Dogs love more than cats. So what?
It has always been said that dogs are man's best friend. And now, thanks to research carried out by British veterinarians and researchers, this has been proven true. The study was conducted for a new documentary (Cats vs. Dogs: Which is best?) that has begun airing on the BBC and it has been proven not only that dogs are the most faithful pet, but also the one that loves its owners the most. Are you surprised?
The proof that dogs love their owners is based on the secretion of the "love hormone", or in other words, oxytocin. When a dog sees its owner, this hormone spikes. After ten minutes of playing, the hormone shows an increase of 57.2%, which means it quintuples. How can this be known? Very simple: researchers took saliva samples from ten dogs and saw that the same thing happened in all cases.
So there is no doubt that dogs love. A lot. But what are they going to tell us "aristopeters," right? We've always known that...
However, the "controversy" arises when oxytocin secretion is compared between dogs and cats. The research results show that, compared to the 57.2% increase in the love hormone in dogs, cats barely experience a 12%. Therefore, it can be stated that dogs love their owners five times more than cats.
The most critical voices with this study point out that there was no need to make this comparison, since it is well known by any animal lover that cats are "more independent." But, of course, what the new BBC program seeks is precisely that: to reach two types of audiences, dog and cat lovers, mobilize them and keep them engaged with each new broadcast until it is decided "which animal is better." Ultimately, the aim is to create some controversy and declare one species or another the winner of this duel.
While the data is interesting from an informational point of view, there is no need to "pit" dogs against cats. It is an old debate and, in reality, inconsequential for anyone who truly loves animals.
Because when it comes to choosing a pet, each person has their own aspirations and desires. Sometimes it's simply affinity ("I love dogs" or "I love cats"). Other times, the choice of a pet responds to specific needs, the lifestyle of each owner, and even the space available at home to accommodate the pet.
As the saying goes, it's not good to generalize or fall into clichés. It's not good to do it with people. And it's not good to do it with animals either. Because each animal, whether dog or cat, is a world unto itself and has a unique personality. Just as the connection that arises between an owner and their pet is unique and inexplicable. So, according to science, dogs love more than cats. But so what?
Having said all that, we would like to know the love story of each "aristopeter" with their pet. What makes your cat the most special in the world? How does your dog show you that it loves you madly? We look forward to reading your stories in the comments. Surely there is more than one example that proves that the study... has gaps and exceptions.