Study Finds Cat Owners are More Educated than Dog Owners

Educated Cat in a Santa Hat

A study published in the journal Veterinary Record finds cat owners more educated than dog owners.

People with cats are more likely to have university degrees than those with dogs, according to a scientific survey of pet ownership.

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Researchers at the University of Bristol say that the superior intelligence of cat owners is unlikely to be caused by their exposure to the famously cunning and selfish pets.

Rather, more educated people tend to work longer hours and choose a pet to fit their lifestyles. Unlike dogs, cats require no walking and can manage with little human company.

This article also cites another study that allegedly hurts cat intelligence.

The popular myth of cat intelligence was dented last year with the publication of a study showing that they did worse than dogs at a simple reasoning task. Cats presented with two pieces of string, only one of which was attached to a food reward, could not tell which one to pull for their treat.

I will be looking into this study in a future post, but have to wonder if this says more about intelligence or more about how each animal is motivated by food rewards.