Cat-astrophe: it may be International Cat Day, but Brits prefer dogs
New research reveals 44% of Brits identify as ‘dog people’ - with only 22% saying they’re a fan of felines
New research from comparison experts Go.Compare has found that when it comes to animals, dogs are definitely more popular than cats.
The research delved into the nation’s opinions on animals and the results show that people prefer pooches to pussycats, with 44% of Brits surveyed saying they prefer dogs while only 22% opt for cats.*
This International Cat Day (8th August), the results show that almost a quarter of women (24%) love moggies more than doggies, while 20% of men said they prefer kittens over canines. People aged 16–24 are the biggest cat lovers, with 27% saying they’d pick a Whiskers over a Rover.
However, the results prove that dogs really are a man’s best friend, despite the fact that they are 29% more expensive to insure per month than cats- the average monthly pet insurance premium for dogs is £11.68 compared to £9.08 for cats.** Almost half of the men questioned (48%) said they prefer dogs over cats, and 41% of women chose dogs best too.
More than half (53%) of those questioned between 25 and 34 years-old also picked pups over cats as their preferred pet choice.
A quarter of respondents couldn’t choose between the two, with 25% saying they like both cats and dogs and just under one in ten Brits (8%) said they didn’t like either!
Rhys Jones, Go.Compare pet insurance expert, said: “It might be International Cat Day but when it comes to the nation’s favourite pet, these results clearly show that dogs take the crown as our furry friends. But whether you have a cat or a dog, a rabbit or a parrot, it’s important to show how much you love it by making sure your pet animal is insured.
“While it’s not a legal requirement to insure your pet, it’s something responsible pet owners should consider. Most cats and dogs will, unfortunately, need treatment for an illness or injury at some point in their life, and veterinary treatment can be very expensive.
“Pet insurance offers reassurance that you’ll be able to afford veterinary care if your pet becomes ill or injured. There are also ways to keep premiums manageable, such as selecting a higher excess to lower monthly payments or opting for a simpler policy for younger, healthier pets.
“Whether you are a cat lover or a dog fan, it’s important to compare policies so you can pick the one that works best for you and your fluffy friend.”
For more information about pet insurance, go to: https://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 nationally representative UK respondents (aged 16+). The data was collected between30.05.2025 - 03.06.2025 . Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
**All data points taken from all Go.Compare Pet quotes from 01/01/2025 -18/05/2025. Only breeds with a minimum of 50 quote requests in this time frame have been included. Based on quoted Lifetime policies for pets 1 year old and under, with a cover limit of £1,000.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@gocompare.com
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on X (Twitter); @GoCompare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.