Human Preferences for Dogs and Cats in China: The Current Situation and Influencing Factors of Watching Online Videos and Pet Ownership.

ABSTRACT: Dogs and cats have become the most important and successful pets through long-term domestication. People keep them for various reasons, such as their functional roles or for physical or psychological support. However, why humans are so attached to dogs and cats remains unclear. A comprehensive understanding of the current state of human preferences for dogs and cats and the potential influential factors behind it is required. Here, we investigate this question using two independent online datasets and anonymous questionnaires in China. We find that current human preferences for dog and cat videos are relatively higher than for most other interests, video plays ranking among the top three out of fifteen interests. We also find genetic variations, gender, age, and economic development levels

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11640227 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature