I recently came across a copy of an interesting survey the American Animal Hospital Association conducted with pet owners throughout the country. The study was designed to shed light on the relationships we have with our pets. Here are a few of the survey results:

  • More than 50 percent of cat owners and nearly 60 percent of dog owners spend more than one hour a day engaged in activities with their pets.
  • 69 percent of dog owners and 60 percent of cat owners give their pets as much attention as they would their children.
  • 58 percent of pet owners frequently or occasionally feel guilty when their pet isn’t given enough attention.
  • 54 percent of pet owners feel an emotional dependence on their pets.
  • 57 percent of cats and 32 percent of dogs sleep with their owners on the bed.
  • 55 percent of dogs and 46 percent of cats are named after humans; less than one third have pet names, such as Rover or Spot.
  • 56 percent of pet owners have nicknames for their pets.
  • 50 percent of cat owners feel the greatest bond with their pets when petting; 32 percent of dog owners feel the greatest bond with their pets while petting and another 32 percent feel the greatest bond while playing.
  • 79 percent of pet owners own dogs; 57 percent own cats.
  • 25 percent of pets were named according to their appearance or a unique attribute.
  • 49 percent of cat owners never feed their pets human food.
  • 24 percent of dog owners feed their pets human food every day.
  • 54 percent of cat owners would choose to live with a behavioral problem, while only 25 percent of dog owners would be so forgiving.

By comparing this years’ responses with past years’ surveys, it was determined that dog ownership has remained flat during the past few years while cat ownership increased by 5 percent. This could suggest a trend toward a generally lower maintenance pet as our lifestyles become more busy.

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