The cat vs. dog debate has been going on for a long time. And although both are beloved pets all over the world, many people are still wondering which pet loves their owners more. A new study answers that very question.
The study conducted by a research team for a BBC documentary found out that dogs are five times more loving compared to cats, TODAY reports. The study involved the measurement of the release of oxytocin -- known as the "love hormone" -- from cats and dogs when they see their owners.
The researchers took saliva samples from 10 cats and 10 dogs to check their oxytocin levels before they see their owners. The owners then played with their pets for a couple of minutes. After that, the research team took another batch of saliva samples from the pets to check the increase in their oxytocin levels.
"While the oxytocin levels were elevated in both animals, dogs showed an increase of 57.2 percent of the hormone compared to 12 percent in the cats," the report shared. Apparently, one of the pet dogs that participated in the experiment even had a 500 percent increase in its "love hormone" levels after seeing its owner.
Research team member and neuroscientist Dr. Paul Zak was surprised how much oxytocin dogs produced when they see their owners, but there was another thing that surprised him. "It was also a nice surprise to discover that cats produce any at all. At least some of the time, cats seem to bond with their owners," Zak said.
There's a reason why dogs are called man's best friends. A separate study -- conducted by researchers from Emory University in Atlanta and reported by Daily Mail -- even concluded that dogs love their owners for reasons other than wanting food and security. "We hope to show that they love us for things far beyond food, basically the same things that humans love us for, like social comfort and social bonds."
However, cats can be better pets than dogs depending on the priorities of the pet owner. Cats are more independent than dogs -- being able to hunt insects and mice and have the ability to clean themselves, according to Petful.
