There are numerous commonly held beliefs about companion animals, such as cats urinating on beds or clothes out of spite or dogs trying to be the “alpha.” While research has shown that many of these beliefs aren’t supported by evidence, they continue to impact the relationship between companion animals and their guardians. For instance, when guardians believe their companions are intentionally misbehaving, they may punish them — even though the behavior might actually stem from fear, pain, or illness. This is why it’s so important to have accurate information to better understand and care for companion animals.

This research aimed to investigate widespread beliefs about companion animals that persist despite the scientific evidence against them. Researchers conducted an online survey between October 2021 and July 2022, collecting data from 224 English-speaking adults recruited via social media from around the world. Participants indicated how much they agreed on a five-point scale with 24 statements about cats and 44 statements about dogs. Afterwards, the researchers provided the participants with an information sheet that laid out the existing scientific evidence for each statement.

Most participants were from Australia (42%), the U.K. (25%), and the U.S. (17%). The vast majority (92%) were female. They ranged from 24 to 77 years of age, with an average age of 48.5 years. Almost every participant reported being a companion animal guardian (93%) or having been one in the past (7%).

The researchers found that while participants generally agreed with statements supported by evidence, a few incorrect beliefs still had notable agreement. For instance:

• 42% believed that dogs need to know who’s in charge
• 37% thought that if you have a dog, you need a garden/yard
• 29% agreed that cats are low-maintenance pets
• 27% felt that you should go through the door before the dog
• 24% thought that cats can fall from high places without getting hurt

There was also considerable support for statements that may only be accurate under certain circumstances:

• 39% thought that if a cat jumps on your lap, that means they want to be petted
• 33% believed that if a dog is wagging their tail, that means they’re happy
• 32% agreed that dogs love being hugged

Encouragingly, statements involving very harmful practices related to punishment or animals’ intentions received little or no agreement:

• 7.5% thought that picking a cat up by the scruff of their neck is a good way to calm them
• 2% believed that if your dog urinates indoors, you should push their nose into the urine
• 2% agreed that dogs misbehave to punish their owner
• 1% felt that there’s nothing wrong with smacking a dog with a rolled-up newspaper
• 1% believed that cats urinate outside the litterbox out of disrespect
• 0% agreed that the best way to help a fearful dog is to punish them
• 0% thought that cats scratch furniture out of disrespect

Demographic Differences

There were slight differences between younger and older people. More young people agreed that aggression towards strangers, cats, and other animals is normal for dogs, while more older people agreed that dogs misbehave to punish their owner and that a dog’s “guilty” look reflects actual guilt. Men and women had almost no differences in their beliefs, except for women agreeing more with statements about cats being able to see in total darkness and dogs only being able to see in black and white. None of these beliefs are supported by science.

The researchers noted some limitations, which were mainly due to participant demographics. Less than 7% of participants were male, and most were highly educated and from so-called WEIRD countries (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic). This means the findings may not be generalizable to other populations.

Overall, this study shows that while some scientific knowledge is filtering through to the general public, misinformation about companion animals is still spreading. One reason for holding onto such beliefs could be cognitive dissonance: companion animal guardians may have been treating their companions in a harmful way, but are reluctant to accept that they’ve hurt someone they love.

Based on this information, it’s essential that myths are uncovered. For animal advocates, this highlights the importance of education. Believing incorrect information about companion animals or misinterpreting their behavior can lead to poor care or even serious harm. People should inform themselves before bringing a companion animal into their home and stay updated on how to be the best guardian possible. Guardians and animal advocates should also share accurate information with others in their community.