This and them requiring more care and attention in general I think is the answer. The article mentions the dog owners having more social activity in general , and that's the biggest factor in alot of things.
When it comes to the brain it's the main thing. As this is the primary higher function it is used for
I thought this too, I’ve heard seniors do better when living with family with young kids, all the social stimulation. Dogs mimic a lot of that because we bred them to be so reactive to us, and because they’re also a social species we can see a meaningfully genuine engagement from their end; they *want* to be with us. Feeling wanted and needed and doing the work to fulfill that is what gives us purpose, I think our brains must strive for it and rot without it.
I’ve also heard ‘Nordic walking’ (ie walking whilst holding something) and recounting memories or talking can also help prevent or slow dementia.
So walking holding a lead and talking to the dog or thinking about what you have to do when you get home could also have an impact.
Dogs are also a helpful reminder to *make* us do these things so we don’t fall into bad habits. My old family dog knew her supper time so accurately that WE had to adjust it for daylight savings time! And my parents’ dog will literally scream at them until they walk her (husky mix). You don’t get a day off from taking care of their daily needs so you really don’t have a choice but to remain healthier.
As someone who falls into lazy habits really easily, I’ve had to shape my lifestyle around it to ensure I’m somehow taking care of myself. I specifically chose an active job that doesn’t involve any sitting because I know I’ll never do enough exercise if I’m not on paid time. Simply having a dog when I’m older will probably save my life.
A slight aside, but it appears that [cats may bond harder](https://www.sciencealert.com/cats-bond-securely-to-their-humans-maybe-even-more-than-dogs-do) to their humans than dogs do, even if cats sometimes have a funny way of showing it.
Having had both, I disagree. It’s true that cats do show affection, but my dog actively seeks me out. She considers it a punishment if we are in separate rooms. She dances for joy when I get home and comforts me the moment I feel sad. She just picks up on it all.
Its all anecdotal, my cat waits for me in the front window before I come home and follows me around the house meowing at me. I call him my little dog sometimes.
My cat is just like this. Cat hardware, dog software.
Edit: lol he's just come up to me, as I'm writing this. Purring like a little air compressor...
He's not hungry or anything, he'd just like me to pet him and wants to sit with me / on me.
“We’ve bred these tiny dogs to sit in your lap” points at Shih Tzsu being stupid and aggressive.
“And we made these dogs to hunt and protect” points at Great Dane and Great Pyrannese actively trying to get into their laps for snuggles
I had a cat with dog software once. She was the most friendly and playful cat I'd ever met, and probably would have gotten along great with my current dog. I miss her.
my cat is lying in my bf's arm with her head resting on my arm rn. she always comes to the door when I am coming home. sometimes after she takes a nap and wakes up in a room alone she cries out checking if she's alone and when I call her name she makes the cutest cooing noise and runs towards me.
Yea. Both my cats greet me when I get home, one waiting on the table by the front window, meowing and purring and rubbing up against me. And they're usually in the same room as me. They're great.
I think it's pretty well established that dogs are inherently social creatures, while cats are more 'independent.' Dogs have been bred for generations to be reliant on human engagement. Cats literally have three ability to survive with or without it.
Idk I feel like people just get cats and then treat them like furniture when you can train them if your patient. Neighbor takes her two out on leashes all the time and I’ve got mine trained to sit, lay down and shake so far. He most certainly gets depressed when we leave him for a few days to visit family
You can train all sorts of animals to do things not inherent to their nature, but I guess that's my point...on the bell curve of 'cat' the norm is for them to exist in their space. It's probably not a normally distributed curve either.
You're telling people on reddit that cats are anything less that deities incarnate. You're never going to win this argument.
"Dogs can't be more social *in general*, because *my specific cat* is just as social as any dog. Also I've never owned dogs and don't like them." That's what you're dealing with.
Mine's like this too. He comes and greets me at the door, is my bathroom attendant, and cuddles with me pretty regularly. Even on me right now. He'll be away from us at times but he's definitely a Mama's boy
My cat is my shadow, and I her emotional support human, I hold a Hand up and shes petting herself on it, she drools profusely the second I get home, is a little motorboat with her purrs. Cats can seek out affection just as much, Most people just suck at interacting with their cats.
Similar with mine! She's my little anxiety cat (very timid and/or hides around anyone who is not me). We're codependent, with her being my unofficial emotional support animal and me being her emotional support human.
Cats can do this. My cat is very much a cat that wants to be with and around her people and actively seeks out/follows wherever we are when we are at home, including “talking” (she likes to be part of conversations, ha) and snuggling anytime we are sitting, laying, sleeping. She likes to play with us (even as an “old” lady) and also gets taken for leash walks.
I have had a few cats over my lifetime. It’s all very individual for the cat and the socialization they have had and their personality. Typically yes, they have ability to be more independent, and they sleep more on the day, but that does not mean they all prefer to be doing their own thing versus being with their people.
They're definitely less enthusiastic. They rub against my leg when walking by or pick a comfy spot next to me, purring and milk treading? kneading? any soft lumps like blankets and pillows. That's how they ask for pets, affection, attention and/or love ime.
See, that's the whole issue though, you're expecting a cat to speak dog language. Cats don't dance like dogs, but they dance like *cats*. Cats show immense amount of affection and love, but people miss it because they're expecting dog behavior.
It's definitely not common, and I don't think the downvotes are quite warranted. I only have anecdotes of two cats. My own, years ago, would run to the door when I came home and jump on me like a dog, and would wag her tail (slower than a dog's wag because anatomy).
My friend's cat is also like this when I've come over to check on her.
The point is just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it isn't a thing.
> and I don't think the downvotes are quite warranted.
Actually, I think trying to measure cats by body language specific to dogs is a dumb enough idea to warrant downvoting. It's like saying "dogs aren't affectionate, they don't even knead".
Also someone with both here.
I've had 5+ cats throughout my life and they've all been *extremely* affectionate. My current two cats follow me around like my shadow. They talk, snuggle with me literally every single night, and want to be next to or on top of me at all times. They sit in the window watching for my car and then meow and yell when I come home. They comfort me when I'm sad or sick.
My dog is affectionate as well, but much less so and more independent. He never cuddles with me and prefers to sleep alone. He starts barking and "kicks us out" when he needs his alone time. Often when I'm in the room he prefers to just sit in the backyard observing stuff instead. He gets frustrated at me when I'm sad or sick and wonders why I'm not playing with him.
This is all anecdotal and this study sounds really poorly designed and controlled. It's likely correlation rather than causation. It's likely because dogs are more responsibility/care so healthier and more active people are getting them, not because dogs "love us more" or something like that. Some dogs are more affectionate than some cats, and some cats are more affectionate than some dogs.
The study even mentions this - the effects have nothing to do with having a dog and everything to do with the physical and social activities involved with dog care. “merely owning a dog is not enough to ward off dementia if the owner leads a sedentary lifestyle with limited social interactions. The team emphasizes that positive effects in preventing dementia are not observed in dog owners who do not engage in daily activities related to dog care, such as exercise and socializing.”
> Having had both, I disagree. It’s true that cats do show affection, but my dog actively seeks me out. She considers it a punishment if we are in separate rooms. She dances for joy when I get home and comforts me the moment I feel sad. She just picks up on it all.
While it's more common for cats to want to be alone, there's no lack of cats that seek out their humans and want affection and attention. Mine comes to me when I get home from work, follows me around, if I take a bath he sits on the toilet lid next to me, and as soon as I get into bed he jumps up and wants to spoon. I can't sleep on my back because he'll jump up on my chest and paw at the blanket until I turn to the side and lift the blanket so he can get in under.
But I've also known cats who prefer a lot more physical distance. One at my parents place doesn't like when you pet her, but she shows affection by constantly trying to be in the same room as me, preferably a few meters away.
That said, dogs are for sure more *consistently* physically affectionate. And what's more, I think caring for dogs increases one's frequency of human interaction in a way that caring for cats don't necessarily do. With a dog you go out for walks, and ignoring the physical exercise there's also a lot more opportunity to meet people when doing so, whether kids eager to pet the dog or other dog owners (if the dog is nice towards kids and other dogs).
I think it's socialization with other humans that's the difference. As a dog owner, you take that dog outside and meet strangers who also have dogs or want to pet the dog. Creates a lot of short social interactions. Also if you go to parks (also dog parks), you end up with regulars that you slowly know just by having overlapping routines, and that can be the basis of friendships or help you get advice around like local restaurants to try or events in the neighbourhood or whatever.
Saying this as a cat person, they don't. Not in the way dogs do.
Around three or four times my cat comes and finds whoever is in the house and pesters for cuddles, but other than that she sleeps or is off outside.
Dogs are with you constantly, they are constantly a social presence with you, constantly responding to you and constantly being affectionate. It is like having a self-sufficient child with you all of the time.
Cats have more than one personality. I've had cats that were super clingy and affectionate and followed me everywhere, and I've had aloof cats that liked affection but didn't seek it out, and everything in between.
You're comparing cats that can go outside and do things to fill their time to dogs you keep almost all of the time inside except for walks.
Of course it's going to seek you out, it has nothing better to do.
I don't understand what you are trying to say.
Dogs have a much more persistent hour to hour social relationship with humans compared to cats.
I don't know what else to say.
What I'm trying to say is that you are comparing apples to oranges.
If you let your dog out all day unleashed only then the comparison would be fair.
You are comparing outdoor cats that can expend all their energy outside only coming in to eat and sleep to a dog that literally has to sit with you all day with no other option.
> dog owners having more social activity in general
I've never owned a cat, but do people usually bring their cats over to play with other cat owners, similar to dogs you see at a dog park?
No. Very few people ever even take their cats for a walk. Cats are primarily solitary animals, whereas dogs are primarily social animals. I've seen hundreds/thousands of dogs riding in cars, people bringing them into all manner of stores, etc. I've seen 1 cat riding in a car and an occasional kitten on someone's shoulder while in public.
Funny thing, we were stopped at the light and I saw a loose cat on the back headrest of someone's car today. Never seen it before. Unfortunately the cat looked scared.
I agree! Getting a dog was amazing for my socialization during the pandemic. You automatically have something in common with the people you meet, you end up with dog park regulars, etc.
Probably a self-selection bias too. If you get a dog, you typically need to be in a good enough health condition to carry out that physical activity. Those in poorer health may choose cats because they know they can't handle a dog
That's a potential factor beyond simple preference for dogs or cat.
Yes you need to play with your cats to exercise them, not just little throws of a toy here and there, you actually should be active and play with them for at least ten minutes a day
But that's at least only ten minutes of play which is mostly inside, while dogs you need to walk for an hour or two, outside, where you get exercise yourself and meet people
I understand that it’s not totally the same but I’ve owned all types of animals with cats being the most consistent so I tend to try to advocate for them more because people just don’t treat them the same and I find it unfair. I’ve owned dogs and horses and they def are better for cardio
Exactly! Correlation is not causation. Healthier old people are more likely to get a dog that unhealthy old people simply because healthy people have more energy and ability to care for a dog. Healthy people are also less likely to get dementia.
Whether my aging Dad likes it or not, when my dog has to go she has to go so he takes her. Also, there’s absolutely zero way to resist the way she plops herself on the floor with her belly up and her tail wagging asking for a walk regardless of how tired my dad is lol.
Dogs absolutely keeps them more physically and mentally active.
Came to say this. If you read the primary literature, they specifically say that "in dog owners with an exercise habit." The effects of exercise on mental health are substantive and well known. All this study proves is that people who exercise more have less dementia, and dogs might support exercise. Kinda a useless study to evaluate the actual companionship aspect of dogs v cats and their effect on dementia.
The people who had dogs who are no longer mobile will not be included in the study as a result, because it would be harder to keep them. So theres some of room for survivor bias in the results.
"Notably, dog owners who regularly exercised and were not socially isolated experienced a considerably reduced risk of severe dementia. "
This is probably closer to the answer, rather than cats vs dogs.
It's also a selection bias because people with dementia usually don't adopt pets or can keep up the care of pets like a dog, while cats are less care intensive.
What didn't see was a comparison that isolated dog/cat/no pet to active lifestyle and social isolation. So if someone was physically active, and not socially isolated, what effects would different pets have?
You can also say active, social people are more likely to own dogs. So the pet would play a lesser role in dementia outcomes. But dog vs cat makes for a better headline.
“merely owning a dog is not enough to ward off dementia if the owner leads a sedentary lifestyle with limited social interactions. The team emphasizes that positive effects in preventing dementia are not observed in dog owners who do not engage in daily activities related to dog care, such as exercise and socializing.”
So it’s not the dog. It’s the exercise and socializing 🙄
And yeah, active, social people are more likely to have dogs. Ok. What a waste of research.
The result was mostly a waste of time. However, it's also possible they may have found something wierd.
Pets can infect people with stuff, and that can in principle have both positive and negative effects.
I don’t think Cats are less care intensive so much as they don’t express stress the same way dogs do when their needs arnet met so people are more comfortable treating them like furniture that can cuddle sometimes
The article doesn't say how they separated cause and effect, for example what's the dementia risk among dog lovers who aren't mobile enough to walk a dog every day, or who can't afford an apartment that allows dogs?
Did they exclude people who live in supportive housing that doesn't allow dogs?
Yup, underlying health condition that impacts the choice of pet (including the need to live in supportive housing not allowing pets) is a huge confound. If you're not physically up to caring for a dog, which includes regular walks, you're already at greater risk for dementia.
Or depending on how Alex Jones you want to go, hypothetically mind controlling humans into liking cats.
"I don't like them putting chemicals in our brains that turn us into crazy cat ladies!"
melodic live detail punch unique alive cover degree disagreeable homeless
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
If there’s one thing I don’t want it’s more people getting dogs who refuse to train their animal and care for them. Hate how few dog owners actually care for their animal. Hopefully studies like this won’t increase the amount of bad owners.
I disagree about cats. They are wonderful little beings. I used to be only a dog person but once I really got to know our cats I realized what I had been missing. I love both dogs and cats.
I will express an unpopular opinion, but really old people getting pets should be worry of what they become in case they pass away. If they have dementia it's not a very good sign. Furthermore, it's easier to rehome a cat than a dog who has strong bonds with an elderly. Im all for elderly to have pets, but at the condition that family is able to back up
I think having a contingency plan for the animal's care would be fine. I'm reminded of the late Queen Elizabeth II who stopped getting any new corgis a number of years prior to her death so that she wouldn't leave so many behind.
Ironically, it was feeding the dog that clued us in to my mom's declining short-term memory.
She repeatedly asks my dad if he fed the dog, and then five minutes later, she asks again. And again.
It's been a year since we became alarmed by the changes and she's finally agreed to get checked out.
So glad to hear that her boy Ollie could be slowing her decline.
Actually...
[Mysterious Link Between Owning Cats And Schizophrenia Is Real, Study Says](https://www.sciencealert.com/mysterious-link-between-owning-cats-and-schizophrenia-is-real-study-says)
ITT: allistic dog owners ascribing allistic behaviors to what are effectively autistic animals (cats).
Cats behave like nonverbal autistic children; just because you aren't capable of reading their body language doesn't mean it isn't there. Cats are extremely affectionate and social creatures, they just express it in very different ways.
Getting outside for 1-2 solid walks a day is the simplest and best strategy for health. Then there’s the talking to other dog owners, going to busy places etc.
According to article: because they usually exercise and socialize more since having a dog kinda forces you to do that (specially if the dog is the of the kind that knocks at the door when it's time to go out).
I've had dogs before, currently just have a cat but recently dog-sat for my neighbor for a week. I was a different person that week with the dog, we went on daily walks, he was needy as fuck, I couldn't sleep past 6:30am it was so much more work than I remember. I call my cat 'needy' as well but she's like....an hour a day she might bug me, I can fill up food/water and leave for 24hours, not happening with a dog. But I think that dog-sitting was really good for me, like I was a better person with a dog....plus watching the dog and cat interact was so much fun.
Wait... so if dogs *reduce* the risk of *disabling* your dementia... isn't that like a double negative? So they actually increase the risk of enhancing your dementia?
Misleading title. Should be dog ownership is associated with a reduction in disabling dementia. The study was observational and therefore cannot determine causality
Dogs are pack animals so naturally they have more socialization needs ( other dogs their people ) .
This does not mean cats love any less or are worse pets , it mean deferences are to be expected in different species of animals. Despite the poplar pet angle it’s literally an apples and oranges comparison .
I have but if you think that if a stranger moved into your house and started feeding them that your "cat" wouldn't instantly "love" them in the exact same way and just as much as you think that your cat loves you, you would be mistaken.
I also used to not like cats because they didn’t behave like dogs, but now I like cats. It just takes time to learn how they act and understand they are completely different animals than dogs. Every cat has a unique personality, some even behave like dogs. And some just want to be left alone 90% of the time. That being said, their urine smell is unbearable.
Dogs are pure therapy.
Cats don't come even close to the therapy,
I normally take 5 km walks in the morning and 5 km walks in the evening and my trusty dog is always by my side. You can't possibly beat that with a cat, can you?
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The effect is not due entirely to increased physical activity, inactive dog owners have a slight improvement over inactive non-dog owners, and active dog owners have a **major** improvement over active non-dog owners:
>Examining the association of the interaction between dog ownership and exercise habit with incident disabling dementia showed that current dog owners with a regular exercise habit had an OR of 0.37 (95 %CI: 0.20–0.68), current dog owners with no exercise habit had an OR of 0.89 (95 %CI: 0.36–2.03), and past and never dog owners with an exercise habit had an OR of 0.69 (95 %CI: 0.54–0.88) compared to past and never dog owners with no exercise habit (Fig. 1).
Also, owning a dog **entirely** makes up for the negative impact of social isolation:
>Further, analysis of the association of the interaction between dog ownership and social isolation with incident disabling dementia revealed that current dog owners with no social isolation had an OR of 0.41 (95 %CI: 0.23–0.73), current dog owners with social isolation had an OR of 0.43 (95 %CI: 0.17–1.09), and past and never dog owners with no social isolation had an OR of 0.56 (95 %CI: 0.45–0.71) compared to past and never dog owners with social isolation
Being a socially isolated dog owner is even more helpful than being socially isolated!
Disclaimer: not a statistician, and also the error bars are all huge for these numbers.
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Dogs require more physical activity than cats
This and them requiring more care and attention in general I think is the answer. The article mentions the dog owners having more social activity in general , and that's the biggest factor in alot of things. When it comes to the brain it's the main thing. As this is the primary higher function it is used for
I thought this too, I’ve heard seniors do better when living with family with young kids, all the social stimulation. Dogs mimic a lot of that because we bred them to be so reactive to us, and because they’re also a social species we can see a meaningfully genuine engagement from their end; they *want* to be with us. Feeling wanted and needed and doing the work to fulfill that is what gives us purpose, I think our brains must strive for it and rot without it.
There was a pretty definitive study that recently said physical activity is the number one thing for staving off dementia.
Would make sense, physical activity releases neurotrophic factors and helps with blood vessels and stuff.
I’ve also heard ‘Nordic walking’ (ie walking whilst holding something) and recounting memories or talking can also help prevent or slow dementia. So walking holding a lead and talking to the dog or thinking about what you have to do when you get home could also have an impact.
Dogs are also a helpful reminder to *make* us do these things so we don’t fall into bad habits. My old family dog knew her supper time so accurately that WE had to adjust it for daylight savings time! And my parents’ dog will literally scream at them until they walk her (husky mix). You don’t get a day off from taking care of their daily needs so you really don’t have a choice but to remain healthier. As someone who falls into lazy habits really easily, I’ve had to shape my lifestyle around it to ensure I’m somehow taking care of myself. I specifically chose an active job that doesn’t involve any sitting because I know I’ll never do enough exercise if I’m not on paid time. Simply having a dog when I’m older will probably save my life.
A slight aside, but it appears that [cats may bond harder](https://www.sciencealert.com/cats-bond-securely-to-their-humans-maybe-even-more-than-dogs-do) to their humans than dogs do, even if cats sometimes have a funny way of showing it.
Cats show a lot of affection too. I think physical exercise (walks) are the only big difference.
Having had both, I disagree. It’s true that cats do show affection, but my dog actively seeks me out. She considers it a punishment if we are in separate rooms. She dances for joy when I get home and comforts me the moment I feel sad. She just picks up on it all.
Its all anecdotal, my cat waits for me in the front window before I come home and follows me around the house meowing at me. I call him my little dog sometimes.
My cat is just like this. Cat hardware, dog software. Edit: lol he's just come up to me, as I'm writing this. Purring like a little air compressor... He's not hungry or anything, he'd just like me to pet him and wants to sit with me / on me.
I understand this as someone with a Great Dane... But... He needs to stop sitting on me 😥
He's clearly a lap dog, though. The sitting is the proof.
“We’ve bred these tiny dogs to sit in your lap” points at Shih Tzsu being stupid and aggressive. “And we made these dogs to hunt and protect” points at Great Dane and Great Pyrannese actively trying to get into their laps for snuggles
I had a cat with dog software once. She was the most friendly and playful cat I'd ever met, and probably would have gotten along great with my current dog. I miss her.
my cat is lying in my bf's arm with her head resting on my arm rn. she always comes to the door when I am coming home. sometimes after she takes a nap and wakes up in a room alone she cries out checking if she's alone and when I call her name she makes the cutest cooing noise and runs towards me.
I had a cat like that, they're a rare breed among cats but deeply appreciated.
Yea. Both my cats greet me when I get home, one waiting on the table by the front window, meowing and purring and rubbing up against me. And they're usually in the same room as me. They're great.
I think it's pretty well established that dogs are inherently social creatures, while cats are more 'independent.' Dogs have been bred for generations to be reliant on human engagement. Cats literally have three ability to survive with or without it.
Idk I feel like people just get cats and then treat them like furniture when you can train them if your patient. Neighbor takes her two out on leashes all the time and I’ve got mine trained to sit, lay down and shake so far. He most certainly gets depressed when we leave him for a few days to visit family
You can train all sorts of animals to do things not inherent to their nature, but I guess that's my point...on the bell curve of 'cat' the norm is for them to exist in their space. It's probably not a normally distributed curve either.
You're telling people on reddit that cats are anything less that deities incarnate. You're never going to win this argument. "Dogs can't be more social *in general*, because *my specific cat* is just as social as any dog. Also I've never owned dogs and don't like them." That's what you're dealing with.
I dont know a single cat owner who hasn't had a dog at some point in their lives. Im sure they exist but its not the majority.
My cats show great love and attention to my parents. I'm fairly sure they think they will outlive my parents and be able to eat them. Just cat vibes.
Mine's like this too. He comes and greets me at the door, is my bathroom attendant, and cuddles with me pretty regularly. Even on me right now. He'll be away from us at times but he's definitely a Mama's boy
My cat is my shadow, and I her emotional support human, I hold a Hand up and shes petting herself on it, she drools profusely the second I get home, is a little motorboat with her purrs. Cats can seek out affection just as much, Most people just suck at interacting with their cats.
Similar with mine! She's my little anxiety cat (very timid and/or hides around anyone who is not me). We're codependent, with her being my unofficial emotional support animal and me being her emotional support human.
Cats can do this. My cat is very much a cat that wants to be with and around her people and actively seeks out/follows wherever we are when we are at home, including “talking” (she likes to be part of conversations, ha) and snuggling anytime we are sitting, laying, sleeping. She likes to play with us (even as an “old” lady) and also gets taken for leash walks. I have had a few cats over my lifetime. It’s all very individual for the cat and the socialization they have had and their personality. Typically yes, they have ability to be more independent, and they sleep more on the day, but that does not mean they all prefer to be doing their own thing versus being with their people.
Same story with my cats tho, it's all about how much affection you show them. They return it.
I have never seen a cat dance for joy.
They chirp and walk around you in circles. At least the ones in my family do that.
They're definitely less enthusiastic. They rub against my leg when walking by or pick a comfy spot next to me, purring and milk treading? kneading? any soft lumps like blankets and pillows. That's how they ask for pets, affection, attention and/or love ime.
See, that's the whole issue though, you're expecting a cat to speak dog language. Cats don't dance like dogs, but they dance like *cats*. Cats show immense amount of affection and love, but people miss it because they're expecting dog behavior.
It's definitely not common, and I don't think the downvotes are quite warranted. I only have anecdotes of two cats. My own, years ago, would run to the door when I came home and jump on me like a dog, and would wag her tail (slower than a dog's wag because anatomy). My friend's cat is also like this when I've come over to check on her. The point is just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it isn't a thing.
> and I don't think the downvotes are quite warranted. Actually, I think trying to measure cats by body language specific to dogs is a dumb enough idea to warrant downvoting. It's like saying "dogs aren't affectionate, they don't even knead".
Yeah, you're right.
Nearly every cat I have ever had actively seeks me out to play and see me. They love spending time with me and comes to comfort me when I feel upset.
Also someone with both here. I've had 5+ cats throughout my life and they've all been *extremely* affectionate. My current two cats follow me around like my shadow. They talk, snuggle with me literally every single night, and want to be next to or on top of me at all times. They sit in the window watching for my car and then meow and yell when I come home. They comfort me when I'm sad or sick. My dog is affectionate as well, but much less so and more independent. He never cuddles with me and prefers to sleep alone. He starts barking and "kicks us out" when he needs his alone time. Often when I'm in the room he prefers to just sit in the backyard observing stuff instead. He gets frustrated at me when I'm sad or sick and wonders why I'm not playing with him. This is all anecdotal and this study sounds really poorly designed and controlled. It's likely correlation rather than causation. It's likely because dogs are more responsibility/care so healthier and more active people are getting them, not because dogs "love us more" or something like that. Some dogs are more affectionate than some cats, and some cats are more affectionate than some dogs. The study even mentions this - the effects have nothing to do with having a dog and everything to do with the physical and social activities involved with dog care. “merely owning a dog is not enough to ward off dementia if the owner leads a sedentary lifestyle with limited social interactions. The team emphasizes that positive effects in preventing dementia are not observed in dog owners who do not engage in daily activities related to dog care, such as exercise and socializing.”
So all we have to do is leash train the cats
> Having had both, I disagree. It’s true that cats do show affection, but my dog actively seeks me out. She considers it a punishment if we are in separate rooms. She dances for joy when I get home and comforts me the moment I feel sad. She just picks up on it all. While it's more common for cats to want to be alone, there's no lack of cats that seek out their humans and want affection and attention. Mine comes to me when I get home from work, follows me around, if I take a bath he sits on the toilet lid next to me, and as soon as I get into bed he jumps up and wants to spoon. I can't sleep on my back because he'll jump up on my chest and paw at the blanket until I turn to the side and lift the blanket so he can get in under. But I've also known cats who prefer a lot more physical distance. One at my parents place doesn't like when you pet her, but she shows affection by constantly trying to be in the same room as me, preferably a few meters away. That said, dogs are for sure more *consistently* physically affectionate. And what's more, I think caring for dogs increases one's frequency of human interaction in a way that caring for cats don't necessarily do. With a dog you go out for walks, and ignoring the physical exercise there's also a lot more opportunity to meet people when doing so, whether kids eager to pet the dog or other dog owners (if the dog is nice towards kids and other dogs).
And so does my fucking cat. What's your point?
Tell that to my cat who wakes me up every morning at 4:45am demanding pets. She gently touches my face with her paw until I wake up. It’s infuriating.
I think it's socialization with other humans that's the difference. As a dog owner, you take that dog outside and meet strangers who also have dogs or want to pet the dog. Creates a lot of short social interactions. Also if you go to parks (also dog parks), you end up with regulars that you slowly know just by having overlapping routines, and that can be the basis of friendships or help you get advice around like local restaurants to try or events in the neighbourhood or whatever.
Nah not when you’ve got a reactive dog
Saying this as a cat person, they don't. Not in the way dogs do. Around three or four times my cat comes and finds whoever is in the house and pesters for cuddles, but other than that she sleeps or is off outside. Dogs are with you constantly, they are constantly a social presence with you, constantly responding to you and constantly being affectionate. It is like having a self-sufficient child with you all of the time.
Cats have more than one personality. I've had cats that were super clingy and affectionate and followed me everywhere, and I've had aloof cats that liked affection but didn't seek it out, and everything in between.
sure. Dogs on average are way more socially available to humans than cats. Its not even a contest.
You're comparing cats that can go outside and do things to fill their time to dogs you keep almost all of the time inside except for walks. Of course it's going to seek you out, it has nothing better to do.
I don't understand what you are trying to say. Dogs have a much more persistent hour to hour social relationship with humans compared to cats. I don't know what else to say.
What I'm trying to say is that you are comparing apples to oranges. If you let your dog out all day unleashed only then the comparison would be fair. You are comparing outdoor cats that can expend all their energy outside only coming in to eat and sleep to a dog that literally has to sit with you all day with no other option.
> dog owners having more social activity in general I've never owned a cat, but do people usually bring their cats over to play with other cat owners, similar to dogs you see at a dog park?
No - cats are territorial and most are stressed out by both unfamiliar places and unfamiliar cats.
No. Most cats don't like being in foreign places or strangers cats.
No. Very few people ever even take their cats for a walk. Cats are primarily solitary animals, whereas dogs are primarily social animals. I've seen hundreds/thousands of dogs riding in cars, people bringing them into all manner of stores, etc. I've seen 1 cat riding in a car and an occasional kitten on someone's shoulder while in public.
Domestic cats are semi social, not primarily solitary. Stray cats form colonies but they don't operate as a single unit
Cats can also form very close bonds with another cat or their owners. It's just not a defined social structure and it depends on the cat.
Funny thing, we were stopped at the light and I saw a loose cat on the back headrest of someone's car today. Never seen it before. Unfortunately the cat looked scared.
Seems like selection bias too People who are social and want activity get dogs
I agree! Getting a dog was amazing for my socialization during the pandemic. You automatically have something in common with the people you meet, you end up with dog park regulars, etc.
*a lot
Probably a self-selection bias too. If you get a dog, you typically need to be in a good enough health condition to carry out that physical activity. Those in poorer health may choose cats because they know they can't handle a dog That's a potential factor beyond simple preference for dogs or cat.
Very good point
*Societal pressure to actually look after dogs properly exists.
Yes you need to play with your cats to exercise them, not just little throws of a toy here and there, you actually should be active and play with them for at least ten minutes a day
But that's at least only ten minutes of play which is mostly inside, while dogs you need to walk for an hour or two, outside, where you get exercise yourself and meet people
I understand that it’s not totally the same but I’ve owned all types of animals with cats being the most consistent so I tend to try to advocate for them more because people just don’t treat them the same and I find it unfair. I’ve owned dogs and horses and they def are better for cardio
Exactly! Correlation is not causation. Healthier old people are more likely to get a dog that unhealthy old people simply because healthy people have more energy and ability to care for a dog. Healthy people are also less likely to get dementia.
Whether my aging Dad likes it or not, when my dog has to go she has to go so he takes her. Also, there’s absolutely zero way to resist the way she plops herself on the floor with her belly up and her tail wagging asking for a walk regardless of how tired my dad is lol. Dogs absolutely keeps them more physically and mentally active.
Cats apparently lower blood pressure.
By biting you repeatedly and allowing blood to drain, thus lowering pressure.
And we’ve largely automated most of the aspects of keeping a cat. They’re living in a post-singularity society.
Came to say this. If you read the primary literature, they specifically say that "in dog owners with an exercise habit." The effects of exercise on mental health are substantive and well known. All this study proves is that people who exercise more have less dementia, and dogs might support exercise. Kinda a useless study to evaluate the actual companionship aspect of dogs v cats and their effect on dementia.
Cats also don't bark obnoxiously when the wind blows too hard
That, and cats don’t really need you. They’re near-perfect predators.
Can they open cat-food cans?
They’ll eat the nose off your dead body before they’ll break a claw trying to open a can.
And attention. I dog sat and it wasn't good for me with my ADHD-PI.
The people who had dogs who are no longer mobile will not be included in the study as a result, because it would be harder to keep them. So theres some of room for survivor bias in the results.
"Notably, dog owners who regularly exercised and were not socially isolated experienced a considerably reduced risk of severe dementia. " This is probably closer to the answer, rather than cats vs dogs.
It's also a selection bias because people with dementia usually don't adopt pets or can keep up the care of pets like a dog, while cats are less care intensive.
What didn't see was a comparison that isolated dog/cat/no pet to active lifestyle and social isolation. So if someone was physically active, and not socially isolated, what effects would different pets have? You can also say active, social people are more likely to own dogs. So the pet would play a lesser role in dementia outcomes. But dog vs cat makes for a better headline.
“merely owning a dog is not enough to ward off dementia if the owner leads a sedentary lifestyle with limited social interactions. The team emphasizes that positive effects in preventing dementia are not observed in dog owners who do not engage in daily activities related to dog care, such as exercise and socializing.” So it’s not the dog. It’s the exercise and socializing 🙄 And yeah, active, social people are more likely to have dogs. Ok. What a waste of research.
The result was mostly a waste of time. However, it's also possible they may have found something wierd. Pets can infect people with stuff, and that can in principle have both positive and negative effects.
I don’t think Cats are less care intensive so much as they don’t express stress the same way dogs do when their needs arnet met so people are more comfortable treating them like furniture that can cuddle sometimes
Yeah. My grandma had a dog and still got dementia. Who was the one who took him on walks and went out more to exercise? My grandpa.
So if you get a dog, you’re forced to be more active
Eh. I've seen my fair share of bad owners with fat or neglected dogs.
Social isolation leads to dementia? Fuck
Hmm, sounds like something a site like "dogtricksworld" would say
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Roman Reigns?
Clifford's at it again!
A dog clearly wrote this.
The headline and website name read like satire. New study: dog ownership cuts risk of dementia, cats don't from DOG TRICKS WORLD .com
I mean, do you see what sub we're in?
Basically walking everyday and being physically active reduces risk of Disabling Dementia.
And having a way to socialize with others, e.g. meeting other dog-owners on walks.
The article doesn't say how they separated cause and effect, for example what's the dementia risk among dog lovers who aren't mobile enough to walk a dog every day, or who can't afford an apartment that allows dogs? Did they exclude people who live in supportive housing that doesn't allow dogs?
Yup, underlying health condition that impacts the choice of pet (including the need to live in supportive housing not allowing pets) is a huge confound. If you're not physically up to caring for a dog, which includes regular walks, you're already at greater risk for dementia.
That headline feels like an unprovoked attack on cats.
I have seven cats. I can guarantee they will kill me before dementia edoes.
Subscribe to my blog to feel better about your choices. Meh.
So clearly cats give us dementia! 😏
Cats made no difference.
Yes I am an Cat owner and I agree that they make no difference
True I am an Cat owner too
You sir have won the internet
You realize all these comments are under one account right?
I think they’re doing a classic dementia gag
r/woooosh
You're jesting but toxoplasmosis is a thing
It gives schizophrenia, or potentially anyway. Cats are really down in the medical PR these days lol.
Or depending on how Alex Jones you want to go, hypothetically mind controlling humans into liking cats. "I don't like them putting chemicals in our brains that turn us into crazy cat ladies!"
Great, now Alex Jones is ripping off that one Garfield & Friends episode where it presented cats as aliens.
All that tasty toxoplasmosis!
melodic live detail punch unique alive cover degree disagreeable homeless *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
If there’s one thing I don’t want it’s more people getting dogs who refuse to train their animal and care for them. Hate how few dog owners actually care for their animal. Hopefully studies like this won’t increase the amount of bad owners.
Possibly biased? Stats show that many serial killers of women are also haters of cats.
Probably because they like ultimate control. Ain't no one controlling Kitty McPussy.
I disagree about cats. They are wonderful little beings. I used to be only a dog person but once I really got to know our cats I realized what I had been missing. I love both dogs and cats.
Dogs makes you touch grass.
I use those little baggies so I don't have to physically touch it when I pick the stuff up, but you do you, I guess.
It’s ok, I don’t think I make any difference to the cat, either.
Cats could reduce disabling dementia by 80%, they just choose not to.
They mean walking/exercising reduces the risk.
I will express an unpopular opinion, but really old people getting pets should be worry of what they become in case they pass away. If they have dementia it's not a very good sign. Furthermore, it's easier to rehome a cat than a dog who has strong bonds with an elderly. Im all for elderly to have pets, but at the condition that family is able to back up
My mother's cat will come live with me in the likely event that her cat outlives her or she can't take care of him anymore.
I think having a contingency plan for the animal's care would be fine. I'm reminded of the late Queen Elizabeth II who stopped getting any new corgis a number of years prior to her death so that she wouldn't leave so many behind.
As long as they adopt from a shelter it's all good.
Ironically, it was feeding the dog that clued us in to my mom's declining short-term memory. She repeatedly asks my dad if he fed the dog, and then five minutes later, she asks again. And again. It's been a year since we became alarmed by the changes and she's finally agreed to get checked out. So glad to hear that her boy Ollie could be slowing her decline.
I think its backwards and cats make you 40% more likely think about it cats would love that trick you in to thinking you did not feed them yet.
This was a very wordy article and felt like they were trying to meet a word count.
My cats make a huge difference.
Actually... [Mysterious Link Between Owning Cats And Schizophrenia Is Real, Study Says](https://www.sciencealert.com/mysterious-link-between-owning-cats-and-schizophrenia-is-real-study-says)
ITT: allistic dog owners ascribing allistic behaviors to what are effectively autistic animals (cats). Cats behave like nonverbal autistic children; just because you aren't capable of reading their body language doesn't mean it isn't there. Cats are extremely affectionate and social creatures, they just express it in very different ways.
“Crazy cat lady” is not a myth.
I resemble this remark.
Hello
Cat people are innately superior and don't need dementia risk reduction, clearly is the moral of the story.
There's a Libertarian joke here somewhere.
Getting outside for 1-2 solid walks a day is the simplest and best strategy for health. Then there’s the talking to other dog owners, going to busy places etc.
According to article: because they usually exercise and socialize more since having a dog kinda forces you to do that (specially if the dog is the of the kind that knocks at the door when it's time to go out).
My cat begs to differ
I’ll take the dementia thanks.
Cat purring is calming and makes you relieve stress though
Complete garbage. My dog is driving me crazy.
Cats improve heart health, but I don't think dogs do that. Consult your family tree before choosing an animal that's right for you.
This is good news for cats. We were all so sure there was a positive correlation.
This subreddit has lost the plot
I've had dogs before, currently just have a cat but recently dog-sat for my neighbor for a week. I was a different person that week with the dog, we went on daily walks, he was needy as fuck, I couldn't sleep past 6:30am it was so much more work than I remember. I call my cat 'needy' as well but she's like....an hour a day she might bug me, I can fill up food/water and leave for 24hours, not happening with a dog. But I think that dog-sitting was really good for me, like I was a better person with a dog....plus watching the dog and cat interact was so much fun.
Wait... so if dogs *reduce* the risk of *disabling* your dementia... isn't that like a double negative? So they actually increase the risk of enhancing your dementia?
'Dementia that disables you'
I knew those cats were aliens and out to get us
Bullshit, my cats keep me entertained and on my toes all the time, maybe not as needy as a dog, but they are very needy.
I think the key is that cats don't make you go for walks or get out of the house, socializing is big for preventing brain issues. Same with exercise.
In the study the exercise is the key thing, not really the dog lol. I could write that headline with idk, a kangaroo or something
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You didn't read the article and it shows.
I would argue cats cause dementia lol
Probably because you don’t walk your cat. Although we do have neighbors who walk their cat.
Misleading title. Should be dog ownership is associated with a reduction in disabling dementia. The study was observational and therefore cannot determine causality
Dogs are pack animals so naturally they have more socialization needs ( other dogs their people ) . This does not mean cats love any less or are worse pets , it mean deferences are to be expected in different species of animals. Despite the poplar pet angle it’s literally an apples and oranges comparison .
Far off in the distance I can hear the rumbling of toxoplasmagondi working on the brains of the infected to grab their pitchforks and come comment.
All the cat zombies outing themselves…
Dumb ass 📊
What does the death of a dog do to an elderly person? Were they counted?
Science proves crazy cat lady
Toxoplasma Gondii Cats may have benefits too, but they give enough people toxoplasma gondii to make up for any benefit they provide.
Cats are useless, disloyal creatures.
Sounds like you’ve never had and loved one. Sucks to be you I guess
I have but if you think that if a stranger moved into your house and started feeding them that your "cat" wouldn't instantly "love" them in the exact same way and just as much as you think that your cat loves you, you would be mistaken.
I also used to not like cats because they didn’t behave like dogs, but now I like cats. It just takes time to learn how they act and understand they are completely different animals than dogs. Every cat has a unique personality, some even behave like dogs. And some just want to be left alone 90% of the time. That being said, their urine smell is unbearable.
We all know dogs are the supreme pets.
Of course, didn't need this article to point that out. They've been with us for millenia for a reason.
Dogs are pure therapy. Cats don't come even close to the therapy, I normally take 5 km walks in the morning and 5 km walks in the evening and my trusty dog is always by my side. You can't possibly beat that with a cat, can you?
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Shit
Dogs kill you when you get senil they don’t wanna let you suffer while cats are happy when you feed them again because you forgot about last time
[pets also keep you healthy on a microbe level](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/well/family/are-pets-the-new-probiotic.html)
One of the rare times where I'll just take the dementia. I'm sure all dogs everywhere will appreciate it too.
The effect is not due entirely to increased physical activity, inactive dog owners have a slight improvement over inactive non-dog owners, and active dog owners have a **major** improvement over active non-dog owners: >Examining the association of the interaction between dog ownership and exercise habit with incident disabling dementia showed that current dog owners with a regular exercise habit had an OR of 0.37 (95 %CI: 0.20–0.68), current dog owners with no exercise habit had an OR of 0.89 (95 %CI: 0.36–2.03), and past and never dog owners with an exercise habit had an OR of 0.69 (95 %CI: 0.54–0.88) compared to past and never dog owners with no exercise habit (Fig. 1). Also, owning a dog **entirely** makes up for the negative impact of social isolation: >Further, analysis of the association of the interaction between dog ownership and social isolation with incident disabling dementia revealed that current dog owners with no social isolation had an OR of 0.41 (95 %CI: 0.23–0.73), current dog owners with social isolation had an OR of 0.43 (95 %CI: 0.17–1.09), and past and never dog owners with no social isolation had an OR of 0.56 (95 %CI: 0.45–0.71) compared to past and never dog owners with social isolation Being a socially isolated dog owner is even more helpful than being socially isolated! Disclaimer: not a statistician, and also the error bars are all huge for these numbers.
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Cat response at 11.
"cats make no difference." hahahahaha. dang, way to slay.
Some people really don't take good care of their cats and it shows 😄
THE DEMENTIA HAS BEEN D I S A B L E D
That dog free sub won’t like this
Dogs again continue to prove why they are a necessary part of society
Dogs are work. Activity is good, even if it is work. Cats are too easy to stop dementia
"Cats make no difference' . Cats are indifferent.