Survey results: Are Catholics dog or cat people?

Does being a dog or a cat person have anything to do with your religion? A recent survey by researchers at the University of Chicago indicates that it just might.

The 2018 General Social Survey, which charts trends in American culture and politics, has found that U.S. Catholics are decidedly dog people.

While dogs are more popular than cats among all Americans — 33% own a dog as their only pet, compared to 11% who only have a cat — Catholics are more likely to own a dog (36%) and far less likely to own a cat than Americans in general.

According to the survey of self-identified Catholics, only 8% of Catholics have just a cat as their only pet — less than the national percentage of households where cats rule the roost.

Here’s how pet ownership breaks down among US. Catholics.

• Has no pets 39%
• Has dog(s) 36%
• Has cat(s) and dog(s) 13%
• Has cat(s) 8%
• Has pet(s), no dog or cat 4%

Here’s how pet ownership breaks down among all Americans:

• Has no pets 39%
• Has dog(s) 33%
• Has cat(s) and dog(s) 14%
• Has cat(s) 11%
• Has pet(s), no dog or cat 4%

Aleteia readers, where do you stand on the dog/cat issue?

Thanks to the Georgetown University-affiliated CARA research center for alerting us to this important trend!

"Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!"… Thirteen percent of Catholics in the U.S. manages a cat and dog household. Some 36% have only a dog(s) and 8% only a cat(s). Four percent has a pet but it isn't a cat or dog. About 4 in 10 have no pets. At CARA we study it all… pic.twitter.com/PhDlhba13f

— CARA (@caracatholic) April 17, 2019