlimited,” says Lisa Walker, who manages the Cat Nook Cafe in Norwood, Pennsylvania (a cat state), and serves on the board of the Animal Coalition of Delaware County.

“You kind of have to work for their trust,” Walker adds, “and I think that makes the relationship more rewarding in the end.”

Attachment styles

Carlo Siracusa, a veterinary behaviorist and associate professor with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, says both dogs and cats form attachments to humans.

“For example, for a long time, we thought that cats were not developing separation anxiety, but now we know that they do,” Siracusa says.

In addition, he says, there is evidence that cats use more vocalization, like meowing, around humans.

But Siracusa says there are differences between how the two species express attachment.

Dogs are social animals — think wolf packs — that have been socialized to be dependent on people and to interact with us.

<p>Activity counselor Seth Fortner reads to Luke Skywalker, a chow mix, during “snuggle time” at Halo House Animal Resort June 28, 2022, in Franklinville, New Jersey.</p>

Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer

Activity counselor Seth Fortner reads to Luke Skywalker, a chow mix, during “snuggle time” at Halo House Animal Resort June 28, 2022, in Franklinville, New Jersey.

Cats’ ancestral background is different.

“Cats, even when they are social with another individual, tend to keep some distance, but it doesn’t mean that the bond is weak,” Siracusa says.

“As much as cats may love their belly rubs and ear scratches, their message after a point is ‘I am a cat, and I need my interpersonal space,’” he says.

Dog culture and dog people are another story.

“They treat their dogs like their children, all of our customers,” says Mike Sinko, co-owner of Villa La Paws Pet Resort and Spa in Maple Shade, New Jersey.

Billie McClintock and her husband, Thomas, treat their beagles, Benny and Jet, to a monthly grooming at Villa La Paws, but the real deal is what the dogs add to the couple’s lives.

“The boys just bring us so much love, and as seniors, they do keep us active,” Billie says.

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