Trending This Week: Are You Bi-petual?

After an ABC News special last week cited a study at the University of Texas that shows there is a difference between cat people and dog people, this appears to be the question of the week. Dog people are reportedly more extroverted, more agreeable and more conscientious. Cat people are said to be less traditional, more creative and more neurotic. Some people even say that cat people are more intelligent. So what does that say about those of us who are bi-petual? I’m almost scared to ask.

I would say I am bi-petual, but I don’t think I was born this way. I was raised with only dogs. My parents bought into that theory that cats are aloof and only give you the time of day because you feed them. Not so, say I, now that I know better. Ask anyone who has ever snuggled down with a tabby even when there was no food up for the offering. They can be just as loving as dogs – only on their time. But I didn’t find this out until I was married and had moved out on my own. I wanted to find out if all the mystique about cats was true. It didn’t take me long to figure out I could fall in love with a cat just as easily as I could with a dog.

My husband, on the other hand, always believed he was a dog person – will still tell you that he is. However an often traveling lifestyle doesn’t bode so well with being a dog owner, so he's had to improvise. The reason being cats are more independent and can take care of themselves for a day or two at a time. Not so dogs, they are definitely higher maintenance. So he’s learned to care for the feline only members of the household. However, he definitely has a greater fondness for the one cat that fetches. I have to confess, though, every now and then I too get a hankering to going back to a bi-petual household. Maybe one day!

So what about you? Do you have a particular pet preference or are you also someone who isn’t scared to admit that you too are bi-petual? And what does that say about our character?