Is the character of cats and dogs similar to the character of their owner?

Of course, your pet, a member of your family, with whom you share your home and life, that you love very much, does not have the same genetic characteristics as you. However, it is said that most cats and dogs resemble the character of their owner. According to this, cats or dogs and their owners resemble each other over the years and take on each other's characteristics.

There are different studies on this subject. In 2019, two academics from the University of Michigan interviewed 1,600 dog owners of 50 different breeds. Within the scope of the research, the dogs were separated according to their gender and age groups. In the study, dog owners were asked questions about themselves and their dogs' past and present personality traits. As a result of the research, it was determined that the characters of the dogs changed over the years. In other words, a dog that you adopted 10 years ago does not show the same characteristics 10 years later, and over time, it develops characteristic features by being influenced by the lifestyle and experiences of its owners.

For example, dogs of people who like social life and going out also exhibit similar characteristics. Dogs of aggressive or nervous people also show aggressive behavior. Accordingly, people may prefer to own dogs similar to themselves, or dogs may become similar to their owners over time.

When it comes to behavioral similarities between dogs and their owners, the breed doesn't matter. Although there are studies that suggest that the behavioral traits of dogs originate from DNA, this is true for stray dogs. For example, purebred dogs are known to be more fearless and aggressive, while females or neutered dogs are known to be more fearful and calm.

The similarity between pets and their owners' characters also applies to cats. According to a 2019 study, cats learn to imitate the character traits of their owners over time. Within the scope of the research, 3,000 cat owners were asked about their character traits within the "Five Factor Model" in psychology. These 5 factors are openness, responsibility, extroversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability. As a result of the research, it was revealed that the characteristics that are dominant in people with cats are also seen in cats. According to this, it was revealed that the cats of people with weak emotional balance also had behavioral problems, and the cats of extroverted people were more fond of playing games and interacting with people.

A similar situation applies to parents and their children. In fact, this shows that cats and dogs are indeed indistinguishable from family members. Cats and dogs are influenced by the way their owners treat them, and this mutual interaction results in pets and their owners showing similar character traits over time.