Are cat people really more 'crazy' than dog lovers?

The concept of “crazy cat ladies” has been firmly etched into our cultural psyche through popular media, with iconic portrayals ranging from Eleanor Abernathy in The Simpsons to Angela Martin in The US Office.

Can you think of other such characters? The stereotypical portrayal often depicts such individuals as neurotic solitaires. But are these portrayals based on a shred of truth, or merely figments of creative imagination?

A recent study from Down Under suggests that there may, surprisingly, be a larger grain of truth to the stereotype than we initially thought.

“Crazy cat lady” phenomenon

This distinctive study was led by two diligent psychologists, Jessica Oliva and Leah Michelle Baines, affiliated with James Cook University in Queensland, Australia.

While their research did not specifically probe into the “crazy cat lady” phenomenon, it unearthed some eye-opening findings that lend credibility to its existence.

“Cat ownership positively predicted neuroticism,” the experts noted in their report, which is published in the journal Anthrozoos.

Facts on ‘crazy cat people’

The study conducted by Oliva and Baines involved an in-depth survey of 321 Australian adults, a mix of dog owners, cat owners, and those who didn’t own pets.

Survey participants who owned both dogs and cats were asked to choose the pet they were closest to or spent the most time with, to be classified as a dog owner or cat owner. Overall, 60% of this group chose dogs.

Every participant was scrutinized for various personality traits that included extroversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and resilience. After accounting for other factors such as age and gender, the results were quite revealing.

Dog owners, it seems, bagged the prize for resilience. Simply put, they were evidently better at managing and adapting to challenging situations. Cat owners, on the other hand, portrayed heightened levels of neuroticism.

Interestingly, among cat owners, it was the women who outscored men on the neuroticism scale, giving some weightage to the crazy cat lady stereotype. But it’s not a woman’s game alone. The research also uncovered the existence of a “crazy cat gentleman.”

Peeling the layers

These findings may raise more questions than they answer. What’s causing these differential behaviors among our feline-loving and canine-adoring friends? Could it be that people who are more introverted or neurotic choose cats, while the adaptable ones prefer dogs? Do our genes hold the key to this mystery?

“There is evidence to support the idea that genes guide ownership of a particular species,” said Dr. Oliva. Another aspect to ponder is whether owning a cat can render someone more neurotic compared to owning a dog.

For instance, dogs need more outdoor time and hence, the owner naturally gets to spend more time outdoors, engage in social interactions, and potentially curb neurotic tendencies. In contrast, as cats are relatively low maintenance, their owners might not get the same level of social interaction.

Another angle Dr. Oliva brings to the light is the proven difference between “dog people” and “cat people.”

“Dog ownership has been associated with reduced loneliness in people living alone during periods of prolonged isolation, like Covid lockdowns, suggestive of higher levels of resilience in dog owners,” she noted.

Significance of the study

To sum it up, the study intriguingly suggests that cat owners might be more prone to anxiety and stress than dog owners.

Whether this is down to temperament, genetics, or simply the nature and needs of the pet, requires further exploration. So, is the concept of crazy cat ladies (and gentlemen) a dramatic exaggeration, or mere art imitating life?

But remember, while these findings are fascinating to ponder, they are not universally true for every cat or dog owner out there. So, if you are a cat owner, don’t worry – it doesn’t mean you are neurotic. And if you are a dog owner, don’t get too self-assured – resilience isn’t a given.

At the end of the day, we are as beautifully unique and complex as the pets we adore. Let’s embrace that.

The study is published in the journal Anthrozoos. 

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