Which is it? Dog lover or cat lover. Politically speaking red or blue?

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   tsmogposted 5 months ago

   
   
   "Dog people" and "cat people" have different personality traits, study finds by CBS News (May 29, 2014)
   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dog-people … udy-finds/
   
   ""Dog people" and "cat people" really do have different personalities, according to a new study.
   
   People who said they were dog lovers in the study tended to be more lively -- meaning they were more energetic and outgoing -- and also tended to follow rules closely. Cat lovers, on the other hand, were more introverted, more open-minded and more sensitive than dog lovers. Cat people also tended to be non-conformists, preferring to be expedient rather than follow the rules."
   
   Just to add some interest according to an article from Cramer-Kasselt; Red Pets vs. Blue Pets: Pet ownership across the political spectrum. "When it comes to pet ownership, Democrats and Republicans can agree on one thing…and that’s dogs. Dog owners are just as likely to come from either side of the political spectrum. Cats, on the other hand, are slightly more likely to be found in Democratic homes."
   
   36% of both Democrats and Republicans are dog owners
   40% of Democrats are cat owners
   35% of Republicans are cat owners
   
   https://c-k.com/pet-political-party-cat-dog-owners/
   
   Have you observed amongst your political friends a preference?

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   pagelizaposted 5 months ago

   Exploring these studies is very interesting, but it's crucial to keep in mind that each person has a distinct personality. I am someone who loves dogs and values the special characteristics that set every individual apart from broad characterizations. Personalities have many sides, and it is important to see the variety in people who love dogs and those who prefer cats.

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      tsmogposted 5 months agoin reply to this

      Great observation, pageliza! I have more friends with both a cat and a dog for pets than friends with just one pet. Maybe more than one.

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         pagelizaposted 5 months agoin reply to this

         I also have friends with more pets than human friends.

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   Nathanvilleposted 5 months ago

   Good question; and I don’t know the answer.
   
   Personally, I am a cat person, and your description of ‘cat lovers’ is an extremely good match for my personality e.g. “….more introverted, more open-minded and more sensitive. Also tendency to be non-conformists…."
   
   As regards the politic aspect (while on the subject) the UK Government has had an Official “Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office” residing in 10 Downing Street (the residential home of the Prime Minister) since c1515 – The latest ‘Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office’ is affectionately called ‘Larry’, and was rescued from ‘Battersea Dogs & Cats Home’ in 2011 by the then Conservative Prime Minister.
   
   Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Mou … net_Office
   
   Below:  Official Photo of the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office sitting on UK Government’s cabinet table in the cabinet room at 10 Downing Street e.g. where the UK Government Ministers and Prime Minister regularly meet to formulate Government Policy etc.
   
   

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      tsmogposted 5 months agoin reply to this

      Thanks, Arthur for the input. You shared a little ways back about 'Larry' and I took note. There is somewhat a tradition of the presidents having dogs in the White House as pets. Never heard of any president having a cat.
      
      Currently there has been a hoopla about Biden's dog, Commander, biting Secret Service members. ha-ha What does that mean? They eventually removed him.
      
      The next article, 2022, so a little dated when considering 'Commander' is interesting.
      
      A History of Presidential Pets by Town & Country a non-political magazine (Jan 28, 2022)
      https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisu … tial-dogs/
      
      An article about 'Commander' by USA a variety magazine
      Commander, Biden's banished German shepherd, had at least 25 biting incidents in a year by USA online magazine (They also have print subscription) published Feb 23, 2024
      https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/inv … 690614007/
      
      Funny or odd, a choice, I was thinking now about the underground dog fighting and cock fights relational to political (philosophical) mindset. hmmmm . . .

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         Nathanvilleposted 5 months agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the links; the Presidential Pets have certainly been wide and varied over the centuries, with some quite weird and wonderful ones – Although I guess the main difference with Larry is that he isn’t just a Government pet, but a working animal, akin to a guard dog, police dog, guide dogs for the blind etc., working for their keep.
         
         Your last paragraph brings up an interesting point:  I had a look at what the situation is in Britain, and discovered the following:-
         
         •    Cock fights and dog fights were blood sports introduced to Britain by the Romans.
         
         •    They were made illegal in Britain in 1835, and the current maximum penalty is six months prison and or £5,000 ($6,374) fine; with the potential of being banned from owning an animal for x years.
         
         •    According to data from the RSPCA (Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), cock fights peaked in Britain in 2012 at about 60 cases a year, but on average is currently around 40 cases a year; the biggest offenders being the British-born Pakistani community.
         
         •    Also, according to data from the RSPCA (Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), there was 232 dog fight cases in 2019, increasing to 355 in 2022; the worst offenders being gang related in Northern England – which accounts for 42% of all cases.
         
         I’d be interested in how the above compares to America?

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            tsmogposted 5 months agoin reply to this

            Thanks, for joining in on this topic, Arthur!
            
            First, without researching thus facilitating memory, there was a 'little' hoopla when Trump became president in 2016 and throughout his term that he didn't have a pet with aim at the tradition of being a dog as seen in that Town & Country article of pet history for presidents. I don't know if that has a particular meaning other than observation.
            
            Curious, I typed "Dog fighting and politics" in my web browser. The Google landing page next is what arrived. Of interest is that it was Department of Defense/Pentagon officials either participating or running dog fighting that were at the top in Serps. I think they mentioned a Senator too in one article.
            
            https://www.google.com/search?client=fi … itics#ip=1
            
            Just reading the titles alone gives an idea of it seems to be related to 'military minded' individuals. I don't know if one can make the leap to say that means it is a conservative mindset thing or not. Perhaps, what is seen is one or more incidents that have been exploited by the press offering a bias. I don't know.
            
            Some highlights from an article I will link next is:
            
            ** In the US, 16,000 Dogs Die Annually as a Result of Dog Fighting. (NHES) . . . That is concerning for me.
            
            And, then comes . . .
            
            Top 10 Most Horrific Facts
            
            ** Almost 40,000 Americans Participate in Dog Fighting Annually
            ** In the US, 16,000 Dogs Die Annually as a Result of Dog Fighting
            ** Fighting Dogs Undergo Horrific Training
            ** Participants Either Consider It a Hobby or a Profession
            ** For a Single Fight, Dog Bets Can Reach Up to $100,000
            ** In All 50 States of the US, Dog Fighting Is Illegal
            ** Dog Fighting Fines Could Be As High as $250,000
            ** Dog Fighting Is a Gateway Crime
            ** Stats for 2021 Revealed Over 200 Pit Bulls Were Seized by Authorities
            ** Hundreds and Thousands of Dogs Are Abused, Injured, and Get Killed in Dog Fighting
            
            Another is - 57% of Americans Think Dog Fighting Has Never Happened in Their Community. (ASPCA)
            
            Compared to what you discovered for the UK/Britain this stands out to me . . . It has been illegal in the US only since 1976. Wow!
            
            Inside the underground world of dog fighting: How the brutal blood sport thrives in the shadows by CNN Investigates (Dec 27, 2023)
            https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/27/us/under … index.html
            
            For interest sake, dog fights is not uncommon in crime/drama movies and TV plots. Also, as an aside, I am sure you know that aerial combat is known as 'dog fights'. hmm . . .
            
            I did a search on that discovering not much at all. The link next is for running thread of comments at Quora with the topic, Why do they call air to air combat "Dog-fighting"? I read a good portion of the replies to that and found it interesting.
            
            https://www.quora.com/Why-do-they-call- … g-fighting

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               Nathanvilleposted 5 months agoin reply to this

               Thanks for the feedback; quite amusingly (and logically) your ‘Google landing page’ link (your 1st link) gave me search return results relevant to the UK, not the USA – So I couldn’t see the websites that you referred to!  But from your description of the return results on your ‘landing page’ I get a general impression of what you saw.
               
               Wow and double wow: And I thought the level of dog fighting in the UK was too high – but it pales into insignificance compared to the USA:  Perhaps that’s why the penalty is far greater in America than Britain e.g. maximum of 6 months prison or $6,374 fine in UK compared to 5 years or $250,000 fine.  And to think that it only became illegal in American in 1976!
               
               Yep, I know what you mean, as you said “…dog fights is not uncommon in (American) crime/drama movies and TV plots”.
               
               As mentioned in the comments in your last link - Wikipedia has a good article on the subject of why air to air combat is called ‘Dogfight’:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogfight

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