[Crossfire Bulldogs]

The Lufkin Daily News

Monday, December 19, 2005

Q: Although we have both, my wife is more of a cat person, while I've always been more fond of dogs. Now we have a friendly bet about which is the more popular pet, a cat or dog. Which is it?

A: Hope you didn't bet too much on this: Cats are more popular, but it's pretty close. Of owned pets in the United States, there are about 73 million cats, compared to 68 million dogs. This is according to the American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association, from their 2001-02 National Pet Owners Survey. The article, written by the Veterinary Products Laboratory also has some more interesting pet facts:

Four in 10 households in the U.S. own at least one dog, whereas three in 10 own at least one cat. The difference is that cat owners are more likely to have more than one cat than dog owners. Sixty-three percent of dog owners have just one dog, whereas 51 percent of cat owners have two or more.

As far as gender goes, there are an equal number of male and female dogs owned in America, while female cats barely beat out male cats, 51 percent to 49 percent.

One reason cats might be more popular is their cost: On average, dog owners spend $196 on vet care in a year, while cat owners spend only $104.

Cats are a little more likely than dogs to be spayed or neutered: eight in 10 cats are, compared to seven in 10 dogs.

And finally, only 20 percent of both dogs and cats are adopted from shelters. While others probably adopt strays, others still go to breeders. So here's a final fact to think about: According to the American Humane Association, 56 percent of dogs and 71 percent of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized. That might be another reason to adopt from a shelter — especially this holiday season, when they can be especially overcrowded.